Hi all,
A few pics of my new project:
I recently purchased a GSO-12" F5 from Andrews and intended
to fit it to my homemade GEM mount which has housed my
homemade f7 Newt for about 25 years!
I thought about building again from the ground up but couldn't
go past the value of these Bintel/ Andrews/ GSO Dobs.
Just using one as a source of parts is great value.
Inspiration for this option was from Paul Mayo's site which
a kind IIS member pointed me to.
Paul has been very helpful so far with tips for the GEM conversion.
I re-made a larger cradle from steel flat bar and angle iron and
the two straps are 30mm x 3mm alum flat bar.
So far she sits beautiful on the GEM and the friction brakes
and counterweights feel just as secure as when it held
a scope half it's weight
A few pics attached:
- Pic 1 is the extensive theoretical modelling involved in the project
- Pic 2 is a dress rehearsal of the cradle radius of arc for different
- parts of the tube
- Pic 3 is the GSO at its new home. My homemade observatory.
Update: --> A few good nights to test it all out.
I seem to have confirmed reports about the GSO eyepieces being 'you get
what you pay for' quality.
My 25 year old Unitron Ortho 0.965" 9mm brings in Jupiter CRYSTAL clear
with good collimation and a perfect seeing.
Wow! the best view of jupiter these 42 year old eyeballs have ever
seen !
However the GSO Plossl 9mm that came with the scope struggles to make
perfect focus.
Similarly the 25mm Kellner of mine outshines the GSO Plossl 25mm.
But it also shows that instrument can really perform with great eyepieces
and my old crusty collection of Kellners and Orthos are in no way great eyepieces,
just good eyepieces.
<-- end
Steve
