7596 replies to this topic

[clamchip]

Especially Coulter Odyssey dobs I just love them.

Mine has been pretty heavily modified but a stock one can be copied anywhere in the world.

Right down to the sink drain focuser and lawnmower blade diagonal support.

Just throw the mirrors in your suitcase and a couple eyepieces and you can build the balance

of this dob in a hotel room with the supplies found at any hardware store.

If I ever go to the southern hemisphere this is exactly what I'm going to do.

 

Robert

[rob1986]

Especially Coulter Odyssey dobs I just love them.
Mine has been pretty heavily modified but a stock one can be copied anywhere in the world.
Right down to the sink drain focuser and lawnmower blade diagonal support.
Just throw the mirrors in your suitcase and a couple eyepieces and you can build the balance
of this dob in a hotel room with the supplies found at any hardware store.
If I ever go to the southern hemisphere this is exactly what I'm going to do.

Robert

Complete with printing on the tube!

I'm not sure that I'd go that far, but I have often considered the tube disposable re international travel. The rest is easily packed.

[icomet]

Started out pretty much messed up. 

 

Clear Skies. 

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[Bomber Bob]

A question for the Vixen Experts:  The orange C-60L will be here Monday.  What I'd like to do is remove the AZ mount head, and pop the SP EQ in that hub -- plug & play, Baby!  Did V standardize these green hubs between the 2 mount types??

[norvegicus]

A question for the Vixen Experts:  The orange C-60L will be here Monday.  What I'd like to do is remove the AZ mount head, and pop the SP EQ in that hub -- plug & play, Baby!  Did V standardize these green hubs between the 2 mount types??

I only have experience with the SP but its hub is a dedicated EQ hub with an azimuth post.

[ccwemyss]

I finally got to finish the three Dob mount kits that I got from Astro Goods last year. One is for an RV6 OTA that lacks a mount. I'll use another for a second RV6 and the third for an Edmund Super Space Conqueror OTA. My students struggle with the heavy equatorial mounts. But at the same time, they like the bigger Newtonians. So I'm hoping this will get them out more. 

 

I ordered these in the spring of 2021, but due to the plywood shortage, Mark wasn't able to get them to me until after classes had started last fall. Over school breaks I managed to do some filling of breakouts and sanding the edges. But the face sanding had to wait for weather when I could cut loose with the orbital sander outside.  

 

I wasn't sure I'd have time this summer, since I had work and travel until August 10. But then I came down with covid when we got home. Fortunately, it was mild. so I didn't have to stay in bed. But it did cause some brain fog, which limited the course prep work I could do. So when I found myself staring at a screen for a while without making progress, I would go work on the mounts.

 

 

Having to isolate meant I couldn't go get materials, so the colors are what I had on hand. The royal blue paint has been hanging around the shop forever (it's the paint I used to make outlines on my tool boards). I was surprised that it was still usable, but it went on well. The black is newer. There wasn't enough of either to paint everything, which resulted in the two-tone scheme. 

 

The kits went together well. Mark uses a CNC router with cabinet grade plywood, and they all came out very consistently. The cutouts really help reduce the weight. 

 

Now I just have to wait for the paint to cure a bit more, and then mount the OTAs and collimate them. School starts in a week and a half -- fingers crossed that I'll have them ready. Although, now that I'm finally testing negative, I don't have a reason to skip meetings, so my free time is about to take a nosedive!

 

Chip W. 

[jkmccarthy]

A question for the Vixen Experts:  The orange C-60L will be here Monday.  What I'd like to do is remove the AZ mount head, and pop the SP EQ in that hub -- plug & play, Baby!  Did V standardize these green hubs between the 2 mount types??

After revisiting your post here (https://www.cloudyni...2#entry12102787) to refresh my memory on your orange C-60L purchase, I'm sorry to offer my assessment that the tripod hub on the Vixen Custom alt-az is not the same design as the Vixen SP / GP hubs.  The latter as you know have a 60mm I.D. pocket and a post for polar azimuth adjustment, whereas the Custom alt-az hub is an integral part of the azimuth axis and its slow-motion tangent-arm adjustment.   The minor good news to be found here is that the tripod legs are of course interchangeable between the two different tripod hub designs.

