90 replies to this topic

[Damo251]

I'm leaning more and more towards getting the UL18, but I am curious about the carbon fiber tubes you got with your scope, Damien. I don't see that as an option on the website. Did you call/email and ask about that? I'm wondering what the benefits and price difference were for your scope? Obviously they are lighter, but do you think they provide more structural rigidity? Does your 16" have the carbon fiber tubes?

 

Love the pictures of your 24" set up, it looks great! Very interested to hear a first light report.

Thanks for that, Tong and i discussed what the scope was for and all the thing that would be preferable and stuctural rigidity was obviously a preference. He asked me if i was interested in the carbon trusses and i thought why not, i will probably have the scope for a long time. The scope did take a little while to make in the end but whenever i spoke to him i assured him i was not in a rush and my opinion is "you do not rush people making bespoke delicate items". Maybe some of the reason of the wait for the scope was being satisfied with the quality of the trusses. If you have not watched the unboxing video have a look at them, they are very stiff and light and im happy with them.

My 16" does not have them and i get the feeling that they are a newer item and may be added to the site when the processed is honed. By all means mention me in an email to Tong about the trusses and see what he thinks. I saw you reply about 8 hrs ago and tried to email Tong but with timezones and people at work you can't expect a reply at the drop of a hat. I can't remember the price off the top of my head but i can remember thinking it was reasonable at the time.

 

First light may be this coming wend i think, work this week so no go for that.

 

Damien

[a__l]

3 or 4 astrosystems type secondary holders that I am very familiar with.  The newest one does have the insulation foam.  The others have the fiber wool stuff.  I have never seen the mirror moving as consequence of the fiber wool be an issue materially affecting collimation.  Just the flex in the (loose on purpose) connection between the holder and the stalk.  

 

That is my direct experience.  Others may have different experience. 

 

-Brian

What is your experience? 24" f/3.3, 5.5" quartz and very heavy secondary? I have one like this. We are not discussing here the 3" secondary for my ZOC where there is enough cotton wool, we are discussing the 24".

[a__l]

carbon trusses 

I see they end up with something else? Is it plastic (unlikely), aluminum (most likely) or something else?

Is it glued or held in some other way?

Edited by a__l, 10 December 2022 - 06:20 AM.

[Damo251]

I see they end up with something else? Is it plastic (unlikely), aluminum (most likely) or something else?

Is it glued or held in some other way?

Whats you question?

[Damo251]

I see they end up with something else? Is it plastic (unlikely), aluminum (most likely) or something else?

Is it glued or held in some other way?

Oh, i think you mean what is on each the end of the carbon fibre trusses. Yes aluminium, must be bonded on, not really to sure cant see any clues to what it is.

 

Damien
 

Edited by Damo251, 10 December 2022 - 06:45 AM.

[bbasiaga]

What is your experience? 24" f/3.3, 5.5" quartz and very heavy secondary? I have one like this. We are not discussing here the 3" secondary for my ZOC where there is enough cotton wool, we are discussing the 24".

3.1" for a 15" f/5, 4" for a 22 f/4, 2.6" for a 10" f4.5, and 5" for a 20" F3.3.  The 10" is not an astrosystems, but is the same basic design.  The 20" scope is the one with the hard foam backing. 

 

-Brian

[jim molinari]

Thanks for that, Tong and i discussed what the scope was for and all the thing that would be preferable and stuctural rigidity was obviously a preference. He asked me if i was interested in the carbon trusses and i thought why not, i will probably have the scope for a long time. The scope did take a little while to make in the end but whenever i spoke to him i assured him i was not in a rush and my opinion is "you do not rush people making bespoke delicate items". Maybe some of the reason of the wait for the scope was being satisfied with the quality of the trusses. If you have not watched the unboxing video have a look at them, they are very stiff and light and im happy with them.

My 16" does not have them and i get the feeling that they are a newer item and may be added to the site when the processed is honed. By all means mention me in an email to Tong about the trusses and see what he thinks. I saw you reply about 8 hrs ago and tried to email Tong but with timezones and people at work you can't expect a reply at the drop of a hat. I can't remember the price off the top of my head but i can remember thinking it was reasonable at the time.

 

First light may be this coming wend i think, work this week so no go for that.

 

Damien

Thanks for your post Damien. In addition to the carbon fiber trusses your telescope has what appears to be a belt drive system, a Hubble Optics servo controller, and Hubble Optics hand control which appears to be a totally new concept/product not previously available. My 18" has a Sidereal Technology servo controller, Si Tech hand control, cable altitude drive, and friction drive on the azimuth as listed on the HO website. Do you have any input on these items?

Thanks, Jim

[a__l]

I have never seen the mirror moving as consequence of the fiber wool be an issue materially affecting collimation.  

