Obsession

[Greenswale (Wren)]

In considering an increased aperture device, I have been looking at dobs, and can't help but be impressed with the Obsession.

Are these available from an Australian agent, or is import the go? If it is import, what are the rough costs involved?

[Tannehill]

There are no agents or retailers for Obsessions, you order direct from Dave Kriege (i.e., Obsession).

SDM Telescopes here are basically Obsession-like, made here. Excellent scopes. Last i checked - a year back, really - the prices were a bit higher. Might be more so now with stronger Oz dollar, don't know. But I have an Obsession back home, and I've seen the SDMs up close. The SDMs are every bit as good, there's no doubt. Plus you have more options with regard to mirrors, altho Obsession will sell a scope sans mirror if you ask, but they do NOT customize the scope beyond what's offered on the website; you can't ask for different style bearings or trusses or such. Delivery with Obsessions is never more than 2 months, usually it's LESS than he states at time of ordering. Beats more other vendors in that regard because he has pre-made scopes and mirrors in stock waiting for final assembly...most other vendors cannot afford to have thousands (many tens of thousands, at one point I think he said he had) of dollars tied up in inventory this way, but with his volume he can do it...

Don't know all the details of extra costs - you cold email Dave Kriege and ask how much shipping would be, I expect he'd know, having sold a few scopes here. Then there is your GST. But others on the forum would know better.

s

w

Originally Posted by Greenswale

In considering an increased aperture device, I have been looking at dobs, and can't help but be impressed with the Obsession.

Are these available from an Australian agent, or is import the go? If it is import, what are the rough costs involved?

[CoombellKid]

Having seen both Obsession and SDM in the flesh. I would go for the SDM.
The Obsession looks home made compared to the SDM, which are a real
work of art, and no import duty to boot!! however both are quality
instruments.

The hang time will depend on mirror availablity from both makers, If
Dave Kriege has to order the mirror, I think it's going to take longer
than 2 months, especially if you want a Zambuto Mirror

regards,CS

[Tannehill]

Yes, I agree...I think going an SDM route here would undoubtedly satisfy you. I think the costs will be fairly close by the time you add everything up.
If your budget permits, an SDM is a scope that you'll keep forever...you'll have to will it to someone 'cause it might last longer than you do. Plus, a Suchting mirror is without peer, from what I've seen.

If you want your mirror to come from Obsession 'with' the scope, It think (not positive, actually) your only mirror choices are OMI and Galaxy. If you want another mirror, you can buy the scope without a mirror and get the mirror on your own. Might need to mod the scope if the mirror weight, f-ratio are different from Ob specs, but I'm sure it can be done. Zambuto intermittently sells to private individuals, when demand from his OEMs slacks off, but it's hard to predict...

Can't go wrong either way, SDM or Ob, for sure.

Scott

[CoombellKid]

Zambuto has stop taking orders from private individuals until his current
backlog is cleared, he has predicted 15 months (from memory, I'd have to
go back through his posts) before he can look at suppling private individuals
again. He is only suppling his scope makers, try Starmaster if you want one
of his mirrors. OMI, again you might want to have a chat with Rumples Riot
on his experience. Personally I'd go for a Galaxy over the OMI, on Peter Reids
recommendation anyways.

regards,CS

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Greenswale,

I am one very happy SDM customer (see link in my signature).

I did the calculations comparing SDM with Obsession before ordering with SDM, and worked out that SDM was cheaper. I also agree with the comments of several others that the build quality of SDM is clearly superior, having lined up my SDM with another observer's Obsession recently.

A key factor in my thinking was post sales support. Buying such a scope is a big outlay, and how you enforce a warranty, or return a lemon to the US is a real headached (the freight costs to Australia fro mthe US was going to be AUD1400). You also have to pay GST on the purchase when it comes through customs if you buy from the US, so that might help you to understand the cost difference a little better.

SDM deliver to your door without charge in most instances, and Peter Read will give you a personal lesson on its use. I doubt Kreige will jump on a plane and bring his scope to your door!

I understand that Peter may already has some mirrors in stock, so he could probably produce a scope for you in time reasonably comparable to Obsession if the available mirror(s) suit you.

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat off line.

[rumples riot]

Another SDM owner.

I have seen an obsession and I believe they are now less than acceptable for the cost. The finish is not the same, nor is the orthagonality. The cost out to Australia was about the same as the SDM.
The SDM is aussie made.
Peter gave the best service I have ever had from an Astro Vendor. Listens to what you want, will even ask if you want certain modifications.
I can highly recommend his services. Beautiful telescopes.

I have number 14. Delivered to my door.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Yet another SDM owner here

Being in Victoria where SDM scopes are made I'd say theres no question about which one to buy.

Apart from the advantages of local support (which I did need in one instance), Peter is happy to customise and build to your spec as was the case for me. I got exactly what I specified whereas with obsession you only have a range of cookie-cutter products to choose from.

Peter is always looking for ways to improve the scopes and mine has a few convenience features not found in other scopes, such as a zipper in the bottom of the shroud to facilitate easy access to the mirror box lid, and two piece transport handles which means no messing around in the field bolting/unbolting handles to mirror boxes just to move the scope.

[Greenswale (Wren)]

Thanks to all for the responses.

I was unaware of SDM, but a visit to the website was rewarding. With all the benefits of being local, the SDM is now well and truly in my sights.

A little work on the spouse, and all will be fine?!

Thanks again!

[CoombellKid]

Also if your crafty with your hands, you could try building your own. It's an
awesome experience and I would recommend getting Kriege & Berry's book
The Dobsonian Telescope - A Practical Manual For Building Large Aperture
Telescopes. It's an excellent book with everything you need to know and
not overly technical.

