Rob Willett
Vendor (Degree Circles)
Reged: 02/07/05
Posts: 653
Loc: London, UK.
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In case it helps anybody I've written a web site that generates setting circle PDF's for you. Any size setting circles up to 46" diameter, I suppose anybody who can afford a scope needing 46" diameter settting circles can afford a nice brass set, so probably doesn't need this 
You can change just about every parameter from the size of the circles, the angles to print (every 1 degree, every 0.25 degree), where to put the text (inside or outside), full circles, half circles, fractions of circles, even add in proper Vernier Gauges. You don't need to code, just change various parameters in a set of boxes. Out of the box it prints a simple full circle with no changes needed at all. Start there and tweak it until you get it right.
It has a simple mode (with full instructions and help). This will do for most people. There is also an advanced mode which allows all sorts of extra configuration, e.g. staggered text, actual length of the angle marks, Vernier Gauges etc. You can work in inches, pts or mm as well so you don't have to understand that pesky metric system we Europeans use.
This means that instead of going to Kinkos and asking them to scale you can print out the exact size you want.
The system generates a PDF for you to view or save so you can take a copy and use that at Kinkos, Staples etc. You can also post them here on Cloudy Nights for anybody else to get the benefit of your tweaks.
The system is free to use, just don't abuse it.
You can find the simple version at http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000/
and the more complex one at
http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000/indexcomplex.php
You can also download the PostScript file if you wish to tweak that directly. Thats really only for PS Experts but if you know what you're doing go for it.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks,
Rob
Edited by Rob Willett (02/26/08 04:14 AM)
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40292
Loc: montana
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Rob, thanks so much for allowing us to have use of your hard work!  I am posting a link in the PDF sticky to your post, so that it will not get buried in this thread.
Again, our thanks!
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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gsETX70
super member
Reged: 12/21/07
Posts: 114
Loc: Fort Worth, TX
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I purchased a digital level from Home Depot last week. As far as I can tell, everything is working great. My setting circle was off a degree, but that may be because I was not pointed at Polaris. Trees obscure Polaris, so I may have had another star in the EP. Other than that, the circle and level allowed me to locate 20 DSO objects tonight. I don't feel stupid for not getting the XTi instead of the XT Classic Orion.
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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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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40292
Loc: montana
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Congratulations! Glad to see it working so well for you!
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: 1685
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Quote:
I purchased a digital level from Home Depot last week. As far as I can tell, everything is working great. My setting circle was off a degree, but that may be because I was not pointed at Polaris. Trees obscure Polaris, so I may have had another star in the EP. Other than that, the circle and level allowed me to locate 20 DSO objects tonight. I don't feel stupid for not getting the XTi instead of the XT Classic Orion.
As long as you know where you are off you can compensate. A compass will work as well. I will normally alien on two bright objects one on each side of the meridian. Then split the difference of error on the setting circle. Saturn has been very convenient in the eastern sky.
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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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greenskeeper
member
Reged: 10/20/07
Posts: 38
Loc: B'Ham, AL
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I need a counter clockwise degree circle, 22" outside to outside, for a 10" dob. Anybody have a template?
Thanks
Greenskeeper
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***Greenskeeper***
Zhumell 10" dob
Meade ETX-90 Mak
Series 4000 set of EP's
More stuff than I need!
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Rob Willett
Vendor (Degree Circles)
Reged: 02/07/05
Posts: 653
Loc: London, UK.
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Have you looked at my site http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000/indexcomplex.php ?
This is easy enough to do. If all you are doing is this then leave the units as mm.
I've assumed that your 22" circle is a diameter, this works out as 558mm. I use the radius, 558/2 = 279mm
Change MyPaperSize to A1
Change InnerCircleWidth to 254 (= 10 inch)
Change OuterCircleWidth to 279 (= 10.98 inch)
Change StartXPos to 280 (how far across the page to print = 11.1 inches)
Change StartYpos to 280 (how far up the page to print = 11.1 inches)
Change TextXAngleOffset to -26 (this is how far back from the edge of the circle to print the angles, just over 1 inch, don't forget the minus at the front!)
