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Pages: 1 astro_que sage Reged: 11/11/09 The Questar 12       #3761792 - 04/22/10 04:27 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   At NEAF, the owner of the company spontaneously expressed his desire to build new 12"'s, with the same thermal innovations as the Titanium 7. Post Extras:       Steve C. sage Reged: 01/24/08 Loc: Sugar Land, TX Re: The Questar 12 [Re: astro_que]       #3761871 - 04/22/10 05:07 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Gawd, what would something like that cost? They would definitely need some new engineering for equalization. Post Extras:       greedyshark sage Reged: 10/31/05 Loc: 3rd Rock Re: The Questar 12 [Re: Steve C.]       #3761895 - 04/22/10 05:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: They would definitely need some new engineering for equalization. ...and I would definately need another source of income to afford. CS, Charles Post Extras:       astro_que sage Reged: 11/11/09 Re: The Questar 12 [Re: greedyshark]       #3761967 - 04/22/10 06:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   They now believe they have the thermal technology to build any size Mak. It just takes a lot of titanium and fancy machining. Post Extras:       ColoHank Carpal Tunnel Reged: 06/07/07 Loc: western Colorado Re: The Questar 12 [Re: astro_que]       #3762661 - 04/22/10 11:52 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   It takes a big, thick hunk of glass and a lot of grinding to produce the deeply curved corrector for a 12-inch Mak. Hang on to your wallets! Post Extras:       JohnH Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/04/05 Loc: Squamish BC Moved!!!!! Re: The Questar 12 [Re: ColoHank]       #3796506 - 05/10/10 12:05 AM Attachment (210 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   As an owner of an original 11 1/4" Hayward BSC-2 glass blank made in the late 50's, I can testify that the obstacles to overcome require a bit more than titanium. Even back then, this piece of glass was some $300, which could have bought a good used car then. The front corrector on the 12 is some 1 1/2" thick, with deep curves. The only ways to make one is to start with a solid piece of optical glass and generate the deep curves on both sides or slump mold a suitable piece and then anneal it. The latter has the problem of rejects due to a poor anneal, resulting is a high percentage of loss. The former requires a glass blank that is around 2 1/2" by 13" in diameter. Having looked through one on several different nights, I can also attest to the need for thermal reconciliation to get the best use of one. This size pushes the limits of practicality on the design. My own design using the 11 1/4" corrector blank suggests the lower limit of weight is around 45 lbs, assuming an aluminum tube machined down, an open cell to reduce weight and to help cool the mirror. Post Extras:       saemark30 scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 02/21/12 Re: The Questar 12 [Re: JohnH]       #5193589 - 04/27/12 03:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Anything more about this Q12? I sure like to see something like like, even ATM made. Post Extras:       Steve's 50th member Reged: 07/30/11 Re: The Questar 12 [Re: saemark30]       #5194676 - 04/28/12 10:51 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I would think that the demand for a Q-12 would be very limited, to the point where it is not practical for Questar to attempt to make them. If I remember correctly, back when they tried to promote them they sold less than a dozen? I think there are just too many other designs that can produce the same results at a far lower cost. I'd love to own one but will never be able to due to the cost. Post Extras:       GeneT Ely Kid Reged: 11/07/08 Loc: South Texas Re: The Questar 12 [Re: ColoHank]       #5268650 - 06/12/12 07:51 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: It takes a big, thick hunk of glass and a lot of grinding to produce the deeply curved corrector for a 12-inch Mak. Hang on to your wallets! It would also be quite heavy. Post Extras:       Billydee professor emeritus Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Winter Haven, FL Re: The Questar 12 [Re: GeneT]       #5268788 - 06/12/12 09:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think that they are developing one for a government contract. I would expect it to be in the $250,000 to $500,000 range. Bill Post Extras:       Erik Bakker Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/10/06 Loc: The Netherlands, Europe Re: The Questar 12 [Re: Billydee]       #5268997 - 06/13/12 03:20 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: I think that they are developing one for a government contract. I would expect it to be in the $250,000 to $500,000 range. Bill In that case, I'd start searching for an A-P 10" Mak or have Matthias Wirth build a 12" MCT for you. Nostalgia apart, you would end up with a more enjoyable and of course affordable scope. Post Extras:       Bill Boublitz member Reged: 05/04/13 Loc: York County, PA, USA Re: The Questar 12 [Re: Erik Bakker]       #5855331 - 05/12/13 11:55 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   For a time Company 7 had listed the 12" as under development. It's since been removed. During one visit to the Questar facility, I asked Jim Richert about the 12". He said they were slowly working it out. Since their primary income source are government contracts, they only fool with it when they have time. Of the prototypes, he stated they have more work to reduce weight and cost but added, "I could sell forty of these right now, sight unseen. We'll get there." Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Post Extras:       Pages: 1

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