[GrahamL]

I have started to rebuild my 12 "scope to something a little more manageable weight wise , my knees dont like lots of weight any more and i cant place the scope somewhere easy to get at so as a consequence rarely use it



mirror box loaded 24 kgs

truss poles 3 kg

uta around 3 kgs 3.5 probably with a pan 35

ground board 13 kgs

for 44 kgs all up .


I can shave quite a bit off the bottom by cutting down the mirror box and redoing the ground board a little differant and have increased alt bearings to 23 " almost double what i had before , the balance point with the increased bearing size rises 100 mm

My truss poles will increase in weight being longer

moonlite 1 " connecters still working well

(is CF an option ? )
could try and turn down the moonlites to 19 mm if CF is going to end in tears price wise .
Who sells Cf tube in + metre lengths ?



My uta with a K2 focuser I can drop a fair bit of weight by rebuilding

Single or double ring up top ?
stiffening up to a single ring or lightening to a double as far as can tell are going to be similar weights .


any input most welcome
graham