I'd seen this thread around Christmas and then I became quite busy.
And yes, the RC optics back plate and center plate are CNC mill lightened aluminum.
We are building a 20" RC with Star's Standard taper backed Zurdur blank. All of the tube ends and mounting bits and pieces are finished. The balls are Invar and the inserts into the Carbon tubes are 6061 aluminum.
When you cut your carbon tubes, be careful to coat the exposed carbon fiber with a thin layer of epoxy...as carbon fiber/aluminum and moisture makes a great battery...and you loose aluminum!!! When cutting the carbon tube us a non toothed blade.
Our secondary structure will be all carbon made via VARTM or vacuum assisted resin transfer molding. That's where all of the conponents are layed up dry, the vacuum bag placed over everything, tested, fixed if leaking, and then vacuum pulled and resin infeed lines opened...much less nerve racking than wet layups, and considerablly lighter.
One thing to ask Paul at Star Instruments, as this is a differant optical design spec in the tolerance for mirror spacing...RC's have VERY Tight spacing and alingment specs and should not be focussed with the secondary...IMHO
I know it's done, but it's not the correct way to go...just ask Mike Jones. Why build a premimum scope only to mess up the quality by not adhearing to the tolerances...
I'll not hijack you thread by posting any pictures, but later on will start another for our build.
Our secondary is 7 inches in diameter and I plan on mounting it to a carbon triangle structure that is then mounted to a carbon fiber tube 4 inches diameter by 9 inches long. The mirror will then mount to the carbon triangle with silicone blobes. Then Carbon/Arimid spider vains will attach off axis of the 4 inch tube.. It's important to counter balance the secondary to lessen any vibrations.
Anyway, enough for now...Nice job so far.
Best Regards,
Preston
ps...The devils in the details...9 months of making CAD drawings and hundreds of revisions...
-------------------- A few I enjoy,
and a few more in the works ;<)
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