Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7176
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
Thanks, Kerry.
It is based on your labeler-mod. I liked the smaller-sized offset numbers.
 I thought it looked familiar. 
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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BradC
sage
Reged: 01/31/07
Posts: 447
Loc: St. Louis, MO
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Sometimes you just get lucky....
Found a cool protractor at the dollar store to use as my altitude indicator. Just cut out a tiny bit at the "center" so it sits right on the spring bolt:
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My God! It's full of stars!
Zhumell 10" dob - First Light Report
Celestron OptiView 10x50 LPR Binoculars
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BradC
sage
Reged: 01/31/07
Posts: 447
Loc: St. Louis, MO
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But WAIT, don't touch that phone!
You also get...
YES, a pushbutton illuminated dial, in night-safe red!!
Here's an ebay link to show you what the product looks like in the package. For $1 at the dollar store!!
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My God! It's full of stars!
Zhumell 10" dob - First Light Report
Celestron OptiView 10x50 LPR Binoculars
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BradC
sage
Reged: 01/31/07
Posts: 447
Loc: St. Louis, MO
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Still a work in progress, here is my dial on the base. I used the new 22" dial I posted above, which worked great.
Cutting this out was really a pain in the rear. I still need to clean up the edges a bit, and am looking for black edging to cover the entire cutout, so it looks as "factory" as possible. What did y'all use to cover the exposed edge of the cutout?
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My God! It's full of stars!
Zhumell 10" dob - First Light Report
Celestron OptiView 10x50 LPR Binoculars
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40112
Loc: montana
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Brad: My highest compliments! Wow, you took this project & really added class to it! The lighted protractor is the cat's meow! Really cool, & extremely professional job you have done. The cutaway is great. If you could find a flexible strip of black plastic, you could use that to cover the raw wood, or just touch it up with black paint.
I am really impressed with your job! Thank you for sharing with us! You are the first to find this lighted protractor, & I'm definitely going to get one for mine.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7176
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
But WAIT, don't touch that phone!
You also get...
YES, a pushbutton illuminated dial, in night-safe red!!
Here's an ebay link to show you what the product looks like in the package. For $1 at the dollar store!!
Way-To-Go Brad!! Thats a great find. Thanks for the link.
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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BradC
sage
Reged: 01/31/07
Posts: 447
Loc: St. Louis, MO
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Thanks, Carol.
I got it at a "Deal's" discount store, if anyone has one locally. Watch out, though, they have them in red and also in bright orange light. I suspect even the red may be a bit bright for night-adapted eyes.
I guess if there is enough interest here, I can go back by and see if they have any more on the shelf. PM me if you are interested...
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My God! It's full of stars!
Zhumell 10" dob - First Light Report
Celestron OptiView 10x50 LPR Binoculars
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astrasouth
member
Reged: 07/11/07
Posts: 17
Loc: NC
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Quote:
Mark,
Sorry I couldn't answer the question of clockwise/counterclockwise. I have two dobs (8" & 12"), both with boxes on a ground plate. Both of my circles go clockwise. I don't know anything about your other scope...
Hi, i wanted to see how you constructed the dial inside your rocker box. thanks!
Mark
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15" Discovery Truss Dobsonian (f/5)
6" Orion Skyquest XT (f/8)
8" Meade LX6 SCT (f/6)
****
Chapel Hill Astronomical & Observation Society
Raleigh Astronomy Club
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BobW
sage
Reged: 12/29/06
Posts: 266
Loc: Mebane,North Carolina
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Quote:
I still need to clean up the edges a bit, and am looking for black edging to cover the entire cutout, so it looks as "factory" as possible. What did y'all use to cover the exposed edge of the cutout?
Brad, I used a strip of metal banding. It formed around the curves and is near black in color. Picked it up at work. They just throw them away. Now I just need to make a better looking pointer. I just hot glued a L shaped finish nail painted dayglow orange to a magnet.
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North Carolina
Z10 Dob
Oberwerk 20x80 Deluxe II
Universal Astronomics Unimount Light
Garrett Gemini 10x50 LW Binocular
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BradC
sage
Reged: 01/31/07
Posts: 447
Loc: St. Louis, MO
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Quote:
Brad, I used a strip of metal banding. It formed around the curves and is near black in color. Picked it up at work. They just throw them away. Now I just need to make a better looking pointer. I just hot glued a L shaped finish nail painted dayglow orange to a magnet.
For my pointer, I used a very small allen wrench, trimmed the long handle down, and painted one arm bright red. I super-glued it to a strong button magnet. The magnet is very strong--as a matter of fact in the picture above, I have a steel strip BEHIND the rubber patch (which I took off the wedge I cut). I am probably going to paint the magnet part black to conceal the glue gunk, and maybe give the red a second coat.
Lowe's hardware didn't have any trim (that or nobody knew where it would was in the store). I have a Rocker hardware (specialty woodworker store) in town, they might have something useful. On this page they have an adhesive trim and a plastic T-edging that both might work.
