Posts Made By: Darrell Hensley

Hi John, Sorry you're going through this trouble. They make you feel at their mercy knowing the entire time that they have no intentions of doing you right. It's a terrible feeling, I know I'm going through it with Meade on my LXD75 mount. It took several phone calls and being a jerk to make them acknowledge the fact that they have to fix it. Well it's been a month this week since they recieved my mount. Last week on two different occasions they called me asking if I had the problem resolved with my mount.
The bad thing was it was the same person that called both times and he did'nt let on that it had been long enough and should have already been replaced.

You feel like your hands are tied but you did the right thing in warning everyone about the service at Discovery. Businesses today seem to have lost contact with their most valuble asset-their customers. All we can do is buy from someone else.
Thank you for the warning, the list of this type of business giving this type of service is growing.
Best Wishes and good luck, Darrell

Hi Fred, I moved up from the 1.25" Meade diagonal that came with mine to the W.O. Dielectric 2" diagonal.
I actually can't see how you could get any better views than this with the human eye. It is the difference between daylight and the dark in the comparison of these two diagonals.
I have no desire to ever change, The W.O. is as good as I think I could use. Clear views are clear views, great contrast, 100% satisfied.

These eyes of mine would'nt know if I paid $500.00 or $139.00. Maybe if I was about 20 years old I could maybe see a difference, but I could see a big difference when I got rid of the Meade diagonal. The wave front on it had to be terrible but I did'nt know it until I changed it.

Maybe the other ones would be different but I'll just stand by my W.O. I'm not trying to get you to change your decision but to tell my own experience with the William Optics Dielectric star diagonal. Clear Skies, Darrell

Hi Randy, I'm sorry if I was taken wrong, just joking with John. I guess I just get in too good of a mood when I'm talking about astronomy.

The truth of the matter of this new device is, that I would love to own one. It looks like it's about the most educational tool so far for live viewing especially with all the kids that come here and view with me.

If I could afford one, I would buy it right now. There are so many things that I would like to have and this is just about at the top of my list. Imagine how smart you would sound to the kids and the wife after using it for a month or so. I guess I'm just gonna have to start saving my money again as I can't bring myself to sell anything I already have. I will have my new dob paid off in a few days then I can start saving all over again or just sneak it by my wife again, no- I better not,WHEW!

But seriously this is a great educational tool for how it would be used at my house. Kids ask a lot of questions and this would'nt be misleading or just an educational guess. It is actual fact with a picture. Thanks for the post.
Sincerely, Darrell

Dave thats Great! Thanks for sharing.
Darrell

Hi Mark, Sounds like fun. You can make a very inexpensive 6" dob by just shopping for your parts here on astromart, and get a 8" diameter sonotube from lowes for around $6.00 or so. It will be 48" long. Find a mirror and cell 6" F8. A really easy scope to build could be from the free plans on the internet website from the Side walk astronomers, just google it and youcan get it's website. This scope would last a life time, very solid. Anything bigger than the 6" would be pretty heavy with these plans but is quite light for the 6".

Just print out each page and follow instructions, it also shows how to build your own mirror cell and spider and diagonal holder. I always just buy these used here and it saves time and looks a lot better than what I could make it look like.

Just prep your tube first, painting and a couple coats of the outdoor spar varnish. You might want to use the paper painters mask when putting the flat black paint on the inside, I always just use spray paint it's much quicker, but don't forget to peel the wax coated paper from the inside. Always drill pilot holes in your plywood so as not to split the wood.
After you get started you'll see how easy it actually is to build this type of scope and mount. You can stain it any shade you like but the baltic birch three quarter inch is the prettiest. Remember to use the spar on your mount also. You may know all this I'm just mentioning it to make sure. This scope will be inexpensive and you will both have fun building it and using it.

