10” f5 carbon fibre newt for imaging

[Startrek (Martin)]

Just enquiring whether anyone owns and uses a 10” f5 carbon fibre newt for imaging ??
A few questions -
Who supplied it and possible alternate suppliers ?
Did you fit your own mirrors , focuser , spider vain etc... ?
What is the total weight of your carbon fibre newt with all equipment
Do you know the difference in overall weight between a carbon fibre and standard metal 10” f5 newt ?
What brand and model mount carry’s your carbon fibre newt for imaging ?

Thanks in advance

[Nikolas (Nik)]

I think Diego uses a carbon fibre newt
Sidereal trading sell them

[Andy01 (Andy)]

I have an f4 250mm CF newt that I bought from Diego @ Sidereal trading.
Fully ready to image with Paracoor, moonlite, fan, heater, big spider, the works!
Very happy with it too, having nailed 2-3 Apods with it already!

[mldee (Mike)]

Just about to return to the hobby after a few years hiatus while building a new home. I bought a GSO 10" f4 CF truss Newt from an IIS member a couple of years ago and am finally just about ready to start using it at my new dark skies RO obs, via wifi from my house about 50m away. (Gets cold up here at night.)

I'm an old fart but it's no problem for me to lift and place on the CEM60. The trusses make good handles I'm by no means an ace astrophotographer but I hope to do wide field happy snaps with it. Over the years I've collected all the usual pieces of junk to hang on it. Will post some pics once it's actually being used in anger. Maybe early December when the smoke and dust storms clear.

[glend (Glen)]

I had a 10" f5 carbon fibre struts Newt for imaging. I built it and the thread should still be able to be found in the IIS archives if you search for it. I built the scope structure out of carbon fibre tube sourced from a company in Melbourne, who had an ebay store. I used GSO mirrors sourced from Bintel, and a linear focuser from Andrews, Baader MPCC coma corrector. The strut tube structure was built on a precision big using boat building epoxy and marine ply ring stations. It had a shroud that I made out of lycra. It sat on a Losmandy plate. All up weight was 12kg for the scope. The target was to keep the weight under 15kg all up (with the camera, guide scope etc) to be under the BEQ6 imaging weight limit.

When I was forced to sell it due to health issues, there were no buyers here on IIS, so I had to part out the components.

As there are no reasonably priced, lightweight, 10" f5 newts on the market, I encourage you to build your own.

[kosborn (Kevin)]

I have a Sidereal Trading 10" f/5 carbon fibre Newtonian. It's based on a Sky-Watcher f/5 mirror but with a carbon fibre tube, upgraded spider and Moonlite focuser. It's a great piece of kit!

[glend (Glen)]

What is the budget? The Sideral Trading 10" f5 Newt (tube version) is $3425. That is significantly more than a 10" f5 GSO (tube version) with plenty left over for focuser upgrade etc. There are also possibilities for using a cheap 10"GSO f5 as a donor scope to move the components into a Teleskop-Express Carbon Fibre tube (pre-bored for the GSO components. The GSO mirrors are excellent quality for the price.
When I was looking at getting a 10" f5 Newt, which was light weight, building it myself was the cost effective approach. Also think about eventual resale value, which people never seem to do.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Thanks all for your comments
I’m probably getting ahead of myself here , but wanted to get some feedback in any case
From my investigations carbon fibre 10” f5 newts weigh in at around 14 to 16kg and the metal tube 10” f5 newts around 17 to 18kg ( without AP gear, camera , guide scope , guide camera , dew heaters , cables etc.... )

At these weights I’m dreaming if I can expect tight guiding on my existing EQ6-R mount with a 10” f5 newt especially on a tripod in the backyard exposed to wind
My existing 8” f5 metal tube newt with all AP gear weighs in at around 13kg and this is just about my limit for sub arc sec guiding in the elements
The EQ6-R mount is just about at my weight limit for lifting and carrying to the backyard to set up and strip down. I’m only a light weight guy at 70kg and nearly 60 years of age with a history of lower back C5 problems
Unless I build a permanent pier or Obs , I can’t see myself using a 10” f5 newt carbon fibre or otherwise on a portable bigger mount like an EQ8-R
Simply to much weight and my lifting capacity will reduce with age in the pursuing years anyway
Thanks for your feedback
Cheers

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

One way of reducing the mass of the scope, but potentially increasing collimation headaches, is increasing the speed of the scope. CF 10” f/3 could be similar in mass or even perhaps lighter than metal tube 8” f/5.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Suavi
Thanks for the suggestion by my collimation frustration meter hits max at f4.9
Cheers

[Andy01 (Andy)]

My 10"F4 CF Newt weighs 16kgs fully loaded including my 3kg QSI camera, Moonlite focuser, Paracoor & finderscope.

I did a lovely image with it on my hypertuned EQ6 with no issues , but chose to get a bigger mount (Tak NJP) as like you, I'm imaging outside, in the elements with no obsy.

I still miss my EQ6 whenever I have to lug the big TAK around

[kosborn (Kevin)]

The 254mm f/5 carbon fibre Sidereal Newtonian I use weighs in at 16kg and sits on an EQ6R-Pro. I use OAG to try to keep the weight down. It tracks very well until the breeze goes beyond about 3m/s (around 10km/hr). At that point it's useless even trying and my refractor comes out!

[glend (Glen)]

It is possible to build a 10" f5 imaging newt, using strut tube design, and get a rigid structure that weighs 12kg. This leaves you a good 3kg for camera, guide scope etc, and still achieve a 15kg total weight, which works ok on an EQ6 (but balance it correctly). However, I doubt you will find a production 10" f5 that is light enough for your mount. Just my 2 cents.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Kevin
Thanks for heads up , I wasn’t guessing regarding the wind factor using a10” , I just get away with it using my 8” f5
Glen
Thanks for the suggestions

Cheers

[Bluknghtv (Daniel)]

I had ordered a 10" f5 carbon from sidereal but the tubes haven't come in to the country yet so wouldnt be ready by xmas. So I have now ordered a SW quattro 300 f4. My SW azeq 6 gt has been supertuned and was tested using a 300 1500mm f5 in 14km/h winds ending up with a guide of .4 rms.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Daniel
Thanks for info
I’d be interested to see how it performs in 15 to 25km /hr wind
I’m Just up the road from you
I think your AZ-EQ6 has a slightly higher payload rating that my EQ6-R plus you have super tuned it , so lower PEC and better tracking and guiding
Cheers