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My God! It's full of stars!
Zhumell 10" dob - First Light Report
Celestron OptiView 10x50 LPR Binoculars
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Quote:
Hi, i wanted to see how you constructed the dial inside your rocker box. thanks!
Mark
Here's a link to a picture of my az circle. There are other pictures of how it goes together a page or two back in this thread.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/download.php?Number=1554107
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Tom
The Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
************************************************
2007 Discovery 12.5" PDHQ Split-Tube Dob w/manual setting circles/Telrad/Zhummel 8x50 RACI finder scope (*For Sale*)
Coulter Odessey 8" Dob
Celestron C11-SGT
Garrett Optical 15x70 Gemini Binoculars on homemade Parallelogram w/Setting Circles
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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astrasouth
member
Reged: 07/11/07
Posts: 17
Loc: NC
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excellent thanks! a dial strip on the bottom of scope did not work at all, so I'm going to design my circle inside the rocker box like yours.
With my 6-inch Orion dob, i've had good results with a donut circle like most folks here.
mark
south
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15" Discovery Truss Dobsonian (f/5)
6" Orion Skyquest XT (f/8)
8" Meade LX6 SCT (f/6)
****
Chapel Hill Astronomical & Observation Society
Raleigh Astronomy Club
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Ghazzer
journeyman
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 5
Loc: Sykesville, Maryland
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Most of the base plates appear to be constructed of particle board. Any time you cut into this stuff you are creating an open invitation for moisture. Moisture causes particle board to swell, and pretty soon you have an unsightly headache. 
One solution is to always use a good sealer when you cut into the particle board, before you re-assemble the base.
You could also dress up the cut with a good wood putty, then file or sand it smooth before a coat of sealer and some matching, outdoor paint.
<< Steve >>
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Steve Hedges
10" Antares
Every day is Saturday!
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Mark,
Didn't know if you found the rest of my pictures so here's a repeat.
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Tom
The Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
************************************************
2007 Discovery 12.5" PDHQ Split-Tube Dob w/manual setting circles/Telrad/Zhummel 8x50 RACI finder scope (*For Sale*)
Coulter Odessey 8" Dob
Celestron C11-SGT
Garrett Optical 15x70 Gemini Binoculars on homemade Parallelogram w/Setting Circles
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Picture.
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Tom
The Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
************************************************
2007 Discovery 12.5" PDHQ Split-Tube Dob w/manual setting circles/Telrad/Zhummel 8x50 RACI finder scope (*For Sale*)
Coulter Odessey 8" Dob
Celestron C11-SGT
Garrett Optical 15x70 Gemini Binoculars on homemade Parallelogram w/Setting Circles
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Picture..
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Tom
The Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
************************************************
2007 Discovery 12.5" PDHQ Split-Tube Dob w/manual setting circles/Telrad/Zhummel 8x50 RACI finder scope (*For Sale*)
Coulter Odessey 8" Dob
Celestron C11-SGT
Garrett Optical 15x70 Gemini Binoculars on homemade Parallelogram w/Setting Circles
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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astrasouth
member
Reged: 07/11/07
Posts: 17
Loc: NC
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excellent thanks!!!!
looks like you have a discovery scope like mine, so this is very helpful.
mark
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15" Discovery Truss Dobsonian (f/5)
6" Orion Skyquest XT (f/8)
8" Meade LX6 SCT (f/6)
****
Chapel Hill Astronomical & Observation Society
Raleigh Astronomy Club
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Mark,
Yes, it's a 12.5" PDHQ split-tube.
I forgot to tell you that I had to replace the center bolt because the original was too short. I used stock 1/2"x13 all-thread from Home Depot and cut it to fit.
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Tom
The Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
************************************************
2007 Discovery 12.5" PDHQ Split-Tube Dob w/manual setting circles/Telrad/Zhummel 8x50 RACI finder scope (*For Sale*)
Coulter Odessey 8" Dob
Celestron C11-SGT
Garrett Optical 15x70 Gemini Binoculars on homemade Parallelogram w/Setting Circles
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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I recently added tracking to my Dob with a Dob Driver II. It is a great addition to my set up, but it did create an issue with my Manual Setting Circles.
I had originally had my azimuth scale placed between the ground board and rocker floor. The DDII azimuth motor uses a knurled wheel that turns against the top of the groundboard. Had to find a new place for my azimuth scale.
Because of wiring and other components in on the rocker floor, and a small amount of available clearance when the mirror box swings through I couldn't use a scale like Tom's in the rocker.
I decided to add the scale outside surrounding the groundboard. Because my round groundboard is the same diameter as the rocker width, I could not simply slip the scale down over the rocker. It would have to be split.
First step was a ring with an inside diameter just 1/4" larger than the groundboard diameter. I used tempered hardboard and cut the ring with my router and home made circle jig
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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My idea was to support this ring with 3 removable pins that would fit in the side of the groundboard. The pins were 3/8ths bolts. I had considered threaded inserts as the attachment method, but had a second Idea.
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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