GS Dob FAQ

[gaa_ian]

Any suggestions how we might pull all the threads together with info on optimising GSO dobs & keeping it near the top of this forum :confused:
There has been a lot of good info posted & there are always newbies buying GSO Dobs (good decision :cool: )
Mike, maybe you can help here ?

[ballaratdragons]

Need someone to write a review and include all of those tips and more and place it in the reviews section.

It is a popular little puppy isn't it!

[Starkler]

Been thinking exactly the same thing . Im willing to contribute and even know of a few issues that havent hit this forum as yet.

[gaa_ian]

Sounds like a plan Starkler...
Lets see when we can get Mikes attention re getting this as a "sticky"
Perhaps a thread in this forum with "Quotes" from those that have looked for solutions and some suggestions put forward as solutions ?
Would be best as a review (good idea ken) on the main page with a "sticky" thread showing the link near the top of this forum.
If that all makes sense !

[iceman]

It's a very good idea, and one that's been floating around in the back of my head but not yet made it here.
I do want to put a comprehensive review of the GS Dob (8/10/12") in the reviews section, and that can be written by someone experienced like starkler, with suggestions and improvements and FAQ's taken from all the threads we've had with the new people that have bought them.

Great idea Ian.. Geoff, will you have time to put something together?

[wavelandscott]

Great idea!!!

[gaa_ian]

Good plan Mike ..You up for it Geoff:cheers:

[ving]

all one has to do is look at your modz page for ideas ice. :)

[Starkler]

Yep but are we doing a gso dob tweakers faq, a gso dob review or both ?

Best to work out a format now for how to present the info than have a loose thread that grows,evolves and goes on and off topic etc.

Perhaps a basic review with links to tweaking suggestions?

That Lee Andrews fella owes us big time! I've been pimping his dobs for maybe 18 months now :whistle:

I think we also need to find a few good informative links on collimation as well for the resources section.

[gaa_ian]

I am in favour of doing a breif review outlining the reasons why the GSO dob is the best option for most people coming into Astronomy, I would be willing to write that myself.
There have been plenty of full reviews in the Mag's written
Perhaps Geoff you could work on the FAQ with quotes from threads and a distillation of the solutions offered:atom:
I imagine this would be in the review section of ICEINSPACE web page, with a sticky link in :Beginners start here & Equipment discussion.
How does that sound Mike. :confuse3:

[MintSauce]

I spoke with mike about this a few weeks ago, I've just not had two mins to start writing as I've just had a kid etc. I'd be willing to chuck stuff together for someone else to edit/rip bits out to use.

G.

[iceman]

Yes to all of the above, all great ideas.

I imagine it will be a combination of:

1. Why a GS Dob is good for beginners starting out in astronomy
2. What it's good for (ease of use, setup time, big aperture for small buck), and what it's not good for (astrophotography, goto, tracking etc)
3. Some links to some how-to guides for tweaking the GS Dob, either on my mods page, or mods that other people have done. The Resources->HowTo section is empty at the moment - i'm happy to fill it up with all of YOUR gs dob mods.
4. Some links to some good, simple and easy to use references for collimation of a GS Dob, including ones with tools (laser/cheshire/etc), and without the use of tools (film cannister etc)
5. Some more advanced tweaking and mods ideas etc, whatever Geoff and anyone else submits.

This will be a community effort, not just input from 1 or 2 people - i'm happy for everyone to chuck in their 2 cents because almost everyone has done something to their GS Dob :)

Keep it coming.. let's get it rolling!

[gaa_ian]

OK ..Mintsauce & Starlker, here's a suggestion
Mintsauce you write a breif review & Starkler you do the FAQ section with Quotes from newbies & solutions from others.

Send to me & I will add my bit and pull it all together.
Then send to Mike for hosting in the reviews section.
Let me know what you both think ?

[Starkler]

Sounds good to me.
Id like to see the whole lot bounce between us all a few times for comments before it gets posted up .

Geoff
Editor: Gso dob optimisation :)

[iceman]

Most definitely.

[gaa_ian]

Sounds good to me
Lets ...make it so:abduct:
You can send it in a PM if you like.

[Starkler]

Ok Guys I have started work on this.
These are the points I would like to cover. Let me know If I have missed anything . Oh and how best to send to you guys?
Im writing this up in microsoft word.

P.S. Please guys dont draw me into deep discussions yet on this thread about individual points. All will revealed in the finished article/articles.


Optimising your GSO dobsonian.


So you have bought yourself a GSO dobsonian telescope.

Congratulations on purchasing what is in the opinion of many the best value scope on the Australian market today !

Whilst being cheap, the GSO dob has been designed and built with some compromises to keep the price down. The good news is that those compromises are not in the basic optical components and the scope can be greatly improved upon for little cost.
Read on and I will summarise some of the things you can do to get the very best out of your GSO dob.


Checking and adjusting collimation

What is collimation? Why you need to do it.
Star testing for collimation and astigmatism
Curing astigmatism in primary and secondary holders.
buy a Cheshire not a laser !
centre spotting
collimation links
metal washer for back of secondary holder

Improving the azimuth motion
milk bottle washers
laminate
teflon sliders

Improving cool-down time
remove mirror back plate

Reducing stray light and improving contrast

tube extension, flocking, focuser baffle

Improving the focuser
Cleaning and relubricating .
Replacing with a crayford.

Convenience and comfort

Get a stool or chair
ota handle
trolley
raci finder + telrad

[iceman]

Looking great! Obviously your main theme is the optimisation, which is your strengths.

Ian or wavelandscott or others can work on the "reasons" for buying a Dob in the first place, as opposed to something else, and the pros/cons of each.