Press the submit button and you have a circle the right size.
You could also get sub angles printed out as the circle is so large.
Change MinorMarksAngle1 from 5 to 1 (this is degrees)
Change MinorMarksAngle2 from 1 to 0.5 (this is degrees, you may be able to make this 0.25)
Hit the submit button and you've got it.
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Thanks,
Rob
Edited by Rob Willett (02/29/08 11:26 AM)
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greenskeeper
member
Reged: 10/20/07
Posts: 38
Loc: B'Ham, AL
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Perfect Rob! Thanks so much. I had seen your page but I could not for the life of me, figure out what the numbers should be. I still don't, but it worked. Is it possible to have printed numbers every 5 degrees instead of every 10 degrees?
Thanks
Greenskeeper
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***Greenskeeper***
Zhumell 10" dob
Meade ETX-90 Mak
Series 4000 set of EP's
More stuff than I need!
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Rob Willett
Vendor (Degree Circles)
Reged: 02/07/05
Posts: 653
Loc: London, UK.
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Thats what the help is for
Change MajorMarksAngle to 5 and PrintedAngleIncrement to 5 and that will do what you are after.
Clearly make the other changes as well.
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Thanks,
Rob
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1004
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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I posted this in the Binocular forum but decided to post it here too since it is about the Degree Circle Push-To system and it can be used for binoculars as well as telecopes.
I started with a 6" diameter azimuth circle but had to graduate to a 12" because I couldn't read the numbers.
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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: 1004
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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6" circle.
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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: 1004
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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12" circle. The pointing device is the same as for the 6", it just can't be seen in this 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: 1004
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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The digital level acts as a counterweight as well as determining my altitude.
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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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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40292
Loc: montana
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Tom: Thanks so much sharing yet another idea for the Degree Circles! Fantastic
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: 7195
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
I posted this in the Binocular forum but decided to post it here too since it is about the Degree Circle Push-To system and it can be used for binoculars as well as telecopes.
I started with a 6" diameter azimuth circle but had to graduate to a 12" because I couldn't read the numbers.
Great design Tom!
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1004
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Quote:
Great design Tom!
That's embarrassing coming from you, Kerry: The Master of Aluminum Fab... but thank you!
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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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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7195
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
Quote:
Great design Tom!
That's embarrassing coming from you, Kerry: The Master of Aluminum Fab... but thank you!
Well, I'll have to say Tom, I did build my own quite a few years ago and though it was pretty fine, I sure would have liked to include a few of your ideas on it...  maybe I should make another? 
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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Rob Willett
Vendor (Degree Circles)
Reged: 02/07/05
Posts: 653
Loc: London, UK.
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I have updated the setting circles website with a major upgrade/change/enhancement.
You can now simply enter a single parameter, the radius of the circle you want and it will generate all the other parameters for you based on this. You can still change all the other parameters as you wish, the 'wizard' number simply fills things in with a very good guess. 99/100 it should be OK. This 'wizard' setting is available in both the simple and the complex pages.
It works in mm and inches, my assumption is that anything under 15 is a radius measurement in inches, if you need more than a 30" diameter setting circle then you can afford something better than this
So if you put 8 in the wizard box, you get a 16" diameter setting circle. Enter 100 in the wizard box and you get a 200mm diameter circle.
Everything still available at http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000
Questions, queries and comments welcomed.
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Thanks,
Rob
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justabob
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/05/07
Posts: 1685
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Quote:
Quote:
Great design Tom!
That's embarrassing coming from you, Kerry: The Master of Aluminum Fab... but thank you!
Very cool Tom! I bet the system is a bit more forgiving given the wide field view with the binos.
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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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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1004
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Yes it is; very easy to use.
I'm going to try a small refractor (80mm) on the system next, it should work great!
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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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