200mm GS DOB Reborn

[Bruceaust]

I have recently purchased a 10" Meade Dob,which meant I had a 8" GS Dob spare!
I have pulled all the bits out of this scope and made up a travel scope to suit. It is very successful. Note that this is not a minimalist design (maybe next time though). It is a very easy scope to put together as all the parts are stock standard.
It will be very appropriate for car travel - camping holidays etc. It definitely is a very much lighter than the tube that gave its rebirth.

Bruce

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

WOW! What a ripper!

Really beautiful work, Bruce!

Got any pics of it 'packed up' and ready to go?

Mental.

[GrahamL]

great job bruce , looks very nice

[Bruceaust]

Some more pics,

Bruce

[DavidU (Dave)]

Very nice work Bruce. Nice speakers too !

[Rod]

Looks great Bruce. BTW I am nearly finished the travelscope you helped me with.

Rod.

[mercedes_sl1970]

Very nice. I like the design and the woodworking looks terrific. I'm curious about the final weight, and secondly how you have arranged the end attachments/caps on the truss tubes, ie. which allow you to screw them to the secondary cage.

Andrew

[anj026]

Well done Bruce, it looks great!

[Bruceaust]

The complete unit including struts weighs in at 13kg.
The strut ends were made on my lathe. The have a turned spigot that fits into end of the tube. They have a 6mm thread for attachment either end.
They are held into the tube ends by four 4mm grub screws.

I addapted the ideas from:
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1123
(thanks Ron B for pointing me to this article)


(the black paint does not look dodgey in real life)

see pics below.


Bruce

[mercedes_sl1970]

Thanks, Bruce - again, very nicely done.

Andrew

[tnott]

Did a similar job for my 10inch project. I am impressed how your version ends up fully enclosed to protect it in transport.

[Bruceaust]

My mind is now ticking over on a minimalist approach to travel scope design.
1 strut,
smallest mirror box,
smallest mounts,
carbon fibre, etc, etc


Bruce