[glend (Glen)]

Well I can answer that question now. I had my 'first light' test last night and it's a very nice scope. The concerns I had about the setup of the front frame and secondary and focuser evaporated as soon as I put the DSLR in the focuser, slewed to Canopus and put the mask on to focus the camera. The focal length was spot on and I had enough in-travel to achieve focus on the camera and go beyond to defocus on the other side (so I can move back and forth from In and Out of focus) - but it was close - I think I measured about 5-10mm of available additional In-travel on the focuser barrel when the camera was in focus. I ran through a number of EPs in visual mode and it achieved focus on the focuser travel alone for most of them but I had to add my 35mm extension tube for a couple (Televue's of course) - and it's a very nice visual scope. I did some test subs with the camera to check that I was filling the sensor completely and they all came up great. Very happy with the two mirrors.

For those that would laugh at the cable ties, they are only there for confirmation and testing - allowing adjustment of the front frame/secondary and focuser on the tubes if needed.

So to the question of the mount on the NEQ6, yes I added a dovetail mount board for this first test, and it will be attached permanently now that I have confirmed the configuration ( I have a carbon fibre sheet coming and I hope to make the guide scope mount platform and dovetail board out of that carbon fibre sheet. I have attached some photos from last night. Note that it has most of the weight in the rear at the moment (hence the mounted position) but that will improve once I get the guidescope and guide camera installed, and the finderscope. An interesting discovery was that I could use the hollow carbon fibre tubes as a default finderscope for locating my alignment stars last night.

I weighed the scope prior to the test (without the camera) and it came in just under 10kg. Once I finalise the structure, add the guidescope/camera/guide mount, and the finderscope, I expect it will top out at around 13kg (including the shroud and light shield). This compares very favourably to a production 10" GSO imaging newt which weighs 15kg for just the OTA. My goal was to have it under 15kg all up.

The carbon tubes protruding from the front frame will be cut off once the frame is epoxied in place. I will probably use a slightly smaller diametre carbon tube insert to hold the light shield - that way it can simply slip in place in the hollow tubes. It will need a shroud (for backyard use, not so much for dark site use) and I have the nylon/lycra for that already. I also need to install the primary mirror fan. Plenty left to do but from a design point of view it is now proven to be good scope and that's a relief.