Posts Made By: P. Lee Stock

Verrrry nice--probably the first SCT I ever truly thought I might enjoy. ;^) Everything about it says "just right".

I have one from University Optics (just ask--they aren't listed) and it is much better than 1/4 wave. It was ~$190 when I bought it.

Inexpensive plastic spring clamps are available everywhere now and work extremely well. I use one of these every 4" to 6" around the perimeter of a piece to ensure the edges are tightly glued. If the part is too large for spring clamps alone, which have a short reach, 80lb bags of concrete post mix are only a couple dollars each and work great. I will throw two or three of those on. This method avoids car-jacking ;^), screw holes (which works well otherwise), and expensive clamps. Once you have a set of these cheap clamps, you will use them all the time--very handy.

Harbor Freight Tools sells a package of 18 for $15. They are sometimes cheaper at the local store:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=45975

More photos!! That is gorgeous! And the tube really weighs less than 3 lbs (by itself, I assume)?

That's great! Not the usual home made 12.5" (i.e. f/4.5 on a dob mount type of thing). Nice mount/ nice scope. Please tell us how it works after you get a chance to use it.

Amateur astronomy is a hobby in appreciating subtlety.

When I'm not "in tune", I might comment to my wife that I just returned from looking at a bunch of tiny points of light. But when I am in the right frame of mind, I find myself in complete awe that I am observing otherwise "invisible" things that stand as witnesses to the splendors of the universe, its incredible age, and marveling that I am somehow part of it all. Amateur astronomy as an active observer probably requires as much or more effort be spent learning about what you are going to be observing as observing--otherwise it's just gray smudges and tiny points of light.

I have motorsports friends who are completely baffled by this. When people I know ask if I think they might enjoy astronomy, I ask them if they prefer a sailboat or motorboat, downhill skiing or cross-country, reading or watching a movie, etc. You know which people I think would enjoy observing ;^).

Here's a first-light observing report to contrast with yours down this very list. It should make it obvious that astronomy strikes everyone differently:

http://astromart.com/messages.asp?message_id=114185&page=

Last comment before I go--perhaps you shouldn't abandon amateur astronomy, but should seriously consider spending less than $5,000. I find that to be excessive and can definitely get my observing "fix" for a whole lot less. Less stars (oh well), less planetary detail (oh well), but 100% of the stimulating experience. Say, something in the 8" to 10" class that you push around by hand and only costs several hundred, not several thousand.

Cheers~

All the above suggestions are excellent.

If I had only a smaller fixed-base 1.5HP router (like the Porter Cable), a simple shop-made router table, a small power drill, a random orbital palm sander, several shop-made jigs for cutting straight edges and circles with the router, and some basic hand tools, I could make an attractive, functional telescope. If I were to add to that list tools that would make things more convenient and enjoyable, I would include the following:

- 1" belt/5" disk sander (Delta)
- Circular saw & straight edge (table saw replacement)
- Plunge base for router (Porter Cable)
- A small, benchtop drill press (Harbor Freight)
- Drill jig (for drilling 90-deg holes that you can't reach on the small drill press
- Jig/saber saw (any)
- Small 3-wheel bandsaw (Grizzly)
- Cheap compressor, finish spray gun, small brad nailer (Harbor Freight)
- Small jointer (Delta/Grizzly)
- Power miter saw (any)
- Mini-metal lathe (Harbor Freight)

Harbor Freight and Grizzly Industrial sell many tools that are highly useful and great values. Many/most tools are made or sourced in China now, so it makes no sense to try to avoid them for quality reasons.

Neat--but I need two or one leg will get cold.

(No seriously, that is really neat!)

Astounding. We are most certainly in a new imaging era!

The "secret" to smooth with a Crayford is not necessarily dual-speed, but smoothness of the drawtube. Moonlite Telescope Accessories, just for example, describes their manufacturing process specifically intended to improve focus smoothness:

"The flat on the draw tube is hand polished perfectly smooth which is why our focusers are so smooth-- NO machine marks are left on the draw tubes' machined flat surface. This allows very small focus adjustments to be made without any sticky or notchy feel to the user."

I have used several JMIs, a couple Moonlites, and a Feathertouch. The Moonlites and the Feathertouch were miles ahead of the JMI for focus smoothness, and that includes Moonlite's competitively priced single speed unit which costs (only) $165.