dobsonian base

[edelweiss]

Hi guys
Today I just realized the base for my dobsonian 8" is missing its supporter (? I'm not sure what is it called, but it's the black, triangle-ish plastic that we attach underneath the dobsonian base to support it).. there are 3 of them and apparently one of them is missing.. is there any place/website that I can buy the sparepart?? It's quite annoying to see my scope unstabled.:(

[mental4astro]

Hey Eeda,

Do you mean the little black rubber feet on the underside of the mount?

http://www.dehuangroup.com/UploadFile/ProductImg/20120203/20120203122400751.JPG

If yes, then a hardware store will stock items like this. You may need to replace all three if you want them to look all the same. But one of the three being a little different (taller, fatter) won't make any difference to the action of the scope.

Just be mindful of how you attach the replacements - you don't want to have scew tips or heads touching the underside of the rocker box base.

Alex.

[astro_nutt]

Hi Eeda.
You could try some screw-in furniture legs which attach to a metal plate. You screw the metal plate into the underside of the Dob base, then screw in the legs. You could also add an extra nut to the thread of the legs so you could adjust the leg height and lock it. I hope this helps.
Cheers!

[edelweiss]

Yup!! This is what I meant by it! Cool.. do u think it's available in bunnings or any warehouse?

[edelweiss]

Ah..I see! That's very helpful! Now I need to find the base/furniture legs..

[mental4astro]

Yes, Bunnings and really any hardware store would carry these.

Astro-nutt's suggestion of screw-in legs is a good one too. Particularly if you regularly set up the dob on turf. The short stumpy rubber feet are no good on turf, so the whole underside of the ground board rests on the turf. This totally changes the scope's action as now you have the added 'mush' of the turf to contend with. Short legs, say about 100mm to 150mm would be fine. Using the furniture leg plates that astro-nutt mentions means that the legs can be removed so the scope compacts down a much as it did before, so not changing the way you currently stow your dob.