Try replacing here with fiber wool "The 20" scope is the one with the hard foam backing."

Especially if your secondary has an angle to the axis for better observation near the horizon.
Checking is done easily, double the range of the laser beam when moving the telescope from the zenith to the horizon.
However, this is a digression from the topic.

[GUS.K]

Please stay on track and don't hijack the OP's thread. 

[Damo251]

Thanks for your post Damien. In addition to the carbon fiber trusses your telescope has what appears to be a belt drive system, a Hubble Optics servo controller, and Hubble Optics hand control which appears to be a totally new concept/product not previously available. My 18" has a Sidereal Technology servo controller, Si Tech hand control, cable altitude drive, and friction drive on the azimuth as listed on the HO website. Do you have any input on these items?

Thanks, Jim

Jim, thanks for your comment and question.

Yes it is a new system / design, i mostly do planetary and to be honest i thought i may have been getting the same design as you have, which would have been fine for what the majority of my use will be (planetary tracking is a none issue). I will do little DSO work with it to be honest but have created some images i like very much with 1 sec subs from my 16" on my rickety hand cut, home made EQ platofrm. So if i end up getting 5-10 sec subs on this weapon i will be over the moon. I was told the new Goto would be on it and he was very upbeat about it, and since posting this on Twitter a fellow follower has contacted me and said he retrofitted the new system i believe and he is very happy with the tracking but says the hand controller has its quirks. The carbon fibre trusses were an option Tong asked me if i would like to have them and i thought what the hell i will have this for a while why not get everything i want up front.

 

I hope that is what you were after Jim, please let me know if i went off on a tangent.

 

Damien

[jim molinari]

Jim, thanks for your comment and question.

Yes it is a new system / design, i mostly do planetary and to be honest i thought i may have been getting the same design as you have, which would have been fine for what the majority of my use will be (planetary tracking is a none issue). I will do little DSO work with it to be honest but have created some images i like very much with 1 sec subs from my 16" on my rickety hand cut, home made EQ platofrm. So if i end up getting 5-10 sec subs on this weapon i will be over the moon. I was told the new Goto would be on it and he was very upbeat about it, and since posting this on Twitter a fellow follower has contacted me and said he retrofitted the new system i believe and he is very happy with the tracking but says the hand controller has its quirks. The carbon fibre trusses were an option Tong asked me if i would like to have them and i thought what the hell i will have this for a while why not get everything i want up front.

 

I hope that is what you were after Jim, please let me know if i went off on a tangent.

 

Damien

I appreciate your response (information). Hopefully, you'll share some  feedback on the new GoTo system after you've had a chance to use it. I also sent a email on the new system to Tong and I am awaiting his response. Thanks!

Jim

[marvyyk]

Hi Steve,

 

Here is a progress shot.

 

No name yet for the scope and i saw your comment on youtube thanks, don't have a portability solution yet unfortunatly. i will look into that soon. Skies are reasonably clear at the moment it will change when the scope is all done though i am sure =>

 

Damien

Wow, very impressive telescope! Have fun with it !! 

[Damo251]

Here is an up to date progress shot, things are moving forward. I have not had time to test the electrics yet but the scope is together in its final form. I have completed another video which is a bit of a walk around. I will come back and post the link after it is uploaded to Youtube if anyone is interested. I have had a few people subscribe to my channel now and i am sure some have come from here. When i get time i will be also uploading captures from my nicer images for people to see. If you have any ideas of what you want to see please leave a comment here or on the video.

 

P.S - It is deffinatly not a grab and go scope.

 

By for now.

Damien

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[QuantumSpace]

I'm interested! Looking for something like this at the moment, so will be very interested in your experiences.

[Damo251]

Ok guys a little more of an update posted to youtube. Let me know what you think.

24" Hubble Optics UL update, walk around video.

https://youtu.be/-_4oYJ_PU8Y

 

Clear skies

Damien

[RoofMonkey911]

Ok guys a little more of an update posted to youtube. Let me know what you think.

24" Hubble Optics UL update, walk around video.

https://youtu.be/-_4oYJ_PU8Y

 

Clear skies

Damien

What a beast of a setup! Looking forward to what you’ll be able to show us with this.

[tommm]

When you get a chance to observe with it I am interested in knowing how smoothly it tracks.  I use a similar drive system but with stainless steel facing on the altitude bearings running on ball bearings to support the OTA weight. The belt is glued onto the altitude bearings next to this facing, so the drive pulley force against the belt can be adjusted.  The Hubble system is simpler, a nice approach, eliminating ss facing and ball bearings, but I am wondering how smooth the motion is as seen in the eyepiece at higher powers with the belt supporting the weight of the OTA.  I'm guessing Hubble checked that and it is fine, but would be nice to confirm.

