Go Back   IceInSpace > Equipment > ATM and DIY Projects

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread
  #1  
Old 21-11-2017, 11:03 AM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
Takahashi Bino-TSA-120 F7.5 Binoscope

I have always wanted a decent pair of binoculars and now seems like a good time to get this project off the ground....

Some of you might have noticed that I have been afflicted with Takitis for some time and though I have 'Beta tested' quite a few over the years, they have always been single units of varying specifications and types.....

Though I have some skills in the DIY arena I have decided that I want these binoculars to be something special and to that end have enlisted the help of friends here in Australia as well as Shanghai, China and Tottori City, Japan for the complex works. I will be undertaking the design and building of a suitable 'Fork' mount at a later date here in Canberra.

In the interim the binoculars will ride side-saddle on my SW AZ-EQ6GT mount.

The plan is quite simple really...... bolt two scopes into a cradle and install some diagonals into the back of them and put the whole lot on an 'L' bracket attached to the AZ-EQ6GT

Specs at a glance:
2 x TSA120 mm F7.5 @ 900mm triplet Super apochromats
EMS-ULS Silver Erecting Mirror System with 2" and 1.25" eyepiece holders
Range88-Studio 2047 Custom binoscope cradle
Range88-Studio 2047 M72x1.0 > 65mm Draw tube adapters
Takahashi TMT70300 Tripod (extension pier to made later)
Takahashi 7x50mm Finderscope
Lots of eyepiece pairs.... Take Abbe 32 & 18, LE 7.5 & 5, Panoptic 24.

I have started the collection of components by sourcing a pair of Takahashi TSA120 120mm F7.5 Super Apochromatic refractors

Phil has kindly parted with his beautiful Takahashi TSA120 and TMT70300 tripod which will be used to carry this project.

Mr Tatsuro Matsumoto of EMS-Matsumoto has very quickly made a pair of EMS-ULS Protected Silver coated mirror system visual backs which are on their way from Tottori City to Canberra at the moment...

With thanks to Range88 (of CN fame), Studio 2047 in Shanghai are making the required M72>65mm adapters and tube cradles and they will hopefully be on their way to Oz in the near future...

Pictorially not much to show yet other than the 2 Taks and the EMS-ULS before their flight from Japan..

More to come later
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_4830.jpg)
154.4 KB82 views
Click for full-size image (MIS_4831.jpg)
99.7 KB87 views
Click for full-size image (EMS-ULS2.jpg)
141.7 KB88 views

Last edited by Kunama; 22-11-2017 at 06:41 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 21-11-2017, 11:22 AM
croweater (Richard)
Don't Panic!

croweater is online now
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mount Gambier, South Australia
Posts: 529
Wow that is going to be a stunning setup Matt. You did hint something was good was coming! Show us more when you can. Cheers Richard.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 21-11-2017, 11:29 AM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
Thanks Richard, I finally got approval from the Financial Comptroller for this but it came at a cost...... Guinevere now has a new caretaker......

As one might have guessed these binoculars are not for handholding in the dark..... so here is the GoTo version of the mounting system that will be used until I get a chance to build a sufficient Fork mount.

The Takahashi EM400 Tripod with an adapter by Kokusai Kohki and the AZ-EQ6GT and to balance the little binoculars, a Robin Casady 10.5kg Stainless counterweight (with a bronze bushing I turned for it recently) will be needed to keep the project on three legs...
The plan for the fork mount is to use 10K tic encoders and the beautiful Nexus DSC.... for a lighter weight push to option...

The glorious Tak EM400 tripod will hold up to 450KG but weighs in at a svelte 16.6KG with the adapter fitted
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_4833.jpg)
102.1 KB121 views
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 21-11-2017, 11:42 AM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
A little look at the business end:
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_4826 (1).jpg)
108.6 KB64 views
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 21-11-2017, 12:14 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
That grammatical error...oh, that grammatical error...you need a new dewshield

I am fairly confident these will completely torpedo APM's binoscope out of the water.