 

      -- Jim 
 

[Bomber Bob]

Well.... shoot!

[ccwemyss]

Another long overdue project. When I extended the observatory pier two years ago, I embedded stainless all-thread for an eyepiece rack. After catching everything on them, and not having a place to put eyepieces, other than back in their case or on the floor (where I can easily kick them), I finally bored the holes in the aluminum sheet that has been sitting on my workbench for those same two years, made all the brackets, and then got it mounted. 

 

 

All of my eyepieces are either 2" or in adapters (I've fumbled too many, trying to juggle adapters between them). Now I have space to safely put them, as I switch back and forth between up to a dozen. Some of my favorite classic eyepieces are shown, giving it a trial run. 

 

Chip W. 

[rob1986]

Just make sure the edges aren't sharp!

[ccwemyss]

Everything is sanded smooth and all the edges are rounded. Materials are all aluminum and stainless.

 

Chip W. 

[sdedalus83]

I broke down the Kenko 80 ED/APO objective to see what’s inside and to finish cleaning it.

 

It’s a flint forward design like the Tak FC or Meade ED/APO and is fully multicoated with really excellent coatings that were difficult to photograph. It’s interesting that Kenko was using such modern coatings on what is likely an FK-01 or FPL-51 element at a time when other manufacturers were leaving ED and Fluorite elements uncoated. At the rear is a spacer with internal threads acting as micro baffles, then the crown, then a tapered aluminum spacer about 2 - 2.5mm thick, then the flint with blackened edges, then another tapered spacer at the front. Overall, it’s an extremely well made scope with an unfortunately oddball focuser.

 

Cleaning went extremely well and there are only two very small coating blemishes on the first surface, much better than I was expecting from the description and ad pictures. I’ll see if I can tweak the collimation with a cheshire.

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Edited by sdedalus83, 29 August 2022 - 11:03 PM.

[clamchip]

It looks like I got lucky with my Jaegers 5 inch f/5.

The tube was already cut, it came with a bunch of tubing from a astro friend who's moving

and didn't want to take it with him. He did mention he built a Jaegers 5" f/5 years ago this

may have been a second tube.

The lucky part is here's infinite focus with a prism erector, star prism, and straight through

all good. 

If I owned 2 inch accessories I probably wouldn't be so lucky.

Really this scope is kinda handicapped with 1-1/4", for now I'm having plenty of fun with

what I have. 

If anyone wants dimensions for this configuration give me a holler.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 30 August 2022 - 02:03 PM.

[CHASLX200]

Love them Circle NJ TV eyepieces.

[rweisberg]

I’ve always liked the peculiar open design of the Sears 6344(5) mount with some finely crafted chrome and gloss black details so when one came up recently as a give-away without the OTA I jumped on it. First task was to completely disassemble and remove the hardened grease, then relubricating and adjust. The second big item was to cut out the clamshell and attach a dovetail clamp so I could attach a variety of OTAs. I was really keen to do this in a way that the beautiful aesthetics of the mount were not degraded. Still need to do some sanding and painting on the wood pieces but I’m pretty pleased with it so far.

I am picking up a 6344 this Saturday that was little used. From the pictures it looks to be in very good shape. I bought a 6345 a few years ago that had no mount. I currently have it on a Unitron Alt/Az mount. From your post, it looks like the mount that comes with the 1969 Sears 6344 is the same mount that came with the 1970-71 Sears 6345. Is this correct? If so I just did a double score. I may put the 6344 on the Unitron mount and wed the 6345 to a replacement original type EQ mount.  Awesome!

[Garyth64]

The 6344 is a 76mm x 1200 scope.  The 6345 is a 90mm x 1400 scope.  The mounts are not the same.  The 6345 mount is larger.

