I don't really have any mods that i can think of yet, I have a 1x LED finder
i may put on instead of the 8*50 RA one.
I also have the no bearing plate problem. I have 3 white smooth squares
stapled to the base but there is still alot of friction. I think the chipboard will
wear quite quickly.
I also received a pair of 10*32 binos in the package so something else to play with.
yes Mr Tuc47, that is a very good mod! (although who needs that when you are there with your green laser pointing out m31!!! you are an excellent orator and teacher - thanks for all the help) Are you up for sale so we can velcro you to a scope??????
Don't get too carrried away with mods just yet. Lots of using is the way to go at present, you have a beautiful scope just the way it is. Keep it collimated, put it out a good half hour before you are going to use it, make a simple dew shield for you finder out of cardboard and enjoy it. After a while you will decide what has to be done but then just ask and we can help make your scope into a Frankenstein
BTW if you have dark skies I agree with only putting the 1x finder on your scope, I have taken my finder scope off and only ever use the Telrad.
yes, collimation, I was lucky enough to have the experts show me how. BUT a big thing to remember and Bird bought the subject up. Temperature, temperature, temperature.
You can do all the right things and leave your scope out for 1/2 hour and everything is fine, but what if the temp drops by one degree quite quickly???
John came over at the camp and kindly put his 22mm nagler in my scope. It didn't look very good at all. Was it collimation?? The answer ended up being no!. We did tweak the collimation, but the scope was already collimated and was viewing well an hour before. The answer was that the temp had dropped more than 1 degree and therefore all the mirrors were 1 or more degrees higher than the ambient temp.
So collimation is very important, but make sure you don't go fiddling with the collimation unless you know that the temperature has been steady for a good half hour etc.
yes Mr Tuc47, that is a very good mod! (although who needs that when you are there with your green laser pointing out m31!!! you are an excellent orator and teacher - thanks for all the help) Are you up for sale so we can velcro you to a scope??????
as for being for sale get the AN it does not talk back
I also have the no bearing plate problem. I have 3 white smooth squares
stapled to the base but there is still alot of friction. I think the chipboard will
wear quite quickly.
Just make sure that the 'staples' are punched down below the Teflon pads surface. If not, they will scratch the melamine coating & cause probs. later. Should ride on the Teflon only.
Also, don't use any kind of lubricant. (eg; Armourall or the like). Keep the surfaces clean & dry.
If the movement feels a bit stiff/heavy, then try backing off the centre bolt a bit.
If you wanted to make sure the nut doesn't come loose, apply some clear nail varnish to it & thread, before nipping it up. Much cheaper than 'Loctite'.
Should have ~5/10 mm free play between the base board & top plate.
HTH. L.
I think I might just enjoy it for a while. Just need clear skies!
I would like to look at a Palm system in the future. If there is a program out
there for PalmOS and some way to link up the encoders it would be good. Anyone know?
I would like to look at a Palm system in the future. If there is a program out
there for PalmOS and some way to link up the encoders it would be good. Anyone know?
Google up "Dave Ek" decoder board, and PalmDSC (which is a free program)
Just make sure that the 'staples' are punched down below the Teflon pads surface. If not, they will scratch the melamine coating & cause probs. later. Should ride on the Teflon only.
Also, don't use any kind of lubricant. (eg; Armourall or the like). Keep the surfaces clean & dry.
If the movement feels a bit stiff/heavy, then try backing off the centre bolt a bit.
If you wanted to make sure the nut doesn't come loose, apply some clear nail varnish to it & thread, before nipping it up. Much cheaper than 'Loctite'.
Should have ~5/10 mm free play between the base board & top plate.
HTH. L.
Good to know, Rajah. I've just been assembling the base for my own 10in dob (lucky us the rain hasn't bucketed!) and I was thinking the nut wasn't tight enough - there's not much thread past its head (if at all) and a decent amount of play between the top and ground board. Sounds like I'm ok.
i have been playing a lot with bearings etc . Bunnings sell m10 (10mm) threaded rod for about $3??? from memory. You can cut with a hacksaw to suit.
If you are going to cut, make sure you put a nut on the rod first so that once cut, you can undo the nut over your cut to help make sure you have not de threaded it
)
They used my scope at the Star party.
as for being for sale 
get the AN it does not talk back 
L.
