Looking for "kydex" for 18in dob project

[mikey7 (Michael)]

If you can go thru the hasle of sending me one I would love a sheet. I'll pay mailing costs of couse.

Cheers
Mike

[netwolf]

Mikey7,

I have been researching the Sitech for a while now, I was going to motorise my 10" Dob. Plans have changed a bit. As to the gearboxes etc, you could try Lenord at http://www.gototelescope.com/. Alternatively you can check out this installation for some ideas of geting your items, this link is from listed on the sidrealtech site. http://dbpeckham.com/Telescope/CompScope/Index.htm

If you could get someone to make the brackets locally and the flywheels you could save a bit. Also you can shop around for surplus gear reducers. I have seen the ones Don Peckman used come up on Ebay. Pittman motors also come up on ebay for bargain prices. Some come with gear reducers, have seen one with 60:1 gear reducer. Even with the cost of shipping they are bargains to be had. I will PM you one i just found.

Regards
Fahim

[Stevo69]

Originally Posted by astronut

Hi M7, I needed a light strong flexible material to make a extended dew shield for my LB. I took ausastronomers's advice and contacted All Plastics Engineering. They had a minimum order so I had to purchase 5 sheets, I will only need one.
They work out at $15each. Let me know if you would like one. John.

Hi John, I know it's a long shot, but do you have any spare sheets?

Went to my local art/craft shop today and found some A2-size art folders. They are designed to carry large items of art work in. Th material which they are made from, I believe are a Kydex-type plastic: flexable, about 1mm thick, semi-shiny on one side and a more "matt" finish on the other. It is the same material as the front and back covers of those A4 display books you get from your newsagents. Now I've never seen Kydex before (only what people have descibed), but I think this is the same material. Anyhoo, it will be perfect for the secondary cage, I will have 2 joins 180 degrees apart, but I'll hide it somehow, and I might double it up anyway.

[astronut (John)]

Hi Steve,
I don't have any sheets left, but if you go to www.allplastics.com.au they have them here.
It's called H.I.P.S. High impact polystyrene sheet. It works brilliantly, though it sounds like the material you've found is similar.
Good luck, John.

[Satchmo]

Steve, Yes thats Kydex.

As you are relying on your cage stiffness from the aluminium rods , it doesn't really matter what you use to line the cage. Some of the well known scope makers in Sydney use a black foam Neoprene ( like wetsuit material ) from Clark Rubber. The advantage is you can roll it into a tube, insert it into your cage and it just sits there. Easy to remove and wash when it gets dusty.

[GrahamL]

mark I was looking at that stuff in clark rubber the other week
as I can't find the other sheet up here ...anyway
so do they slit it to slip up the vanes ?

thanks for shareing that

[Satchmo]

Yes , just put a slit for the vanes . Roll it into a tube and slide it into the cage. Its got quite a porous texture so easy to paint flat black on one side.

Another way to go is thin aluminium. The first large commercial truss dobs I saw in 1989 by Sky Designs used that.