[jim molinari]

Ok guys a little more of an update posted to youtube. Let me know what you think.

24" Hubble Optics UL update, walk around video.

https://youtu.be/-_4oYJ_PU8Y

 

Clear skies

Damien

Thanks for the updated video. Looks like a new mirror cell design with no sling? Do you know the details on the mirror edge supports? The belt drive with clutched motors looks like a really nice upgrade to the previous system.

[ihf]

For my education, what makes the first setup take so long compared to later setups? I can see that there are many extra parts that need to be screwed together the first time. But was there any other work needed to be performed? Anything not fitting, anything needing manufacturing, drilling, glueing etc.?

[Damo251]

When you get a chance to observe with it I am interested in knowing how smoothly it tracks.  I use a similar drive system but with stainless steel facing on the altitude bearings running on ball bearings to support the OTA weight. The belt is glued onto the altitude bearings next to this facing, so the drive pulley force against the belt can be adjusted.  The Hubble system is simpler, a nice approach, eliminating ss facing and ball bearings, but I am wondering how smooth the motion is as seen in the eyepiece at higher powers with the belt supporting the weight of the OTA.  I'm guessing Hubble checked that and it is fine, but would be nice to confirm.

Gday Tommm,

 

I will give the feed back when i have had it out. A person on Twitter has reached out and said he just retrofitted this system over the older cable version on a scope they use and was very happy how it tracked. His only negative comment was the hand controller could be better.

 

I will get back to you.

 

Damien

[Damo251]

Thanks for the updated video. Looks like a new mirror cell design with no sling? Do you know the details on the mirror edge supports? The belt drive with clutched motors looks like a really nice upgrade to the previous system.

Jim i am unsure of the technical reasons for the change but as you know both of our older scopes have the sling design and i have found it to be good. Maybe has something to do with the weight of the mirror and 18 point cell system. I am only guessing.

 

Damien

[Damo251]

For my education, what makes the first setup take so long compared to later setups? I can see that there are many extra parts that need to be screwed together the first time. But was there any other work needed to be performed? Anything not fitting, anything needing manufacturing, drilling, glueing etc.?

Gday ihf,

 

The main thing is i have 4 kids and life goes on telescope or no telescope, to be honest with work and home it sat unopened in the house for 10 days.

 

I flipped the plate that holds the collimation thumb screws over on the secondary as there are breather holes on the secondary housing and they were close to the contact patch of the thumb screws for the collimation. Not a biggy but such an easy fix it was a no brainer.

 

And if you have seen the Update video the shaft / clutch section segment, i took all the gears and clutch off that side and gave it a hit with some fine sandpaper to free up the tolerances a little more. I could not have wound the clutch back in to tension with such ease when first put together. There has been no other issues

 

And as always i still have my 16 that has been doing a fantastic job of imaging so i won't miss any opertunities, the last thing i want is to be fighting this thing for 6 months when i could have taken some extra time to get it right.

 

 

Damien

[ninelives]

Ok guys a little more of an update posted to youtube. Let me know what you think.

24" Hubble Optics UL update, walk around video.

https://youtu.be/-_4oYJ_PU8Y

 

Clear skies

Damien

Looks fantastic! I am pleased to see how smooth and stable the movement looks. Overall it looks like a really good scope, especially for the reasonable price.

[jim molinari]

Jim i am unsure of the technical reasons for the change but as you know both of our older scopes have the sling design and i have found it to be good. Maybe has something to do with the weight of the mirror and 18 point cell system. I am only guessing.

 

Damien

Thanks Damien. I am happy with my 18" sling/cell (18 point) works well too ... no problem with obtaining collimation, holding collimation, and delivering good images. However, after using it for a number of outings (loading with ramps and up/down my driveway) it did slip a little requiring adjustment to recenter it. Probably my error ... not tightened quite enough? I think a sling is easily mated to a sandwich mirror. I think the real advantage of a wiffle tree (or similar other proper fixed edge support) makes is it much easier to install/remove the mirror and center it. Particularly bigger/heavier mirrors such as yours. And, it eliminates any possible stretch and eliminates the potential for the mirror to slide/swing sideways on a slope or equatorial platform. I would think properly mating it to a sandwich mirror is a little more challenging. I am very curious about all these new things appearing on your very nice new telescope and know that Tong will provide more information when he's ready. It's really nice to see Hubble Optics continuing to innovate and improve their telescopes. 

Jim

[Waynosworld]

I do not have sound, so I skipped a lot, I did not see a close up of the wiffle tree design for this mirror, can you take a photo of it from a couple angles for me?

 

I do like the looks of the altitude drive, mine came with a cable design that I did not like, the cable started fraying deom over lapping so I removed it all and use it manually now, I like finding things myself anyway and it is so much easier using it manually.