Hi,
My wife just got me a Skywatcher 8" Dobsonian for Christmas. Its been correctly assembled, spotting scope lined up and is rendering superb images of moon, jaw dropping. It needs collimation - I'll get there.
My concern is that getting it from inside to outside is hard work and each time I move it, I kind of feel 'that was close, could have dropped it'. last night I picked it up by the tensioning handles. This felt way more secure than struggling with the base, but I feel like this is bad for the scope.
Anyone else struggle with this? How did you resolve the problem (pardon the no doubt well used pun).
My first telescope was a 8" Dob.
When I used it at the start, I use to move it in two parts, base and tube.
But then I found it was easier just to carry the whole thing out as one.
At the moment, I have a 8" Skywatcher and I just grab the handles and carry out just like that, I find it doesn't do any harm.
I have just brought a 12" GoTo Skywatcher as well (now that, is a different story in moving.)
Hello Ben and welcome,
I have seen several owners using a furniture trolley to move such scopes, just be sure to use a strap to secure the scope to the trolley.
I can't see any problems with lifting it by the tension handles: I am sure the manufacturer was expecting people to do that!
With other dobs the OTA simply lifts off and you move them in two parts: base + OTA. If you are having problems you could unscrew the tension handles and move it in two parts as well, but it may be a pain trying to screw them back on again once you are outside.
Another alternative is to use a trolley or sack truck (with maybe a bit of padding and an octopus strap to secure it without damage). This may be better if your back is like mine!
I've had my Skywatcher 8" Dob for a year now and wrestled with the same problems to begin with.
I tried the trolley (Bunnings have one for $25) + strap route which worked a treat but you need to be careful not to knock the collimation out setting it down.
Honestly I got fed up strapping it onto and off-of the trolley and unconsciously reverted to the crab shuffle carrying the whole thing by the tensioning handles. Less faff = more motivation.
I have a 10" Bintel Dob which was about the max that I was prepared to carry.
I carry outside in two parts, first the Dob base then the tube.
Whilst not presenting to much of an issue outbound, it was scary returning it to the house wet with dew, even if wiped down.
My solution is a strap of 50mm seatbelt tape approx 3 meters long.
I have doubled it over and with some experimenting, tied off the open end of the loop with a tape knot.
For my scope the flattened loop is about 1200mm long.
This is slung around the bottom of the tube and slipped up to the pivot shoulders and one loop end passing in through the other.
This for me leaves a short knot loop end of around 200mm.
I pick that up with my right hand and my left fingers grip the open top end of the tube. As the looped tape is up against the pivot shoulders, it is very near mid balance point so left hand is but a guide and counter balance.
It works a treat and I no longer fear carrying it up and down stairs in the dark wet or dry.
If I get a chance tonight on the main poota I will post some pics.
I have a 10" Bintel Dob which was about the max that I was prepared to carry.
I carry outside in two parts, first the Dob base then the tube.
Whilst not presenting to much of an issue outbound, it was scary returning it to the house wet with dew, even if wiped down.
My solution is a strap of 50mm seatbelt tape approx 3 meters long.
I have doubled it over and with some experimenting, tied off the open end of the loop with a tape knot.
For my scope the flattened loop is about 1200mm long.
This is slung around the bottom of the tube and slipped up to the pivot shoulders and one loop end passing in through the other.
This for me leaves a short knot loop end of around 200mm.
I pick that up with my right hand and my left fingers grip the open top end of the tube. As the looped tape is up against the pivot shoulders, it is very near mid balance point so left hand is but a guide and counter balance.
It works a treat and I no longer fear carrying it up and down stairs in the dark wet or dry.
If I get a chance tonight on the main poota I will post some pics.
Yes please Pics would be really helpful, I almost get what you are saying but need to visualise it properly.
Here are the pics if they loaded ok.
A very light tensioned jok strap is use from hand loop to finder bracket just to keep the sling from falling off when not being carried.
I just realised that there may well be a difference between the SkyWatcher and Bintel type dob pivot assembles.
For the Bintel Dob, there is nothing to dissemble to separate the tube and the base as the tube bearing assembly sits vertically in a cup shaped cutout on top of the base.
The SW tube appears not to be able to be lifted out without removing the friction handles.
If this is the case, then I am glad I purchased the Bintel type as it is dead easy to separate and move the separate components by my sling method.
The base has its own handle for carrying.
Thanks for raising this issue, I too am a new owner of a Dob 8" and had the same concerns about the best way to carry the scope.
After a few experiments with the handle on the base I ended up doing the crab shuffle using the tension handles, the bolts seem thick enough to me I just make sure they are done up tight.
Do you have a garage or a shed that is dry and well ventilated?
I store my 8" Dob in an unheated garage attached to my house. It sits on a cart and I just roll it down the driveway and along the sidewalk to my observing spot. At 43 pounds I could lift it and carry it, but why? This works great and I don't have problems with it losing collimation. I strap my observing chair onto the cart too. Then I have a handled padded bucket that has all my stuff in it. One trip and I am all set.
In fact I keep all of my astronomy things in the garage so that it will be at ambient temperature when I bring it out. No warm up or cool down needed. And, if it is cold out there is no risk of condensation when bringing it back into a warm humid house. In the summer there is no condensation taking it from an AC house to a humid summer night.
