coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 1544
Loc: South Louisiana
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Great work, guys. That's what I want to be able to do - center a star & twist the circle until it's on the right coordinate. I don't have the tools to do an alum. disk though, maybe I could use a sheet of plastic or posterboard to mount my degree circle on, I don't know. I'm open to suggestions at this point.
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Regards,
Clay
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalms 19:1
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Clay,
I don't know what kind of scope you have, but here's my version if you have this style. It rotates 360 degrees independently.
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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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How it's mounted.
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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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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 413
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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Clay,
You can have a 22" or whatever size you want laminated. Then cut it out carefully with sissors. The laminations will not separate. That's what I did, it cost me about $7 to have it printed and laminated at a local print shop. You can either leave it whole and rotate it from the center or do like I did and make some clips for a donut to ride in around the bottom base. I didn't want to mess around with the lazy susan to get the circle to rotate. If you need more pictures of my setup, let me know.
Dave
Z10
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coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 1544
Loc: South Louisiana
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Tom & Dave,
Thanks so much for the ideas. I understand your setups very well now.
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Regards,
Clay
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalms 19:1
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Clay,
Here's a little better view. I mounted my laminated circle to foamboard which is still working well after 9 months. The foamboard that I used had a self-adhesive making the mounting of the circle extremely easy. You can get foamboard at any office supply or hobby shop.
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RS67Man
Tinker King
Reged: 11/10/07
Posts: 776
Loc: Spanaway, WA USA!
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Here is my version:
The degree circle is laminated on both sides, and is held down with 8 clear plastic tabs cut from some packaging. There are 2 plastic tabs that stick out from the base that I turn the degree wheel with to line up the whole shebang. I drilled the 2" hole in the top board and attached a piece of clear plastic with a straight line drawn with a sharpie to the bottom of the board.
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Celestron 15X70 binos
70mm Meade refractor on "broken" 494 Autostar tripod
6" F/8 "Ellis" unfinished 50 Year Old Newtonian Project!
AEACC The Automatic Electric Aluminum Can Crusher thread
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
The degree circle is laminated on both sides, and is held down with 8 clear plastic tabs cut from some packaging. There are 2 plastic tabs that stick out from the base that I turn the degree wheel with to line up the whole shebang. I drilled the 2" hole in the top board and attached a piece of clear plastic with a straight line drawn with a sharpie to the bottom of the board.
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Nice job Walt, can't wait to see it in person. I like the clear plastic tab design. 
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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baguba81
journeyman
Reged: 12/18/07
Posts: 6
Loc: Pa.
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I agree that dobs should come with the setting circle and also have levelers and a latitude scale built right on. I use www.astrohelper.myvnc.com to get my coordinates.
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antar8x
member
Reged: 01/06/05
Posts: 21
Loc: Bogota D.C., Colombia
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I really enjoy this thread... So I decide to do it and make a Step by Step manual... I hope will be useful
Here is the LINK
PD.. English isnīt my native language, so please be patient with me.
PD2.. Para los que hablamos espaņol... esta mejor explicado en espaņol que en ingles 
Clear skies
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____________________________________8X
Jorge G Calderon G
Bogota D.C., Colombia (2640 mts closer to the stars)
Orion DOB XT8 (SIMON)
Meade ETX-60AT-BB for my vacations days
BINO 10x50 Bushnell
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DwightX
member
Reged: 08/13/07
Posts: 60
Loc: Kentucky
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Great looking XT8 Jorge! 
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Dwight
Orion XT8
Meade LXD55 SC-8
Celestron C4R and 8SE
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roccodm
super member
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 102
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A wonderful job by all on this thread- cant figure out where the word amateur fits in- i am not familiar with the PDAs - can anyone recommend a pda that i might be able to find on e-bay used that would have the alt/az conversion feature- i am waiting for the circus cannon to get here along with a Wixey inclinometer so i can get started- clear skies to all -all advice greatly appreciated -roccodm WB9QPU
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40124
Loc: montana
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Welcome to Cloudy Nights! Glad to have you join us!