Someone else may have different plans for you to use but the plans from the sidewalk astronomers are the simplest I had seen and I built my 6" dob in a week-end after I got all the parts I needed. You could build the mount and prep the tube while waiting on everything to arrive. But don't cut your focuser hole until you get your focal length of your mirror.

If you dont want to build a dob you could build a shorter focal length newt and just put rings and a dove tail on it and stick it on a tripod. Less time and you will still have a nice scope. A 4.5" or 6" mirror with spider and diagonal with a decent finder scope and prep the tube in the same manner. Just use a little imagination and paint and again-Spar to protect it from dampness. I think when I built my first dob it cost about $125.00 including the mirror,cell, spider, diagonal, tube and plywood. I got all my optics right here on astromart on one of the auctions. I bought a cheap 2" focuser on the Meade factory outlet for $20.00. I saw a focuser here for $13.00 yesterday, so you don't have to spend much money to have a nice scope. My 6" dob is my favorite scope, because of the focal length it is very forgiving on collimation, it does'nt have to be perfect. I collimate it about once every 6 months and it's never out very much when I do. Go TO:

members.aol.com/sfsidewalk/cdobplans.htm
If this don't take you there just google it. It's actually the San Francisco sidewalk astronomers.

Good luck and have fun. Anyone here would be more than glad to help you. We're all kid motivated here and will stop at nothing to help kids get involved in this great hobby.
Sincerely, Darrell

Hi Mark, Me again, I may have some parts that you can have to help you out. When you decide the size scope or rather mirror, I have a focuser (cheap but will gladly let you have it) and a Meade pyrex diaonal mirror for your spider. I'll check my spare parts box to see what all I have and don't need and just let us all know what you're going to do. I'm sure theres a lot of guy's out there willing to help get your son a great scope and a great grade on his project. Everybody here is very generous and willing to help the kids. I'm sure that these guy's will cut their prices or even give you some of the cheaper parts. You can get a red dot view finder at walmart for the B.B. gun for less than $10.00, actually I think I have an extra you could have, just cluttering up my junk box. I'll check everything I have when I get home from work tonight then P.M. you for your address to send it all to you. I think I'm more excited than you, can I help build it? HA! HA! just kidding but I would like to help.

Let me know what you decide to do, I don't need these parts and I really want to help. Sincerely, Darrell

Hi Mark, You Have a P.M. Please get back with me soon.
Regards, Darrell

Just Beautiful!! Nice to have these facts on it too.
Darrell

Hi Jon, After I put a couple coats of stain on mine, just make it as dark or light as you like. Mine looks like oak. I used the spar for indoor and outdoor use. I actually put 3 coats, it may ahve only needed 2 coats but it gives it a furniture grede look. Always use steel wool after it dries so it will hold fast and knock off any rough spots.
After this I buffed it out with a good carnuba car wax and I have never had any problems with the elements. You could put a little laquer in the spar also. I'm no furniture builder but I was pretty proud of how it turned out, smooth as silk and shiney. I'm sure theres lots of other ways but usually all arrive at the same point if you just take your time. Also I always use the disposable sponge type brushes, they dont leave brush marks.
Sincerely, Darrell

Adam, I've actually caused them to go out for a few minutes while we were shooting fire works. One of my sons shot a roman candle at the light and it went out.

At the same time I've tried to cause one to go out by shining a super bright million candle power light at it and it did'nt do anything. It pretty much has to be lit from the top of the lamp.

I share his pain, mine went out and I never had it fixed but there are neighbors that have them especially one neighbor that has one so bright you could read the newspaper on that side of the yard. He jokes about it knowing how it bothers me.

I have another neighbor that has one about to burn out, it's bright for 5 minutes and dark for 2. This is his own personal light and it's the super white bright.

I think the only thing we can do is take a chainsaw and get rid of the lights but I don't think they allow telescopes in the jail with no outside viewing time. I guess it's back to the cemetary for me, nice and dark and unbelievably quiet-most times.
Best wishes, Darrell