[Lentini]

I use a Porta II to hold a 1971 Takahashi TS-80… It was stiff and grinding in the Azimuth axis. So I disassembled that axis, lubed it and cleaned some grit. Nice and smooth now.

[jragsdale]

Today I received the replacement 76.2/910 RAO lens compliments of Lemmon714 (Dave). He saw my wanted ad and bid and won on a ShopGoodwill pickup only Sans & Strieffe #610 in PA (https://shopgoodwill.../item/149394885) that has the same rare lens as the Lafayette Galactic that I started restoring this spring. The Galactic came with a big nasty clam unfortunately, and I really wanted to try to find a replacement. I didn't think it was possible, the shorter 910mm version of the 76.2mm are MUCH rarer and hard to come by from the 60s RAO scopes. If I needed a 76.2/1200 I could have found a dozen in the same time frame. Without Dave's proactiveness and generosity I'm sure I'd still be looking for a LONG time. 

 

Anyways, here are the 2 lenses in cells with dust caps side by side. Identical cells other than the S&S cell has engraving. Small differences in the dust caps. The center of the Newton rings on the new S&S lens was off the glass, but after adding a few extra aluminum foil shims to 2 of the lens spacers the Newton rings are re-centered again! 

 

Gotta love the amazing people you find on this site! ❤️ 

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[ccwemyss]

I decided to replace the focuser on my Edmund 4". The original has a long 1.25" drawtube extension that can sag, and small focus knobs that can be challenging to turn in cold weather. I wanted to get something that would let me have a wider field with a 2" eyepiece, to make it easier to locate deep sky objects. But I'm not crazy about Crayfords, and the GSO ones aren't currently available anyway. Then Sheldon offered a 2" 2-speed, R&P on AM that was reasonably priced. It was a bit rough, but after disassembly, cleaning, regreasing the rack, and oiling the bearings, it's nice and smooth. 

 

To adapt it to the OTA, I found that a Baader focuser adapter was almost a perfect fit to the tube, and I could bridge between the two with a piece of 3.5" OD x 0.1875" wall aluminum tube from Online Metals. It took sanding a few thousands inside and outside to get everything to work.

 

 

The screw holes in the Baader piece actually align perfectly with the existing holes in the tube, and the M4 screws fit through them as well. It just needed a wrap of 0.016" aluminum to shim it to the ID of the tube, which I applied with superglue and a hose clamp. The flange is a bit deeper than the space between the holes and the edge of the tube, so there will be a small strip of aluminum visible. It also leaves the rear edge of the tube exposed.

 

Thus, the one modification I had to make to the tube was to paint the raw rear edge. If someone ever wants to restore it to absolutely original condition, they'll have to scrape that edge bare. Otherwise this is a straight bolt in place replacement for the original, which I'll store in the case that the scope came in. 

 

It's all been test-fit, and is now at the point where the bridging tube is painted and curing. I'll give it a week or so before I assemble it. In the meantime, the interior of the tube will get painted with Black 2.0.

 

Chip W. 

[ccwemyss]

I've been dismantling an Edmund 6001 Voyager silver tube refractor, with the intent to turn it into a super finder for the Edmund 4". I was going to use an HOC Shrine Manon tube, but the Voyager is shorter and makes a better finder. This way, the Edmund refractor setup will have all Edmund optics.

 

The Voyager came on their semi-equatorial fork mount - a square U-shaped fork on a bracket that gave it a 45 degree angle while sitting on a very lightweight photo tripod base. I originally thought I would give it to a nephew or niece, but the mount was way too weak for the weight of the scope, and lacks slow motion controls. So it was really hard to use. I'll give them something nicer.

 

The tube is scratched up and discolored, thus needing a repaint, which is why I started taking it apart. As others have noted here, although the objective cell easily unscrews, the focuser doesn't come off. I'll just have to mask it carefully and probably do a little retouching. 

