Quote:
Originally Posted by glend
Happy to help with suggestions, Alex. I think the advantages of the TS carbon tube are pretty obvious, it is made in Germany using a precision mold, and is pre-drilled for the GSO components to drop right in. Being light weight and unequipped, it is an item that his fairly reasonable to ship to Australia via UPS.
Finally, resale value, not to be skoffed at in a scope that size.
And yes, buying and using the metal tube version for awhile might be a good starting point, as you say, it might be fine for your situation, located inside an observatory in northern NSW. Of course, the metal tube version is also considerably cheaper, a consideration for cheapskates like myself.  |
I looked again..about $800 which is a lot of money for a plastic tube. I wonder if the tube is baffled..should be for strength. But $2500 plus $800 would give you a better scope, me at least as I don't like the poles, well I do but you have to hide them,..at less money. I did not ring Andrews mainly to not put in an order, which I probably would because I want this to happen but I need to think it thru a little more...Interesting I have given much thought to fabricating a tube and it could be done relatively easily and professionally by using the metal tube to make a good male mold ( fill in the seam mostly ) take off a glass mold to use for the carbon fibre..but a tube with my extention and baffles would be ideal...Bunnings appear to sell it in some sort of cement repair kit but it is not cheap but I will work out material costs and suppliers out of interest but by the time you make the mold which would take a couple of hundred I expect in resin glass etc...well the costs add up...I thought maybe placing a couple of Peltier units on the metal tube to manage temp.
Alex