Well, it's built. There is a ding in the tube that was on the blind side when I unpacked it and carried it upstairs. I don't think it will affect the optics in any way but it spoils the look of it a bit. I might try a bit of gentle percussive maintenance with a rubber mallet on the inside of the tube to see if I can pop it out but I am not too concerned about it. If it doesn't go easy I will live with it.
Collimation is so far out that I will need to spend a fair bit of time adjusting it, everything is out of alignment from the spider to the main mirror.
When I mounted the Rigel QF I almost got it the wrong way round! I realised the error of my ways just in time, before pressing it into possy.
Initial inspection of the bundled plossls reveals a fair few 'dags' around the edge of the field stops. I knew they wouldn't be of the best quality but they will serve the purpose for now. The 2"rs that I bought look fine and I can't wait to put whole thing through it's paces.
Dave, sure thing for a trip up to Staverton when conditions are right, I am keen to check it out. I will try and organise my mate with the 14" Meade to join us if he is onshore at the time. I also plan to get him into this forum. He is another Dave. A very intelligent man, studying the online Swanbourne uni astronomy course during his slack times offshore.
Now I need to think of an appropriate name for the brute. It is sitting in pride of place in the centre of my lounge room, gf is gobsmacked as I knew she would be, but she is demanding my attention now. As you can see from the pics I think she feels somewhat threatened by it, I can hear her brain ticking over. All will be well after the big "wow" when she sees OC or M42 in all their glory though.
Gotta go now, better things to do than waste the evening chatting to you mob!
Eat your heart out Tina Turner
