20 inch SDM Telescope Ordered

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Originally Posted by seeker372011

sorry to hear that...but you are welcome to share the views through my ETX 70 anytime you want

A finderscope is not much good without the main scope, Narayan!

Thanks guys for your sympathy. I'll just have to take in the views through John Bambury's new 18" Obsession for the next few months.....I guess there are worse fates to suffer.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by Rodstar

To my dear fellow-Kulnurians,

I have most disappointing news.....James Mulherin (OMI) emailed me tonight to advise that due to production delays the mirror won't be shipped to Australia until early January. I think even delivery to Lostock is looking ambitious at this stage....I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

I miss my LX200 terribly.....oh to be able to just wander out the back and split some doubles before bed.....those were the good ol' days....

Sorry to hear your bad news...oh well the best laid plans of mice and men...

Cheer up, it won't be that long until you get to experience your dream

[h0ughy (David)]

newsflash:

OMI today announced their new work for the Dole Scheme where skilled staff are selected from WFTD opportunities from the neighbourhood.

"We are giving our first Job to Nigel, who fresh from the Ministerial Nigerian parliamentary School of Futures and Stock improvement and benevolent society scheme, is eager to fulfill his new job in the production line for large mirrors. Nigel is good with his hands, and despite the missing 2 fingers on each hand is quite capable of grinding his first mirror, for some Australian North of Sydney Australia" the manager was quoted as mumbling earlier today at lunch. "It is expected that Nigel will start after he gets his first pair of glasses for severe astigmatism."

[iceman (Mike)]

ah what a shame Rod, I know how disappointed you are.

You're welcome to set the observing agenda at Kulnura on the 16th Dec as well!

[astropolak (Joe)]

Rod
I am sorry to hear about the mirror. You are welcomed to show me how to use the LX200, splitting doubles is not something I've learned a lot about yet...

On another note - is OMI the only decent mirror manufacturer in the world? The only way to keep the *******s honest is to face them to their competition.
The alternative is allowing them to charge as much as they want and deliver whenever they want...


RGDS Joe

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by astropolak

On another note - is OMI the only decent mirror manufacturer in the world? The only way to keep the *******s honest is to face them to their competition.
The alternative is allowing them to charge as much as they want and deliver whenever they want...

No they are not.

For the 15" SDM I am getting built I wanted a 15" f4.8 mirror. OMI has this size/f-ratio as an available option on their website but didnt want to make one for me. It appears that they are geared up to churn out standard sizes for obsession scopes in maximum numbers and variances are unwanted delays.

I spoke to Mark Suchting of Deep Sky optics and even after paying extra for a custom focal length, I will be paying $750 less than what it would cost to import an OMI mirror.

From what I have read around the place, it seems that the only large truss dob maker providing reasonably instant gratification is Obsession Telescopes. This is largely due to the partnerships with OMI and others. For anything else its a rather long wait.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Rod,

Come to the party. You are not totally photon deprived, you have Noah's ED80 to play with until the big fella arrives

As you can appreciate it's far better to get a good mirror, than get it fast.

CS-John B

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Rod,

Come to the party. You are not totally photon deprived, you have Noah's ED80 to play with until the big fella arrives

As you can appreciate it's far better to get a good mirror, than get it fast.

CS-John B

The other way to look at it is that I already have the finderscope (the ED80), I just need the wee other bit (the 20 inches) ......

Yes, I keep telling myself that the wait will be worth it. With every new moon that comes and goes, the delivery day is nearer...

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Rodstar

Yes, I keep telling myself that the wait will be worth it. With every new moon that comes and goes, the delivery day is nearer...

Rod I know it's not the same but if it's any consolation, I'll bring the 12" LX200 up next time mate and you can take us for a tour.

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Thanks RB, I'll look forward to that.

I have never actually seen your 12" LX200. Been wondering if it really exists!!? I want proof, man!

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hang in there Rod

If Peter builds it - "it" will come. Sounds like a movie.

Cheers Petra

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Just think Rod if you have to wait long enough you could be lucky and get Nigel's "2nd" mirror off the production line which should be a big improvement on his first

CS-John B

[nightsky]

G'Day Rodstar,
I have a good idea how you feel, when I ordered my 18" DOB back in Oct 89
the weather was very bad in the US and they could not test it for a few weeks,then I was told it would arrive in Australia before Christmas,to cut a long story short, it was sitting in the Customs Dept for 10 days over the Christmas period but no one told me,Andrew Murrell lent me his station wagon to drive down to Sydney and pick it up from Customs 2nd week in Jan 90,but it was worth the wait,believe me when you get your scope,everything will be forgiven

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Thanks guys and gal for the support....I am sure it will be worth the wait.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by Rodstar

Thanks guys and gal for the support....I am sure it will be worth the wait.

Good things come to he who waits...and his friends too

We are all anxious for you too...

[Gama]

When i ordered my RCX400, it took them 3 months to deliver it. I know how the wait feels for such a time. But its been 1 year now, and time fly's past now.

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Had dinner last night with Peter Read (SDM), and a few other guys (John Bambury, Andrew Murrell, Gary Kopff) + some of the wives.

Peter is up in NSW doing some modifications to some Obsession telescopes for 3RF - 4x 18 inch and 2 x 25 inch telescopes. He is fitting dew systems, mirror thermometre, wire stalks, wiring truss poles, etc. It was nice to finally meet Peter, and see some of his handywork.

Peter is working hard to develop his telescope-building business in Australia. He said to me that his aspiration is to leave some fine telescopes in the hands of amateurs in Australia. A lot of vendors are interested in making a buck first, and worry about the cause of astronomy second (or third). Peter clearly has his heart in the right place, with the cause of astronomy coming a clear first.

As for my scope, all is in readiness, pending receipt of the mirror from OMI Taurus. The mirror is expected in Australia sometime in January. Realistically, probably not in time for Lostock, but now that it is so close, I can wait a few more weeks (so long as someone else will let me use their scope at Lostock!!?? ).

[Argonavis (William)]

Rod - what is 3RF?

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hey Rod, it's now January!!!!!!!!

That means it's getting awful close to getting your 20 incher!

[gary]

Originally Posted by Argonavis

Rod - what is 3RF?

The Three Rivers Foundation (3RF) is a Texan-based non-profit organization
whose mission is to promote the arts and sciences. Their 50 acre, dark sky
site named Comanche Springs is close to Cromwell in Texas and already
includes an impressive array of telescopes, including the largest privately
owned collection of Obsession large-aperture Dobsonians in the world,
complete with Argo Navis DTC and ServoCAT GOTO systems.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au