As most of you know, the TOA is a little bit on the heavy side for a 5" scope....
Getting to grips with it in the dark is fraught with danger, Gravity is trying its best to fight my now aging body....
So to get a handle on the matter, I decided to make a decent handle today...
Using 10mm thick aluminium angle I made two end brackets that attach to the TOA rings using four M6x20 s/s cap-screws. Between the brackets is a 110mm x 20mm Ø aluminium bar that has been drilled and tapped each end to take M8x30 cap screws. The bar was sleeved with 20mm ID carbon fibre tube which was glued to the aluminium bar.
Before assembly the end brackets were treated to some 180,400,600,1200 wet&dry before being polished with lots of AutoSol paste and 'elbow grease'
As most of you know, the TOA is a little bit on the heavy side for a 5" scope....
Getting to grips with it in the dark is fraught with danger, Gravity is trying its best to fight my now aging body....
So to get a handle on the matter, I decided to make a decent handle today...
Using 10mm thick aluminium angle I made two end brackets that attach to the TOA rings using four M6x20 s/s cap-screws. Between the brackets is a 110mm x 20mm Ø aluminium bar that has been drilled and tapped each end to take M8x30 cap screws. The bar was sleeved with 20mm ID carbon fibre tube which was glued to the aluminium bar.
Before assembly the end brackets were treated to some 180,400,600,1200 wet&dry before being polished with lots of AutoSol paste and 'elbow grease'
Very neat idea indeed, Matt, and a nice inspiration too.
My APM 130 triplet APO is possibly even heaver at 11kg and could really use a handle like that though I'll have to get some new rings to accommodate one.
Thanks gents, I'm pretty pleased with the result of a couple of hours toil.
No plans for the production line yet Glen.
The TOA NFB all kitted up with rings, dove-plate, finder and diagonal weighs just over 16Kg so needed something fairly solid. The carbonfibre tube adds a little bit of bling.