It sure is Jason. It's a small servo motor modded for continuous rotation.
All parts bought on Ebay for under $12, the alumimium was from Bunnings
Here's a close up.
Meh .. my brag. Two scopes in my arsenal, APOMAX 130mm & TEC160FL. Shame you have to resize to post .. looks better in larger images.
phwooaar! such a nice set up!
The APOMAX focuser wheels look crazy lightweight... can I see the footpath in the background through the near one?!
I often wonder about people observing or imaging from the driveway or path... do you ever worry that the dodgy neighbours from around the corner will jimmy your garage open and make off with your very-difficult-to-replace kit? Or is it just a nice vibe of people sometimes stopping for a quick chat and a look and you have to slap their hands away as they go to touch it?
The APOMAX focuser wheels look crazy lightweight... can I see the footpath in the background through the near one?!
I often wonder about people observing or imaging from the driveway or path... do you ever worry that the dodgy neighbours from around the corner will jimmy your garage open and make off with your very-difficult-to-replace kit? Or is it just a nice vibe of people sometimes stopping for a quick chat and a look and you have to slap their hands away as they go to touch it?
Yes, it is a concern and I have been broken into twice but they never touched the Telescopes. Security has been vastly improved and off loading an APOMAX in Australia would be difficult, it is the only one in this country I believe. I have no real choice on observing location because the backyard is not ideal. I recently showed a neighbour and his daughter Jupiter .. their reaction to a first view of the planet was priceless.
The APOMAX Focuser is aesthetically pleasing and functional for visual but no good for imaging.
This 115 mm TS Came recently with box etc really amazing contrast on Mars with a Tak Toe 4..Glend said these were great..they are.. perfect on eq6; even works on a nextstar 8se mount to 80 degree alt..weight is 6.2kg with light diagonal and Orthos say
Bigjoe.
Last edited by bigjoe; 19-10-2020 at 05:31 AM.
Reason: Info
This 115 mm TS Came recently with box etc really amazing contrast on Mars with a Tak Toe 4..Glend said these were great..they are.. perfect on eq6; even works on a nextstar 8se mount to 80 degree alt..weight is 6.2kg with light diagonal and Orthos say
Bigjoe.
It is truly Col seems to resolve most globs, barges on Jupiter with ease too..and at 5.9kg I've used it even on an 8se mount, tracks great at high powers of 500x on close doubles Zeta Aquarii can be spotted naked eye and Pi aquillae were crackers in it.
Surprised. its sooo portable for what really is a biggish scope.
Cheers bigjoe.
After so much bad, bad, baaaaad weather, tonight is looking alright!
I'm out with camera rig and visual rig, first time using the fine tuning ring in the Hyperion 5mm to bring it to 3.2mm.
Really, really hoping it stays clear all night here, and every-single-where that you guys are getting after it!!
I recently sold the motorhome and in its place decided on a vehicle that could house the 18" Excalibur without dismantling.......... just lock the Alt axis down at 30degrees and wheel the scope up the ramps....
Then just for somewhere to snooze, I found a tiny caravan in Victoria at a price I couldn't pass on...
Ford Transit Custom Sport and Wingamm Rookie 3.5, I can now take all my scopes with me on travels around Oz..
I recently sold the motorhome and in its place decided on a vehicle that could house the 18" Excalibur without dismantling.......... just lock the Alt axis down at 30degrees and wheel the scope up the ramps....
Then just for somewhere to snooze, I found a tiny caravan in Victoria at a price I couldn't pass on...
Ford Transit Custom Sport and Wingamm Rookie 3.5, I can now take all my scopes with me on travels around Oz..
Wow, an astronomers dream portable setup, for what is still the finest DIY dob in Oz
Wow, an astronomers dream portable setup, for what is still the finest DIY dob in Oz
Mike
Thanks Mike, the little caravan is built in Italy and weighs just 730Kg and the Transit C/S hardly knows it is there....
Quote:
Originally Posted by croweater
Nice Matt,
Won't your feet poke out the end?
Cheers, Richard
Almost Richard, almost Surprisingly this little 12ft caravan has all the mod cons, shower, toilet, ducted heating and aircon as well as 210AH batteries charged from a 250W flexible panel on the roof and a fridge that takes 30 stubbies and some food
I am at the moment designing a set of cabinets inside the blue van that will house the Dob as well as a 6"F8 refractor, 4"F15 solar scope and a bunch of other astro stuff.....
Yesterday I was able to secure a deal on the FS152 that was available here in Perth on Gumtree. It is a 2004 NSV from the original owner. Looking forward to getting it mounted and operational.
Yesterday I was able to secure a deal on the FS152 that was available here in Perth on Gumtree. It is a 2004 NSV from the original owner. Looking forward to getting it mounted and operational.
Surprisingly this little 12ft caravan has all the mod cons, shower, toilet, ducted heating and aircon as well as 210AH batteries charged from a 250W flexible panel on the roof and a fridge that takes 30 stubbies and some food 
