16inch Meade Lightbridge

Curt · #1 11-11-2012, 01:38 AM

I was reading on cloudy nights about a bloke who had done some amazing work on the lightbridge. His ideas are all great so l thought whilst it all cloudy in perth at the moment ill strip the lightbridge and get the truss tubes, rings and the truss tube brackets all powdercoated, just like the new lightbridges out now.

I also painted the back of the secondary mirror black and installed a new battery and a red LED rocker switch for the fan from Jaycar. The battery made sense as it is rechargeable instead of buying AA batteries all the time. The switch is just to let me know that the fan is running, the fan is super quiet and l found myself bending down to see if it was going.

I installed heavy duty collimation springs from bunnings as well. The old springs are a joke. Now collimation should stay rock solid all night long.

Lastly l put some counterweights on which came from bintel. They are the farpiont weights which can have the added bonus of the donuts which can be put over them.

I think next l might put some kind of dew control on and a argo navis.

If anyone else has made some great mods to there lightbridge l would love to hear about it. I cant wait to try it out later on in the week.
Cheers Curt

slowflow (Barry) · #2 11-11-2012, 07:14 AM

Looks great, maybe tonight will be good

sn1987a (Barry) · #3 11-11-2012, 08:16 AM

A never ending work in progress. I made the base so it would fit through a normal door. Wheels and wheelbarrow handles make a world of difference. Stole most of these ideas from the yahoo lightbridge group, well worth a look.

fauxpas (Tony) · #4 11-11-2012, 08:59 AM

non-astro people will think its a tall portable compost bin

Curt · #5 11-11-2012, 11:03 AM

Hi Barry.That base looks great. I've been thinking about making a trolley to move about my yard but seeing your base I might attempt to make the same. That's is the hardest part about going out to a dark site is wrestling the base into the back of the car. Did you use the same bearings or use different ones.
Is that the astrozap cover on the uta. I ordered 3 of these about 3 weeks ago. Two for uta when traveling and one for the bottom tube as well.
Cheers Curt.

Curt · #6 11-11-2012, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowflow

Looks great, maybe tonight will be good

Let's hope so. It's looking good at the moment and skippy sky looks good for tonight.

Curt · #7 11-11-2012, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fauxpas

non-astro people will think its a tall portable compost bin

Ha. A big compost bin. Some of my fiancé friends come around home and they see the scope and they ask what is that with a bewildered look. I say that it is a bin. A money bin.

sn1987a (Barry) · #8 11-11-2012, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt

Hi Barry.That base looks great. I've been thinking about making a trolley to move about my yard but seeing your base I might attempt to make the same. That's is the hardest part about going out to a dark site is wrestling the base into the back of the car. Did you use the same bearings or use different ones.
Is that the astrozap cover on the uta. I ordered 3 of these about 3 weeks ago. Two for uta when traveling and one for the bottom tube as well.
Cheers Curt.

Yep same bearings Curt. I used the original base pieces as a template for cutting plywood. I got my covers from Scopestuff. I haven't finished around the wheel area yet I was just trying out that idea I will tidy it up a lot more in the future. Aluminium tube, collared eye bolts, ect mostly from bunnings. My base is an octagon rather than round just to trim off a bit more weight. I would say the whole base is about a third lighter than the original chipboard. Other things I've done are Mark Suchting mirror, Protostar secondary, Feathertouch focuser, painted inside surfaces flat black, spring and knob upgrades, Argo Navis. In the future I might completely redo the alt bearings and make them larger (ie do it all again ha!). I'm on hill just south of Cooktown killing time till the Eclipse!.

bigdobman · #9 17-11-2012, 08:38 AM

Interested in what you think of your Webster/Kennedy scope

SkySearcher (Daniel) · #10 17-11-2012, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt

Ha. A big compost bin. Some of my fiancé friends come around home and they see the scope and they ask what is that with a bewildered look. I say that it is a bin. A money bin.

Haha, I have one of the old grey tube GSO 12" Dobs in the living room and people always ask why we have our hot water system in the house!