I have a Dell Axim X5 that I purchased used. I have PocketStars software on it.
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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justabob
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/05/07
Posts: 1673
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Has anyone done this mod to an Obsession? I just got a new 12.5" and I am not willing to cut holes in the furniture grade wood. I love the way it works with my z10 and wixey. The thread is so long please excuse me if I could not find any reference to an obsession type mirror box. I may bite the bullet and go with the argo navis at some point but I prefer the home brew approach.
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http://www.pbase.com/rkn/astro&page=all
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Meade sn6
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Hutech 1000d
Self modded 350d
ST8300c on order
DSI PRO II
Bob
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roccodm
super member
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 102
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You can get a wixey digital inclinometer a eagle tools for $39.95 plus shipping- it has a magnetic base and from the reports of other users it is quite compact and works well----eagle@eagleamerica.com clear skies rocco WB9QPU
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justabob
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/05/07
Posts: 1673
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Yes I already have a wixey. My question was how to mount the azm circle on the ground board. I have got a couple of ideas.
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http://www.pbase.com/rkn/astro&page=all
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Meade sn6
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Hutech 1000d
Self modded 350d
ST8300c on order
DSI PRO II
Bob
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gsETX70
super member
Reged: 12/21/07
Posts: 114
Loc: Fort Worth, TX
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This is a great idea. If it works, finding objects using my XT10 Clasic will be easier. I've been reading through this thread, but still cannot figure out how to use the Degree Circles that have been shown. Carol's is mounted to what appears to be the top plate of her base. If so the Degree Circle turns when the scope turns. Other's have it on the bottom plate which will remain stationary. I understand how to use those, accept their pointer is on the side, So, it is 90 degrees off from the actual direction of the scope. Could someone explain how they are supposed to be used?
Thanks,
Glenn
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Orion XT-10 Classic Dobsonian 254mm
Meade ETX-70 70mm Refractor
Meade 70-AZ-A 70mm Refractor
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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Glenn,
Mounting the ring to the bottom board and the pointer to the rocker base allows you to place the pointer in a spot where you can see it at all times from the eyepiece.
The opposite situation means that you will have to leave the eyepiece side of the scope to line up the pointer at times.
With regard to how the scale is lined up - this may seem counterintuitive, but trust me it works - it is not important that the scale actually match the actual azimuth direction of your site, only that the pointer indicate the direction of your tube.
For example, on my scope, when the tube is pointed north, the pointer indicates zero (North) on the scale, but cardinal direction of the zero point and pointer is actually west or 270 - offset 90 degrees from actual - done this way so it is visible from the eyepiece position.
If you wanted to make the scale consistent with the actual azimuth direction, you would find that you would have to view around the tube to see the pointer - bothersome at times.
Hope this helps.
Rod
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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gsETX70
super member
Reged: 12/21/07
Posts: 114
Loc: Fort Worth, TX
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Thanks Rod. I guess I was making it more complicated than it really is. I wanted to make sure I understood before making any modifications.
As for the modifications, the diameter of my rocker base is 22". The XT10 Classic's ground board is not round. I was thinking of adding thin 24" diameter circle between the ground board and rocker base. Then I don't have to bother drilling the rocker base I simply place pointer mark on the rocker base. If I blow up the 944499-Alt-AZ_Setting_Circle.pdf 125% this should place the Degree circle outside the rocker base plate. Do you think this will work?
Thanks,
Glenn
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Orion XT-10 Classic Dobsonian 254mm
Meade ETX-70 70mm Refractor
Meade 70-AZ-A 70mm Refractor
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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Glenn,
I first did this kind of setup on a Coulter Blue Tube 13" and the ring I made extended beyound the edge of the rocker base as you can just make out in the photo below. Worked fine. The only warning I would give is not to make it too wide or you could end up stepping on it while moving around the scope. Mine extended out about 2 inches or so and was too wide.
Good Luck with the mod - it is worth the effort.
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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