[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Originally Posted by Roger Davis

Take note that when you use 6 instead of 8 truss tubes the protrusion of the truss rods into the light path is possible. The Meade Lightbridge, for example, has an oversized primary mirror box with a smaller secondary cage. This enables you to "toe in" the truss rods without impinging on the light path.

Thanks Roger. I noticed that I will probably have to mount the mirror end of the poles further away from the tube. I'm still trying to figure out how exactly ... Kriege & Berry has given me a few ideas. It would be nice to attach the poles so they are completely clear the solid tube. That way I could align all the hardware (and temporarily attach with double sided tape say) before cutting the tube. But some intrusion (into the tube not into the light path) might be desirable to stop the whole thing becoming too bulky.

Re the focusers, I am looking at five at the moment where the orientation of the eyepiece retaining bolt is totally random ... go figure.

Hmmm. Maybe it really is just luck of the draw then after all.