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I am making some progress on the manual alt-az dobsonian style base for this huge refractor.
I have fabricated a steel frame with three lockable wheels to which I have mounted a 800mm circle of laminated chipboard from an old shop display. I know it is not the best material to use but I had it laying around. It is 30mm thick and laminated on both sides with a smooth laminex style finish.
I have painted the edges with 2k epoxy with some black pigment in there to make it look nicer, should stop any water ingress and prevent swelling.
The two base boards are joined by a lazy-susan bearing and I have three hdpe pads in there as well. It isn't tpfe but they say it is almost as good, again.. what I had laying around.
I have made a start on getting the altitude trunions underway by cutting up some old Jeep wheels that I had gathering spiders in the backyard.
It is all a bit agricultural and some would be right to say it is sacrilege to mount such a fine instrument on a hap-hazard dob base like this, I agree... This is only a temporary measure to get the scope under the skies. Please dont bring out the pitchforks.
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