Great job Geoff.

I think email is the best way to submit the information to each other.

I'm also interested myself in reading the expanded version of a few of your points above! :P

[ballaratdragons]

It would help if the write-up Title said that the brand is a 'Guan Sheng' as many people only know it by that name and not by GSO or GS.

Title: Guan Sheng Dobsonian Telescopes (GSO)

Subtitle: Optimising your GSO Dobsonian

etc. etc.

Hey Starkler, Hooray! I'm glad you didn't call it a 'beginners scope' in your sample write-up. It goes beyond being simply a "Beginners". I feel that people who have owned Guan Sheng for some time may be put off by the term.

[ballaratdragons]

Also just thought of this one,

When anyone puts 'Guan Sheng' in google or yahoo, it will guide them to the 'IceInSpace' site!


For lots of info, stats, pics etc of the GS range look at www.telescope-service.de/dobsonians/dobsonians/dobsoniansstart.html

[Starkler]

Waaaaa !

What have I got myself in for here !
This is going to take some time .

[ballaratdragons]

Don't panic,

I could have given you the web address of the same site in German. lol

[wavelandscott]

I am happy to help..I just will be unavailable for a week...

[janoskiss]

One thing is missing... What to do about dew? Shields, heaters, whatever helps. I want to know!

[ballaratdragons]

EASY!

Don't go out in the fog.

[janoskiss]

That may work near Ballarat, but on clear nights I had all my EPs and the finder dew up, here in Melbourne and out of Melbourne too. Dew can really ruin your night of observing away from home (you can't run inside and give your EPs the hairdryer treatment).

[gaa_ian]

Hi folks
Been away from the forum for a few days.
As for the Anti dew solution .... we have a 12V hairdryer, available from "Super Cheap Auto" for about $20.
Hook it up to a small 12V battery with a Battery to Cig Lighter adaptor (about $10) & you have the means to defeat the dew monster in just a few minutes,
I will post a pic soon.

[janoskiss]

Thanks, I'll try to find one of these 12V hair dryers.

[ballaratdragons]

Hey Janos,

I know the frustration of how clear nights make water drip off your optics.

I made and fitted 'light/dew shields' to all my scopes and finders.

Also, if you are handy, make a hinged lift up lid for the EP rack. If you are really handy fit a micro-switch to the lid connected to a small red light so you can see and read your EP's. Works a treat!

[gaa_ian]

We have had an EP rack made for the club EP's, it works a treat.
Have yet to fit some red LED's, but it is on the To Do list :work:

Yay ...Post # 100 :cheers:

[rmcpb]

This may be a place to add my promised article on the equatorial platform??

[rmcpb]

Next thought, a summary of the finderscope thread could be inserted here as well.

[ballaratdragons]

Yes please Rob,

quite a few of us waiting.

Actually, give it a new thread.

[ving]

the EQ thingo does deserve a new thread i think. heaps of us will be interested :)

[iceman]

Rob, the EQ platform could be it's own page on the "Resources->How To" section of the main IceInSpace site, and the FAQ could include a link to it in it's tinkering section.

Also the finderscope ideas would be valuable as well.

[Dave47tuc]

12 v hair dryer works fine.:D

I've been useing one for years.:whistle:


Best.


:astron:

[janoskiss]

Thanks a lot Dave,

I'll definitely have to get one. Sure sounds a lot easier than fiddling around making resistor daisy chains.

[ballaratdragons]

I saw a great pink BARBIE hair dryer at Target!

Was cheap. $18.95



There are small battery powered travel hair dryers available. I saw them about 3 months ago and now I can't remember where.

It wasn't a camping store.

Anybody know?

[Starkler]

Back on topic......

I have been typing away feverishly for the last couple of hours and the amount of information to cover all the points I outlined is just huge. Its basicly evolving into a series of how-to's

I should have something ready for Mintsauce and Ian to chew over sometime this weekend.

[iceman]

Great work Geoff.
A series of How-To's is just great, it's content for the website, and the FAQ can basically just list all the points with links to teh how-to's.

[gaa_ian]

Good work Geoff !
I will have a look at what you put together before I do a write-up
to avoid any repetition.
Also to see what mintsauce comes up with.
The world of GSO Dobs is about to get a whole lot better, with the sub $1000 12"
I would love to see more on the 12" in these forums.

[iceman]

Any news on this? Geoff? Ian?

[Starkler]

nag nag nag :P

Ok I might be a little quieter on the forums for a bit and see if i can get it done.

[iceman]

heh my wife nags me, I nag you.. it's called delegating :D

[gaa_ian]

Hi Geoff
PM me when you have done your bit & I will see what I have to add

[werewolf6977]

Don't laugh, but I have a 6" Guan Sheng Dob badged as the Celestron Starhopper, and I think it's just great!!

[ving]

hey werewolf! welcome to the forum!
yeah GSO stuff is pretty good hey.
you done any mods to it?

[ballaratdragons]

<b>Yeah, he put the Celestron sticker on it!</b>

:lol2:

[blackpearl]

This is a great idea
Hi all, have been away and the Dob has arrived and now I need some detailed instructions on how to put my 12" Dob together. Someone suggested the Orion XT-8 instructions, anyone know where to find them?

[Thiink]

I found this link (http://www.telescope.com/text/content/pdf/IN_165_SkyQuest6&8_RevB.pdf) which is a PDF (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html) of instructions for the XT6 and XT8, I dont know if it is going to be the same for bigger size GSO though?

Might keep it handy I think, looks good.

[iceman]

Hey Geoff.

It's time for the monthly bug bug bug bug for this FAQ.. any update? :)