Great scope Bill! Looks like that PVC tube really works well.
OK, since Chris asked, here is my main scope. I took the light shrouds off for clarity in the photos. Key features are:
- 35cm F/4.6 Suchting mirror
- Mirror box is a ply/foam board/fibreglass resin composite structure, lined with the ProtoStar flocking material
- It has a cooling fan in the back, suspended with 'scrunchies' (= elastic hair ties from the $2 shop), so vibration does not transmit to the scope
- Cell is a 6-pointer designed with PLOP
- Now has Dave Ek's encoder system fitted (that's the disk & wires on the side)
- Six-tube truss; the tubes are bolted together, so they stay together as a unit when you disassemble it (three nuts top & bottom)
- Wire spider made from a 0.016" guitar string. It tensions up with wingnuts, one of which is just visible in the photo
- Filter slide; has a click stop made from a bathroom cupboard catch
- UTA has foam board in place of kydex. Total weight of the UTA is 2.2kg (it's designed for wimps, i.e. me).
It balances with eyepieces around 500g. If I use very light eyepieces I have to hang a weight on the front.
Phil