The lightbridge is looking great, I like the fan switch idea as I'm always sticking my finger in mine to see if its on!

sn1987a (Barry) · #11 18-11-2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdobman

Interested in what you think of your Webster/Kennedy scope

Ha!, funny story there. After waiting over 2 1/2 years it arrived a few hours before i was due to fly out for my work. I did a four week swing and got back for one day before getting in the car and driving from Perth to Cairns for the eclipse. I'm still traveling back and probably have to go back to work when i arrive. "First light" might be my christmas present.

Kunama · #12 18-11-2012, 07:53 AM

Some good ideas here ........ maybe after the Gaunt

might come a time to build a wheelbarrow mounted light bucket ..........

Wonder if my wife would notice?

I am thinking of a stainless steel drum out of a washing machine with a big mirror in the bottom of it

astronut (John) · #13 22-11-2012, 08:04 AM

Excellent work Curt

It appears that the springs you have chosen are zinc coated steel. They will eventually succumb to the moisture and rust. I would then recommend that you buy the equivalent stainless steel.
I noticed in the second or third image that the truss tube has been reversed, mistake?

Curt · #14 22-11-2012, 05:19 PM

Gee Barry. You might have to take the month off just to unpack the crates and set it up. 28 inches. That would be one impressive sight. Have fun with that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sn1987a

Ha!, funny story there. After waiting over 2 1/2 years it arrived a few hours before i was due to fly out for my work. I did a four week swing and got back for one day before getting in the car and driving from Perth to Cairns for the eclipse. I'm still traveling back and probably have to go back to work when i arrive. "First light" might be my christmas present.

Curt · #15 22-11-2012, 05:30 PM

Hi astronut. Ha I noticed that the truss was around the wrong a few nights ago. Thanks for the advice on the springs. I'll see if I can find some stainless ones.
So far this week l have flocked the inside of the tube, put some handles on the base and made up a dew/light shield for the uta out of the HIPS plastic.
I went out to a favourite spot the other night where we go to and was rather impressed how well the dew shield worked. Everyone else was packing up at 10 and I was still going fine. Even saw the Grus quartet for the first time. Amazing.
Looking into making my own base now. The original is just two big and awkward to load into the car. I just need to figure out a better counterweight set up. With the dew shield on the top along with 2 inch eyepieces it just goes straight down. Might upgrade the brake by covering more surface area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by astronut

Excellent work Curt

It appears that the springs you have chosen are zinc coated steel. They will eventually succumb to the moisture and rust. I would then recommend that you buy the equivalent stainless steel.
I noticed in the second or third image that the truss tube has been reversed, mistake?

sn1987a (Barry) · #16 23-11-2012, 10:36 AM

Hi Curt,

I upgraded my brake by making a new one out of stainless steel and one of those grey furniture sliders from Bunnings. My counterweights are on a piece of 'T' track which you can slide up and down to micro adjust the balance. Carba-Tec a woodwork shop in Balcatta have 'T' track and 'T' bolts ( and lots of other lovely stuff!!). You can get it from Scopestuff.

You're welcome to have a look through the 28 when she's finally set up ( and anyone else in Iceinspaceland who's interested ).

Curt · #17 26-11-2012, 12:09 PM

Barry I'll be there with bells on. I would do anything to have a gander through a 28 inch dob.

clive milne · #18 02-12-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sn1987a

You're welcome to have a look through the 28 when she's finally set up ( and anyone else in Iceinspaceland who's interested ).

I would very much like to join in for the christening if that is ok,
I have a Nikon NAV 17HW which is yet to be tested out under a dark sky as well.

best
~c

sn1987a (Barry) · #19 06-12-2012, 09:08 PM

No worries chaps. Unfortunately I've had to go back to work for the moment (FIFO) and won't be able to do anything 'till I get back around the 19th.

I need to modify the back door to the patio to get the bottom assembly in and out of cover. I'm thinking an enclosed, foam panel trailer eventually but for now I reckon it will fit in the back of the 4WD with ramps.

And I gotta buy a dedicated ladder.

Barrykgerdes · #20 07-12-2012, 10:28 AM

I move my 16" Lightbridge base through doors an around by turning it on its side and letting it roll on the Azm bearing.

Barry