Setting Circles on a Dob

[pmrid (Peter)]

I'm toying with the idea of adding some simple setting circles on my Dob - a 14" DIY job I recently acquired in a swap.

I've seen so nice examples on CN but so far haven't been able to figure out how to print them on a scale big enough to do the job. Does anyone have a template of some sort that is capable of being scaled up and printed in segments? The alternative is a very tedious process with my trust old protractor set.

Peter

[chrisp9au (Chris)]

Hi Peter,

I've had success printing mine using a website set up by Rob Willett

http://www.settingcircles.com/index....circles_screen

Rob asks for a small subscription which is definitely worthwhile.

I've done both large and small setting circles, declination strips etc.
then I get them laminated at the local copy shop.
I like the fact that with Rob's setting circles you can specify just about every parameter thinkable, and print verniers to get even better accuracy.
My latest effort is pictured.

Cheers

Chris

[bojan]

try this:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...etting+circles

or this:
http://www.startrak.co.uk/MakingSettingCircles.htm

or this:
http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000/

[Barrykgerdes]

I made a setting circle for the azimuth of my 16" lightbridge. I drew it in AutoCad full size and printed it out in 8 pieces to correct size.

To get it correctly fitted to the base I marked 8 alignment points on the base then glued the scale aligning to my marks.

The dec scale only required two segments and was much easier.

Barry

[pmrid (Peter)]

Thank you gents. Appreciated.
Peter

[Yogie-One (Paul)]

Hi, I have added setting circles to the base of my 12inch SW Dob. I simply went to a printing shop, and asked them to print circles to the exact size for my base. They printed them on A2 paper for $0.40 each.

For the Altitude, I use a digtal protractor that is accurate to 1/10th of a degree. This, coupled with a laser level for the base marker, it is not hard to set up, and use with good success. I then read the AZ/Alt from a laptop program such as Stellarium for a particular target, and set up scope accordingly. Usually it is within the low magnification eyepieces view.

YogieOne