 

The finder is also hard to remove. It appears to have hex nuts on four studs that protrude through the tube and an interior support bracket. But the studs aren't threaded and the "nuts" are press-on retainers that are virtually impossible to pry off. It was eventually necessary to cut some of the studs to remove the finder bracket. 

 

I took the sticker off by dipping a fine-edged hobby knife in Goo-Gone, and running it gently back and forth along an edge until it came loose.  It will go back on at the end. It's also scratched up, and far from perfect, but still readable. 

 

Sanding out the scrapes, I was surprised to find red underneath. It may just be red primer, but it looks awfully close to Edmund red.

 

 

Still more sanding to do. Then it will get a coat of white epoxy to match the main scope. I think I will just get some snap-in plugs, rather than trying to fill the holes. McMaster has them in white. 

 

Chip W. 

[Defenderslideguitar]

And the Voyager has a great lens   i love mine    should make an excellent finder

[Bomber Bob]

Picking up my Jaegers 6" tube tomorrow...  Honestly, I didn't do much -- JD did the real work.  He says the old paint was "a booger" to remove, but the powder-coat turned out perfect, and he thinks it's the prettiest color & finish yet.  {He's set a high mark![  Now, he's got me all fired-up to get her finished -- too bad that enthusiasm doesn't  clear the skies!

 

And, she's done:

 

 

Anthracite Gray that has a touch of green under fluorescent lights, but is very dark gray otherwise.

Edited by Bomber Bob, 08 September 2022 - 01:45 PM.

[clamchip]

Today I was in so much shock I couldn't even scream for nurse Mendy.

You've probably done that, like when you step on a nail.

What I was doing is loading a Astro Optical lens back in it's cell and it got stuck.

Now when this happens its like someone just slammed on the brakes at the edge

of the Niagara falls, your already on edge and then everything freezes, more like

checkmate ! yes that's it, when there's no way out. You have time to think about

the predicament during post trauma, which is quite a luxury.

If it sticks just walk away from it. Have a glass of water and study the problem.

I spread my fingers and supported the cell all around and gave it a slight rattle

and it let go it's death grip from the glass.

This is ridiculous I've done this plenty of times,  where or what is the problem.

The problem was the two elements need to be precisely stacked on top of each

other, I mean precise. Then, it was a piece of cake. The cell slid right up, just

like pulling up your pants.

Much of this has to do with the AO lens assembly.

The elements have very little room in the cell. This may be because the cell is

cast iron  and doesn't expand-contract as much as aluminum.

Also the elements have very little edge bevel, almost none. So it will show no

mercy and give you a stick without warning.

These above a good red flags. 

 

Robert

[Kasmos]

Today I was in so much shock I couldn't even scream for nurse Mendy.

You've probably done that, like when you step on a nail.

What I was doing is loading a Astro Optical lens back in it's cell and it got stuck.

Now when this happens its like someone just slammed on the brakes at the edge

of the Niagara falls, your already on edge and then everything freezes, more like

checkmate ! yes that's it, when there's no way out. You have time to think about

the predicament during post trauma, which is quite a luxury.

If it sticks just walk away from it. Have a glass of water and study the problem.

I spread my fingers and supported the cell all around and gave it a slight rattle

and it let go it's death grip from the glass.

This is ridiculous I've done this plenty of times,  where or what is the problem.

The problem was the two elements need to be precisely stacked on top of each

other, I mean precise. Then, it was a piece of cake. The cell slid right up, just

like pulling up your pants.

Much of this has to do with the AO lens assembly.

The elements have very little room in the cell. This may be because the cell is

cast iron  and doesn't expand-contract as much as aluminum.

Also the elements have very little edge bevel, almost none. So it will show no

mercy and give you a stick without warning.

These above a good red flags. 

 

Robert

 ....  

[clamchip]

Nurse Mendy told me to wake up and pay attention or she'll superglue me to the couch.

That is good advice.

Robert

 

 

Edited by clamchip, 08 September 2022 - 04:47 PM.