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northernontario
member
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 14
Loc: canada
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I followed some good advice that some one had left me on a post I had made about my mirror cell that came with the 16 inch monster that I had purchased. It was something to the effect of "make due with what you have, and what ever you do...do your self" Thanks. ( I also bought "the Book")
these are the collomation bolts and triangles I made my self with a hack saw and materials from our scrap bin at work. Not perfect, but that just means I will make another one...because....it was alot of fun to make. I used 3/8 N.F 24 fine thread bolts. They pass through a hole in the rung and are threaded into a nut i welded on top of the rung. This is working out to be very smooth. The maple leaf collomation knobs will also be easier to get a hold of with mitts on.
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dave b
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/05
Posts: 3529
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all that sap is going to attract dirt to the mirror.
nice work! dont forget to anodize them red
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dave bonandrini
30" f/5.2 Dobsonian
President of GCAC
Astromart Moderator
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Nils Olof Carlin
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/26/04
Posts: 640
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I just wonder- can the triangles tilt freely on their bolts - and can the straight members (rungs? Whiffle-trees) do so too? I couldn't guess from the picture.
And before you try to anodize the parts - at least check they are aluminum  , not steel...
N O C
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northernontario
member
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 14
Loc: canada
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I am not sure what anodizing involves and if I can even get that done up here. I was thinking about using a clear coat of spray on type stuff that I found in my wife's craft supplies. The triangles and bolts pivot on strategic gaps as per "the Book", I also used O-Rings and Linatex washers.
I put my mirror on it the other night. Some tuning up is need, but adjustments are easy. All parts are aluminum. Coincidently, the heads of the bolts have the number 67 stamped on them. Canada's 100th birthday....and the last year the Leafs won a Stanley cup. I would like to thank everyone for their encouragement, wisdom and kind words.
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Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5024
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
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Nice work! However, if this is going to be a Kriege style tailgate and mirror cell, the long ends of the triangles point inwards towards the center. You should be able to find some thick rubber pads with adhesive on them to put on each corner of the triangles. They should be thick enough to keep the mirror from touching the screw heads, or the lock nuts holding the bars onto the collimation bolts.
Taras
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15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
Two curious cats
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dave b
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/05
Posts: 3529
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you can anodize at home with a simple battery charger
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dave bonandrini
30" f/5.2 Dobsonian
President of GCAC
Astromart Moderator
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skyler
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/16/06
Posts: 1671
Loc: TGPNW
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That sounds very neat to anodize at home. Can you point us to a link or info about how it can be done? I have some projects just waiting for anodizing.
OTOH, if I have to keep a vat of H2SO4, then I might just have to have it done commercially.
Thanks,
S
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northernontario
member
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 14
Loc: canada
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I looked into the home brew anodizing process. There are some decent websites.I have never tried it, but I won't let fear and common sense stand in the way.
I think I will give it a shot, and yes Dave, they will be red. Achernar, that is a really fine looking cell. And I did point all the long points inward. I used furniture felt pads on the corners of the triangles. And I had to cut the lock nuts in half as per "The Book".
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Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5024
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
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Thanks Northernontario. You must have used stainless steel for the bars, which I couldn't find so I opted to use 6061-T6 aluminum instead. I made the bars from 1/2 by 1-inch bar stock and the triangles from 1/4 by 4-inch flat stock. That made cutting the lock nuts on top of the bars unnecessary, but it also required longer pieces of all thread for the side pins and collimation bolts. At first I didn't realize I pointed the triangles the wrong way, so I wound up re drilling and tapping a new set of holes in the triangles to attach the plastic ring to them.
Taras
--------------------
15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
Two curious cats
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