Good luck with whatever you choose!!

regards,CS

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Hi,

I have an 18" Obsession and I am proud to say that I can call Peter Read the owner and maker of SDM telescopes, a friend. Last year Peter spent several nights at my house adding accessories to our 3RF Obsessions (2 x 25" Obsessions and 4 x 18" Obsessions). I also chat regularly with him on the phone about matters telescope building. I am currently building the Rolls Royce of 10" truss dobs . Do you know anyone else who uses solid rolled aluminium altitude bearings on a 10" scope ? I do.

Peter doesn't build telescopes because he wants to make money. He doesn't build enough of them or charge enough for them to do that. He builds them because he wants to show the Australian Astronomical community the quality of work he is capable of producing. He is doing something he loves doing. To give you some idea of the commercial reality of his situation, Peter has built about 22 scopes in the past 3 years. Obsession sell about 300 scopes per year. Peter will custom tailor build each and every scope to the users exact requirements. They are a thing of absolute beauty. The wait is a few months. The quality is worth the wait time. In addition Peter offers you the choice of all the best mirror makers available.

Here is my take on the mirror supplier. I have an OMI mirror in my Obsession which is excellent and I couldn't be happier with it. Over the years I have used scopes with mirrors from OMI, Zambuto, Galaxy, Pegasus, Ostahowski (Discovery), Steve Kennedy, Vaughan Parsons (Intermountain Optics), Tom Cave and Alan Raycraft. All of the previous mentioned premium mirror makers produce or produced outstanding optics (Tom Cave is dead). I have also used plenty of backyard and mass produced mirrors. Some of those haven't been so outstanding. The consistently best optics I have ever used are from Aussie mirror maker Mark Suchting. I have looked through a lot of Mark's mirrors and the quality is always consistent and outstanding. In 20 plus years and several hundred mirrors, as a commercial mirror maker, Mark has never had a customer dissatisfied with the mirror they were supplied. I dare say he is one of a handfull of mirror makers on the planet that can lay claim to that. I just ordered a 10"/F5.3 from him. You will wait for it, the wait is worth every minute. Some mirror makers supply strehl ratios and test certificates in respect of the supplied mirror. Some people take this as a level of comfort. In reality it isn't because these numbers will never be consistent because of different testers and test conditions. Suffice to say Mark is one of the three best mirror makers on the planet and if you buy a mirror from him it gets no better.

For someone buying from Australia, I couldn't think of a better option than an SDM telescope with a Mark Suchting mirror. Mark goes to 24" aperture. If you wanted a scope over 24" aperture and faster than F4, I would order the mirror from Steve Kennedy.

Cheers,
John B

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

For someone buying from Australia, I couldn't think of a better option than an SDM telescope with a Mark Suchting mirror.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally Posted by Starkler

Yet another SDM owner here

such as a zipper in the bottom of the shroud to facilitate easy access to the mirror box lid

You can thank me for that one Geoff .

Peter Read and Dave Kreige having both seen my scope with the zipper in the light shroud now incorporate it as standard on all their scopes. I dare suggest a couple more of my ideas ended up in your scope Geoff . eg: the pre routed channels behind the focuser board to run the dew heater power cables ? pre routed channels in the rocker box to run the cat stalk cables ? We have also shared a lot of other ideas

Thats what scope building is all about. Sharing ideas to end up with a better product. Peter has certainly given me a lot of help for which I am very gratefull and ultimately we all end up with a better performing telescope from it.

Cheers,
John B

[CoombellKid]

John,

I look forward to seeing photo's of your 10", it sounds like real thing of beauty

btw, what is the material they use for shrouds?

regards,CS

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Hi Rob,

The 10" scope is still many months off. I have ordered the mirror from Mark but have asked for June or July delivery to give me plenty of time to do all the work on the scope around work and family commitments. It will have a protostar quartz secondary, a dual speed Feathertouch focuser, Argo Navis and Servocat junior.

The light shrouds on Peters' scopes and the Obsessions is made from black "ripstop nylon". You can buy this from any large fabric outlet like Spotlight. The zipper in the light shroud is a large nylon zipper you buy from Spotlight also. It is continuos roll and you just buy the length you want, they cut it off, then you sew it into the shroud. Having a wife who is a dressmaker by trade helped a lot in this regard On the 18" Obsession the zipper is 600mm (2 feet) long. This is just enough to get the mirror box cover in and out through the zipper hole. I will have to work it out but on the 10" scope I would expect the zipper to be about 300mm (12") long.

Cheers,
John B

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by Greenswale

I was unaware of SDM, but a visit to the website was rewarding. With all the benefits of being local, the SDM is now well and truly in my sights.

As a humble beginner, I drool over this site. Resisting - so far - too much more to learn, but then........

[CoombellKid]

John,

Thanks for the info on shroud material.

When it comes time I'll be ordering a mirror from Mark too.

regards,CS

[CoombellKid]

Originally Posted by erick

As a humble beginner, I drool over this site. Resisting - so far - too much more to learn, but then........

If drooling over the pictures weren't enough, wait until you see the views
through one of these large aperture beasts. I still have fond memories of
the views through Peter Robins 30" SDM . Just watching them pan around
the sky is something to see, like waiting for the missile to launch

regards,CS

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by CoombellKid

If drooling over the pictures weren't enough, wait until you see the views
through one of these large aperture beasts. I still have fond memories of
the views through Peter Robins 30" SDM . Just watching them pan around
the sky is something to see, like waiting for the missile to launch

regards,CS

I've been dreaming of a Steve Kennedy 32" ever since I saw the Veil in SDM001. One of lifes cherished moments.

I'll keep my 20" as a grab'n'go!

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by AstroJunk

I'll keep my 20" as a grab'n'go!