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B. Hebert
member
Reged: 09/04/06
Posts: 61
Loc: Southern California
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Having just built my first Dob mount I have been experimenting with bearings. I finally have lazy susan bearings with chair glides around the periphery for slight friction and it seems to be about right.
On my first night out in the desert with just the friction bearings I noticed that dust was getting blown into the bearing surfaces. How are others dealing with this?
B. Hebert
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SkyView Pro mount
Shoestring GPUSB guiding
ST80 & Meade DSI I
Orion 8" Reflector
Orion 80ED Refractor
Canon 350 (unmoded)
Some eyepieces
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Skylook123
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 4785
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Good question. For about 14 years I've used a variety of dobs out in the Sonoran desert, and I have found that I absolutely need a ground tarp, and my only azimuth surfaces are Teflon and Ebony Star, no other mechanical bearing systems. Six years ago I did a couple of long weekends at All Arizona Star Party and All Arizona Messier Marathon and forgot the tarp and the result was destroyed Ebony Star and Teflon surfaces. Never could get the smooth motion back, and I tried everything I could think of to clean and prep the surfaces. With the large tarp (a very large one, about 18' on a side; a smaller 8' tarp doesn't work) I find a whole lot less junk in the system after the weekend.
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Jim
A Bad Night With A Telescope
Beats A Good Night Doing Anything Else
Tectron 18" Truss Dob/Sky Commander DSCs, "Derrick"
Meade 10" LX-5 SCT/Atlas-G "Ol' Blue Eye"
Orion 90mm refractor,
Meade 10" Starfinder Newt/JMI NGCMax DSCs,
Celestron 10x50 Ultima Pro
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B. Hebert
member
Reged: 09/04/06
Posts: 61
Loc: Southern California
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Since my bottom bearing board is made of two 20 inch disks I might try adding a strip of flashing over the bearing area from my upper board to seal off the bearing surfaces. The idea of cleaning out my bearings after every trip isn't appealing.
B. Hebert
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SkyView Pro mount
Shoestring GPUSB guiding
ST80 & Meade DSI I
Orion 8" Reflector
Orion 80ED Refractor
Canon 350 (unmoded)
Some eyepieces
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3460
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I agree with B. Herbert's idea- perhaps some rubber strip of some kind or aluminum flashing attached to the top disk to shield the space between the two disks. Another important thing to remember- the Ebony star should be on the top disk- facing down, the glides/teflon pieces on the bottom board. This way dirt doesn't collect on the ebony star for the glides to run over.
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Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Some bino’s from Miyauchi 5x32 Binon's up through Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from a Stellarvue 80mm NHNG up through a couple of 8” reflectors…
And a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Shiefspiegler!
Some good friends, made here on C/N.
Oh- several cats and a wonderful wife!
Anyone want a cat???? :-O
"When your work speaks for itself- Don't Interrupt" -Gamble Rogers
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