Good to see that tripod no longer suffering the indignation of no/little use and NO MORE SCRATCHING on the black legs. PHEW! Saved by a caretaker.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 21-11-2017, 12:18 PM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
Lewis, I was going to enlist you for some new dew-shield decals
"Takahashi-Kunama BTSA-120F7.5"
The tripod is a monster alright !!!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 21-11-2017, 12:25 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
Let me see if I still have Adobe Illustrator installed for GOOD EPS fonts and we can do that.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 21-11-2017, 01:05 PM
N1 (Mirko)
Registered User

N1 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Dunners Nu Zulland
Posts: 1,662
Unbelievable. Well done getting SWMBO approval for that thing
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 21-11-2017, 01:41 PM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
Last pic for the day, I promise.....

this is the separation that the tubes will have in the final product:

"D" = 170mm
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_4834.jpg)
170.7 KB74 views
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 21-11-2017, 02:52 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
You'd better sell me those Zeiss binoviewers seeing you won't need them any longer (NO, you are NOT using them on the FOA...that is your new finder )
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 21-11-2017, 03:15 PM
FlashDrive's Avatar
FlashDrive (Poppy)
Senior Citizen

FlashDrive is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bribie Island
Posts: 5,056
How nice is that ....
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (2.jpg)
14.8 KB24 views

Last edited by FlashDrive; 22-11-2017 at 09:22 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 21-11-2017, 03:41 PM
Atmos's Avatar
Atmos (Colin)
Ultimate Noob

Atmos is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 6,980
I’m drooling
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 21-11-2017, 03:43 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
Quote:
Originally Posted by Atmos View Post
I’m drooling
Need a bucket or a bib?
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 21-11-2017, 04:50 PM
Atmos's Avatar
Atmos (Colin)
Ultimate Noob

Atmos is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 6,980
Probably a bucket for now but a bib when my eyes get to feast upon the views
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 21-11-2017, 05:06 PM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
I hope to have these ready for viewing before Xmas though the fork mount will take some time and elbow grease..... there are a few things to attend to to make sure Mr Gravity doesn't play havoc with the BinoTak..

1. The ADM saddle plate will be bolted onto its 'puck' with 4 x M8 cap screws instead of the current 2.
2. The grub screws that hold the 'puck' in the mount's Alt Axis will be bolstered with the addition of 3 more M6 screws that will actually thread into the puck as well
3. An 'L' Bracket made of 80mm x 16mm Aluminium bar stock will be attached to a K-Astec 'D' series dovetail bar
4.The bino cradle will be secured into a second ADM saddle that will be bolted onto the end of horizontal arm of the 'L' bracket
5.Safety 'lanyards' of 2mm stainless steel wire will be fitted to the cradle and will loop over the clamping screws of the main saddle.

etc etc
more pics later... thanks for viewing
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 21-11-2017, 06:02 PM
Prickly
Registered User

Prickly is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Canberra
Posts: 347
Hi Matt

That looks pretty amazing. The ultimate bino!

Cheers
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 21-11-2017, 06:22 PM
thebonz (John)
Registered User

thebonz is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: bendigo
Posts: 71
Ttwo Eyed Tak

Eye brows raised with the T.E.T
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 21-11-2017, 06:30 PM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
Thanks guys, it is a fairly major commitment so I am hoping all goes smoothly.

Obviously it isn't a light bucket but should give nice views.

I am keen for the EMS-ULS system to arrive. They are a beautiful bit of kit, I had Tatsuro add the optional helicoid focusers to them which are 'counter rotating' and are used to adjust the inter pupillary distance which can be varied from 60mm to 78mm. This means the actual OTA cradle can be fixed and that means a lighter and more reliably parallel pair of OTAs.

The Bino-TSA is no lightweight though I am aiming to have it lighter than a single TOA150 OTA.... but fear I might have to do some gym work, I wonder if gyms give discount to us seniors
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 21-11-2017, 07:03 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
Well, that weak limp wrist of yours needs toughening up anyways

Oh, no, THAT is not what I meant...
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 21-11-2017, 07:42 PM
issdaol (Phil)
Registered User

issdaol is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Canberra
Posts: 688
Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM View Post
Well, that weak limp wrist of yours needs toughening up anyways

Oh, no, THAT is not what I meant...
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (144502217349.jpg)
13.1 KB65 views
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 05:29 PM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement