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What did you do to your Scope/Mount Today?

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#9351 clamchip

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Posted 01 September 2024 - 10:09 AM

I wasn't going anywhere very fast until I stumbled on using a pocket knife to remove the fossilized

Silicone. And once I turned the pocket knife's blade perpendicular to the surface and scraped the Silicone

off it was done in a very short time and came out beautiful hardly touching the phenolic tube.

I didn't even know RTV Silicone sealant/adhesive was around in the early '70's. I was using Permatex

on my mini bike repairs. Us kids all played with mini bikes. One day I decided to run model airplane

fuel in my mini bike. It ran like a scared cat until it threw the rod through the case. Silicone would have been

just the thing to seal up the big hole.

Robert

 

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#9352 jragsdale

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Posted 01 September 2024 - 03:03 PM

I purchased a well-used Alvan Clark "Type T" scope recently; a portable terrestrial scope that's 3" f/10 and comes on a simple alt-az mount and a W & LE Gurley lightweight transit tripod. The cradle for the original tube mount was broken in half and was in serious disrepair.

 

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It was covered in glue from several different attempts at repairs. A soft wood type glue on top that flaked right off, then a harder dark brown glue that was very stuck on and required a lot of picking away with a fine tipped metal pick. The past repair looks like they tried to make a pin joint between the parts, but the holes were filled with glue or wood, something soft and maleable, which obviously didn't work. This casting is some type of aluminum (non-ferrous), so I plan to take this to a professional to have it TIG welded back together with the right rod type for ~1920s aluminum. Here's a photo after I picked off all the glue. 

 

20240901_131447_copy_810x556.jpg

 

After the repair is done I'll strip/prime (etching)/paint to get it back to looking good.


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#9353 cavedweller

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 02:07 AM

I brought my 8” Meade to my new digs, but misplace the pier to mount bolts. It’s a New Moon so I have to go home and find them.


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#9354 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 06:10 AM

I brought my 8” Meade to my new digs, but misplace the pier to mount bolts. It’s a New Moon so I have to go home and find them.

What 8" is it?



#9355 cavedweller

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 07:41 AM

The RG. Now my favorite “grab and go”, although the mount is not light. I used the Zambuto 8” Dob instead. I don’t like Dobs. Maybe tonight Ill do a side by side comparison with them both and figure out if the Dob is worth keeping.


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#9356 deSitter

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:01 AM

The RG. Now my favorite “grab and go”, although the mount is not light. I used the Zambuto 8” Dob instead. I don’t like Dobs. Maybe tonight Ill do a side by side comparison with them both and figure out if the Dob is worth keeping.

We are the only Dob-don't-like-admitters I know. It's irrational. But I just don't like them. But I may end up with a 12" some day.

 

-drl


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#9357 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:01 AM

The RG. Now my favorite “grab and go”, although the mount is not light. I used the Zambuto 8” Dob instead. I don’t like Dobs. Maybe tonight Ill do a side by side comparison with them both and figure out if the Dob is worth keeping.

Be nice to do a side by side with the RG and Zambuto and see if ya notice a diff, My 826 is so good i don't think it would be worth swapping in a Zamuto Mirror.  I would kill for a 8" RG for looking at it. Had a 10".

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#9358 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:02 AM

We are the only Dob-don't-like-admitters I know. It's irrational. But I just don't like them. But I may end up with a 12" some day.

 

-drl

Try a bigger Starmaster or Obsession at 800x and up and you will like tike.



#9359 CCD-Freak

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:20 AM

The RG scopes are known for sharp views. (^8

 

My RG-880

 

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#9360 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:31 AM

The RG scopes are known for sharp views. (^8

 

My RG-880

 

attachicon.gif n_a (24)-DeNoiseAI-clear.jpg

I would guess the same mirrors as my 826. If it had wheels i would be good to go.



#9361 deSitter

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:43 AM

The RG scopes are known for sharp views. (^8

 

My RG-880

 

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It's beautiful! But that position of a guide scope has always mystified me. You can't really sit there and actually guide through it. Too low.

 

-drl



#9362 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 08:55 AM

It's beautiful! But that position of a guide scope has always mystified me. You can't really sit there and actually guide through it. Too low.

 

-drl

Drywall bucket jamal should do the trick. My low rider C11 is even lower.

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#9363 cavedweller

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 09:02 AM

Try a bigger Starmaster or Obsession at 800x and up and you will like tike.

Would have to be on a tracking platform, especially at 800x!



#9364 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 09:04 AM

Would have to be on a tracking platform, especially at 800x!

600x is easy to hand track. Most times 600x is the max anyways.  On them freaky still nites then 800 to 1100x is fine but once at 800 and up hand tracking becomes a pain with a ALT= AZ mount as you are fighting two axis.



#9365 cavedweller

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 09:49 AM

600x is easy to hand track. Most times 600x is the max anyways.  On them freaky still nites then 800 to 1100x is fine but once at 800 and up hand tracking becomes a pain with a ALT= AZ mount as you are fighting two axis.

I have to have hands-off tracking. I can't stand chasing objects in the view and all the shaking when I have to grab hold of anything. I only use the manual slo-mo knobs to check the seeing, then I setup the electronics, then use hand boxes to fine tune when my PA is not perfect.


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#9366 jragsdale

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 10:08 AM

I have to have hands-off tracking. I can't stand chasing objects in the view and all the shaking when I have to grab hold of anything. I only use the manual slo-mo knobs to check the seeing, then I setup the electronics, then use hand boxes to fine tune when my PA is not perfect.

Yeah, tracking was invented for a reason. I don't understand the "I don't like tracking" mentality, (is it just a group of 1?). You can always accomplish better views when you can dedicate more of your time to observing that always keeping the object centered. And the sweet spot on many scopes is usually limited to a small area, so finding and keeping the object in the sweet spot is so much easier with tracking. But to each their own I assume?


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#9367 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 10:46 AM

I grew up sitting on top of a 5ft ladder with a 10" F/9.6 Newt and was a nudger since 1978.  Never liked drives as most were sticky and sloppy with hand controls that were slow to work right or had sloppy clutches.  Get a butter smooth EQ like my AP800  and hand track at 450x+ like a dream with no sloppy stick and jerk while nudging away ray. Only time i wish for a drive that works right is when i am at 800x+ and that is not that often.


Edited by CHASLX200, 02 September 2024 - 10:47 AM.


#9368 deSitter

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 11:09 AM

I grew up sitting on top of a 5ft ladder with a 10" F/9.6 Newt and was a nudger since 1978.  Never liked drives as most were sticky and sloppy with hand controls that were slow to work right or had sloppy clutches.  Get a butter smooth EQ like my AP800  and hand track at 450x+ like a dream with no sloppy stick and jerk while nudging away ray. Only time i wish for a drive that works right is when i am at 800x+ and that is not that often.

I have never had a drive that doesn't "work right", including one I made myself. Everyone everywhere agrees the clock drive was a total game changer for amateur astronomy. That's what made the RV-6 a huge winner - a reliable and accurate drive that didn't cost a week's paycheck.

 

-drl


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#9369 cavedweller

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 12:04 PM

I have never had a drive that doesn't "work right", including one I made myself. Everyone everywhere agrees the clock drive was a total game changer for amateur astronomy. That's what made the RV-6 a huge winner - a reliable and accurate drive that didn't cost a week's paycheck.

 

-drl

There were a few years when all I had was my factory stock 10" Starfinder EQ and that had very poor tracking. I eventually gave up and did the nudge method. I figured out the problem was the worm was binding in the bushings, so I swapped in ball bearings and that fixed that. Not long after I bought the Atlas GoTo and Parallax rings and never looked back.


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#9370 apfever

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 12:31 PM

Would have to be on a tracking platform, especially at 800x!

Not quite so, perhaps more with a super short fast modern requiring a coma corrector up front.

The long focal length of a large aperture dob provides a long lever arm to move the scope at the eyepiece. The long focal length provides high magnification at the same time.  I can hand track M57 at 1,800X with a 12.5' lever arm to the end of the upper cage.  A single Nagler works. 

 

Dobsons Hole: Everything has one around it's axis, an EQ is around Polaris. Stupid high power fun is hand trackable in the long dob above 45 degrees. 



#9371 Bomber Bob

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 12:35 PM

Right Now, the only unmotorized EQ that I'll use is the Tinsley.  By virtue of its mass, I can lean into the scope cradle, and it will not vibrate.  It has a 3' long cable on the DEC axis, with a no-slop clutch, too.  Years ago, Joe sold me a vintage motor & gearing, but with all the scope buying & restoring, I've yet to adapt it.  So, it's all boxed-up, and waiting...  See:  This is how my shed gets packed to overflowing...

 

Heck!  It's been 5+ Years since I had the MT Head off the Hub:

 

Tinsley PM Restore S05 (EQ Mount Head).jpg

 

The 2 pulleys that I used to hoist it up & onto my work bench are still bolted to the rafters!


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#9372 cavedweller

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 12:38 PM

Not quite so, perhaps more with a super short fast modern requiring a coma corrector up front.

The long focal length of a large aperture dob provides a long lever arm to move the scope at the eyepiece. The long focal length provides high magnification at the same time.  I can hand track M57 at 1,800X with a 12.5' lever arm to the end of the upper cage.  A single Nagler works. 

 

Dobsons Hole: Everything has one around it's axis, an EQ is around Polaris. Stupid high power fun is hand trackable in the long dob above 45 degrees. 

 

Yes, I think I have experienced that effect when using my Cave F/6 vs the Meade F/4.5.



#9373 CHASLX200

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 02:33 PM

I have never had a drive that doesn't "work right", including one I made myself. Everyone everywhere agrees the clock drive was a total game changer for amateur astronomy. That's what made the RV-6 a huge winner - a reliable and accurate drive that didn't cost a week's paycheck.

 

-drl

Everyone i had was not good.  



#9374 jragsdale

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 02:43 PM

Everyone i had was not good.  

Common denominator. 



#9375 ccwemyss

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Posted 02 September 2024 - 02:58 PM

Yeah, tracking was invented for a reason. I don't understand the "I don't like tracking" mentality, (is it just a group of 1?). You can always accomplish better views when you can dedicate more of your time to observing that always keeping the object centered. And the sweet spot on many scopes is usually limited to a small area, so finding and keeping the object in the sweet spot is so much easier with tracking. But to each their own I assume?

Generally I agree, but my early Unitron 142 mount, which has the large RA slow motion knobs, doesn't need a motor. It is designed right at the sweet spot where I can turn the slow motion smoothly by hand and keep an object motionless, while looking through the eyepiece at high power. It is overbuilt for the OTA, so there is no vibration. It's the only mount I've used that manages to do that. Adding a drive would lock the slow motion and require using electronic control for centering.

 

Just noting that it's possible to still have a very good experience without a drive. Although most modern mounts are not built for it. The AP800 that Chas has is one that can manage it. 

 

Chip W. 




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