New scope in the works

Started by klawson, 02/15/2019 04:14PM
Posted 03/04/2019 10:36AM | Edited 03/04/2019 11:56AM #10
Well... The hardware portion of this project is all put together. Now its time for the tweaking and adjustments to begin. Fingers crossed wink

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162005

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 03/08/2019 11:35AM #11
Well it's up and mounted and wouldn't you know it, it's raining outside sad The tweaking continues...

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162034

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 03/10/2019 01:21AM #12
I'll be interested in hearing how it performs. I remember when Coulter was selling those Cassegrain units. They were very reasonably priced.

Darian R.
Posted 03/10/2019 05:00AM | Edited 03/10/2019 02:14PM #13
Hi Darian,

I hope to get first light tonight. Did some rework on the circular spider to knock down the sensivity to vibration. The hacking continues...

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162052

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 03/14/2019 11:48AM #14
Well, the prognosis is…

Seeing 3—4/10.  35 degrees.  60% humidity. No wind. The first star viewed revealed some minor mis-collimation.  Star collimated the optics and performed some general viewing. Zeta Orion was well seen. Easily split at 150X. The Trapezium revealed all six stars at the same magnification.  The star test hinted at a very good level of the overall optical correction. Need a better night to give a more precise evaluation.  My 250lpi glass ronchi grating revealed 4 straight bands with no edge hook. I will try again on a better night using only two bands. Pleased so far. Zero temperature affects visible in the out of focus star pattern.

The moon was well seen. I homed in on one of my favorite lunar targets, the Triesnecker rill complex. It was very well seen even though the moon looked like it was under flowing water (seeing). The F & G craters next to Triesnecker were clearly seen including the one in-between them when the seeing would settle a bit. Not too bad for such a soft night.

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162103

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 03/14/2019 12:36PM #15
Nicely done!!

20" MidnighTelescopes f/5
8" f/16 Muffoletto Achro
Meade 6" AR6 f/8.0 Achro
Celestron C11
Parallax PI250 10" F/5 Newt
Vixen FL102S,NA140SS,R200SS
80mm Stellarvue Nighthawk with WO APOupgrade lens, 90mm f/16.67 Parallax Achro
LXD75/LX200, Mini-tower, GP-DX, CG5 ASGT, LXD650, GM-8, G11, GM-100, GM-150EX, GM-200 and a Gemini G40
4" portable AP convertable 44" or 70" pier
Stellarvue M7 Alt-Az, TSL7 Pier/Tripod
12.5" f/5 MidnighTelescopes DOB Swayze optics
Monroe GA
Posted 03/16/2019 12:21AM #16
Thanks Greg! The seeing here has not been great. I really wanted to push this scope while the moon was high in the sky. Still performing more minor tweaks and adjustments. THe hacking continues...

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 03/18/2019 10:23AM #17
Getting lazier by the year. Scope now on a "sit down" GEM put together from some of my "other junk."

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162168

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 03/22/2019 11:40AM #18
Added self-alignment side plates to the spider holder and counter slotted the slots for the cap screws. Didn't realize that the heads were in the light path shocked Put the scope back on the larger Cave Astrola mount after making another, shorter, pier section for sit down observing. Slotted the holes on the pier to aid in polar alignment. I guess I was a bit spoiled by the greater stability of the larger 1.5" Cave mount compared to the 1" Cave mount. And the tweaking continues...

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162210

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet




 
Posted 04/07/2019 06:40AM | Edited 04/07/2019 06:45AM #19
Still tinkering... Focuser has now been upgraded to a two spped Crayford and the primary mirror is permanently collimated (like an SCT) with precision spacers replacing the springs

Attached Image:

klawson's attachment for post 162349

Scopejunkie


40 year old restored C14 with recirculating cooling w/Skywatcher DOB GOTO Conversion (CPC14)

Synscan DOB mounted Sky-Watcher Evostar 150mm/1200mm ED Refractor

"Rescued" Craig's List Orion 120mm/1000mm Refractor


USAF Vet