Thanks Lewis, (only the earthworms and ants will see the speckled side !!! )
I have made a little bit of progress on the project, still sneaking out to do a bit whenever my dearly beloved isn't watching ................
Get my camera back tomorrow so hope to have a couple of pics to update the thread.......
Pole clamps attached ..........
Timber work stained ...........
Mirror cell going in tomorrow ........
Still waiting for the azimuth bearing material ....
The electrics and electronics will be done sometime in the future when the budget recovers ...
Thanks to those who have been following the thread and PMd ideas, opinions and so on ( I think the next one will be a much lighter project ....... Sumerian Optics Canopus look-a-like )
After 11 weeks things are starting to take shape.........
Being an old design (some might say an obsolete one ) I decided it had to look like it had been around for a while, so the colour and fittings have been selected with that in mind.
The finish is Wattyl Colourwood Jarrah with lots of black dye added for an instant 'patina'. The application involved 2 coats of stain on the flat areas, four coats on edges of the rings to darken them a little more.
The lot was then given two coats of pre-catalysed varnish to seal it. This varnish takes a week or more to fully harden but once set will last longer than I will.....
As brass tube is hard to come by these days, the struts have been painted in PPG Gold epoxy enamel. All gold coloured items were first sanded with 400 grit then etch primed with SLS and then 2 coats of finish coat followed by a satin clear coat.
Still have lots to do but here is a preview of things to come:
Excellent workmanship Matt, really like the colour scheme and finish. You'll be giving SDM some worries. Have you kept track of the hours you put into this scope? When you get the inevitable question - "can you build one for me?", you will need to be able to price your labour. I don't think the average punter understands just how much work is involved in something like your scope.
Excellent workmanship Matt, really like the colour scheme and finish. You'll be giving SDM some worries. Have you kept track of the hours you put into this scope? When you get the inevitable question - "can you build one for me?", you will need to be able to price your labour. I don't think the average punter understands just how much work is involved in something like your scope.
Thanks very much Glen. I have hidden all the receipts so my dear wife doesn't see them, as for the hours ........ I haven't bothered keeping track.
I dare say it would have been finished in far less time if I had a workshop.
There are some parts here that would not be feasible in a commercial operation so I think Peter Read and SDM are safe . Peter has been a huge help in getting this scope built, both with ideas and supplying materials. I think he and I will be enjoying some fine wines one of these days.
The other contributor of note to this project has been John Bambury, with lots of good ideas from his years of experience.
As an example of time consuming things, the Pole Clamps arrived as plain square blocks, they then had to be drilled at the correct angle, split using the slide saw, edges planed with a wood plane as you can't sand the stuff. Once attached to the mirror box, the clamping bolt (M8x 100 stainless steel) had to have the head polished to mirror shine, the lock nuts were cut in half to make them only 2.5mm thick. M8 'T' nuts were set into the reinforcing plate inside the mirror box. The knobs were sourced through Amazon and are valve handles, these had the powder coating removed prior to etch priming and painting ................ (exhausting just to type about it...)
Stunning...Just Stunning. But what are the pipe clamp thingies on the UTA strut for?
Thanks Richard, I knew you would notice them !!! I just could not bring myself to mount a Telrad with double sided tape or cable ties so these were fashioned from bicycle seatpost clamps and the Telrad will be bolted to them.
The eyebolts are there temporarily to stop the clamps moving and scratching the paint.
Thanks again for the loan of your book, I have now read it cover to cover at least 8 times.
Ohh yeah...very nice. The gold paint does look like brass Mixing your own stain is the only way to do it.
Have to drag yours and mine up Mt Stromlo some day.
I specially like the gold knobs for the struts
Ohh yeah...very nice. The gold paint does look like brass Mixing your own stain is the only way to do it.
Have to drag yours and mine up Mt Stromlo some day.
I specially like the gold knobs for the struts
Thanks Matt, a little touch in keeping with the theme of a 'classic' Dobson.
This is a master craftsman piece of work. The images probably don't do it justice. I have followed this thread from the start and I am highly impressed with your results. Congratulations on a real achievement.
Many thanks Lewis, Poppy, Paul, Laurie, David and Julian. It is very nice to get such generous feedback.
The building of the scope is rather addictive, and very rewarding when things work out. I have only had a couple of "Re-Do This Bit" so far but it is all a learning process.
You have to have a predictable temper when doing so many different things, like tapping threads into stainless steel shafts and just when you are finished and removing the tap it breaks inside the shaft and you start again ...........
I think I will need another 2 weeks to get it up and running....
Great job Matt! Really impressive. Just cause to be very proud. Love those steam valve taps too. Cheers Richard.
Thanks Richard, I'll be heading your way later this year, a nostalgia trip to Nangwarry, Mt Burr and the Mount, to see how much has changed since the 70s. Hopefully my wife will let me bring the scope too.
Embarrassing to be on the same thread as the Kunama Reflector. Beautiful work! Referring to the comparison of my posts on "First Stages of building a Portable Newtonian"
There is certainly an 'all consuming' nature about a scope building project. Not to mention the slow, creeping costs each time you visit a hardware store. I had been throwing my receipts in a folder and just did a spreadsheet add up. OK!
Finding the correct bolt and material is half the challenge. Very rewarding however when you find a solution to a task you doubted you could complete.
Matt has taken the time to point me in the right direction in the middle of his own build.
Thanks
( I think the next one will be a much lighter project ....... Sumerian Optics Canopus look-a-like 
)
) I decided it had to look like it had been around for a while, so the colour and fittings have been selected with that in mind.
Mixing your own stain is the only way to do it. 
