Is there really any difference?

I am relatively new to the hobby, but have some experience. After much review and discusion (including great comments from another Astromart forum) I have settled on an 8" Dob. Now the question is "which one?" I'm considering the Orion, Hardin and Discovery PDHQ. Are the optics comparable? Is there any significant advantage of one over the other? In particular, why is the Discovery so much more?

>In particular, why is the Discovery so much more?<

More consistent optical quality, domestic manufacture, also higher-grade componentry (focuser etc.) -- the other two are chinese imports.

Here are the differences on the PDHQ.

Better construction of the mount (plywood vs particle board, lighter stronger and more water resistant).

2 inch Crayford focuser (quite nice).

Pyrex mirror substrate.

Better quality control on the primary and secondary mirror. You are sure of a very good mirror vs. likely to get a very good mirror.

This difference is more likely to show to an experienced observer when the seeing conditions are very good (ie not all the time, several nights a year 3 to 5 percent where I live). It makes more of a difference on planetary, but it is there on deep sky as well. A 8 inch f 6 scope has the makings of a real keeper. You can see a lot with it, and move it around by yourself comfortably (The PDHQ 10 inch weighs almost twice as much as the 8"). This may mean that the PDHQ has a real advantage in longevity for you (but those Chinese scopes are good scopes). The other side is that many in this hobby buy and sell a lot of different scopes-- so you could get the Hardin trade it for an Apo trade that for a 20" dob, rupture a disk and then trade for an 8 inch PDHQ 8'. Of course if you start with an 8" PDHQ and then do all those trades you will feel (slightly) more foolish.

Another useability vs costweight point seems to be between 12.5 and 14.5 inches. (That's what I want to add to my 8" f6 dob.)

Thanks for all the very helpful comments, they are appreciated. Haven't made a final decision, but will soon.

Clarke:
I enjoyed using a Hardin 10 inch for about 8 months or so. Winter through summer. and found the optics very good. Very nice planetary and deep sky views in all kinds of temperatures. Never had to colimate it once. (It even arrived well colimated). The particle board base was "okay" and the rack and pinion 2" focuser
worked well. Over the past year Hardin upgraded their 10 and 12" dobs with a better designed (particle board still) base and a good crayford focuser - and 2" ep along with a couple of 1.25" eps. A great deal for someone who is getting started with a Dob. I wish I didn't sell mine as I would have upgraded the focuser to the Crayford and kept it for years to come. I may look for one on Astromart in a few weeks. I miss the darn thing.
Best of luck with your dob purchase.

Cheers,
George S.
NY

Clark;

If you want a good quality scope
buy the discovery. You wont
be disappointed.

Clear skies.

Ed

Clark;

Stick with the Discovery, you will get a better quality mirror, and Base for the money, remember you get
what you pay for.

clear skies

Ed