Posts Made By: Marc-Andre Maurais

I have a 1980 circa Meade RG reflector on a 1-1/2" shaft mount. I am considering replacing the nylon bearing sleeves and upper nylon thrust disk with needle bearings. I would welcome any suggestions from anyone who has experience with this kind of improvement, and thoughts on whether this would be beneficial in reducing friction.

Thanks,
Marc Maurais

I've posted this in the classifieds, but thought that I may get a response here as well. Perhaps someone might know where I can obtain a latitude adjustment screw for an equatorial mount that will work on my 1982 Meade Research grade mount with 1-1/2" shafts. Maybe something from Parks, Cave, or a similar scope.

Thanks
Marc-Andre

Hi Sandy

I 2nd Rob, great post!

Luke 8:8
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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Marc-Andre

Sandy,

There are Christians today who will not deny the truth, even to spare their lives. You can learn more at this site;

http://www.persecution.com/

These are the current equivalent of the church at Smyrna, IMO.

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Marc-Andre

Revelation 2
8"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
9'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'

Thanks Russ

This is as I saw Venus through an older Meade 6" f5 reflector with a 9mm EP and thousand oaks 60mm off axis visual filter in NH. Though I saw the atmospheric refraction and suspected that to be the effect, I considered the mind's ability to fill in detail as a posibility. Your photo confirms what I saw. Thanks for sharing.

Marc

I just restored my dome. I applied 2 layers of resin with white pigment over 2 layers of 6 oz cloth. Finally I painted on a layer of white Gelcoat with wax. Gelcoat is not as fluid as resin, (like a latex paint). The Gelcoat was dull compared to the glossy appearance of resin, but polish brightens it up. I mixed Gelcoat with the same amount of MEK as in mixing resin. A couple weeks had passed since I had applied the last layer of resin, so I lightly wiped the surface with acetone dampened cloths, (sanding and cleaning was recommenced by a fisherman who is repairing a boat). This is messy as acetone dissolves resin so I do not recommend it. I skipped this process on the shutters. The Gelcoat is not thick, (like a layer of paint), but the white in two base resin layers helps. The gelcoat on the shutters appears thicker maybe because they were worked on the ground instead of on ladders and the surfaces weren’t as steep. Gelcoat contains wax so a second layer can not be applied. The wax causes it to cure and prevents bonding between layers. I may have pictures when done with the restoration. I’ll answer any questions but I have only this one experience using Gelcoat. If you have small boat builders in your area, they will have better advice.

Marc-Andre

This web site has links to many homemade observatories. Perhaps there may be some based on garden sheds.

http://nineplanets.org/obs/obslist.html

Marc-Andre

Steve'
This web site has an abundance of links to home observatories that should help.

http://nineplanets.org/obs/obslist.html

My own thought is that an 8' diameter base will be small and you may want to consider a square 8' by 8' or larger that would offer space for shelves and a small desktop. Check out the following observatories in the above web site: Baker, The Birch Grove, Mill Creek, Pebble Beach, Sky Scape The Stirland, & Terra Rouge. I have a 10" dome on a circular base that has a 9' diameter inside the 2x4 framing. In hindsight a 10' by 10' square base would be roomier, but alas, it seemed right 20 years ago. Mine is on a raised deck set on 4' deep concrete piers. If I were to go with a slab, I would pour a concrete sill 1' high on the perimeter of the slab to keep the wooden wall off the ground & away from moisture unless PT lumber were used. I would also dig deeper around the perimeter and make the slab thicker in that area. I don't know the specifics of frost action on slabs, but you need to consider this as well as isolating it from your pier. I'm sure you've learned that vibration from walking on the slab can be transfered to the pier if in contact. Whatever base design you chose, the transition from base to dome will need to consider keeping out the weather, shedding water, and snow.
The dome apears to be fiberglass covered. If so, you may want to consider sanding the surface to remove the oxidised surface and recoat with appropriate resin and gelcoat rather than paint. If this cuts into the underlaying fiberglass cloth you may have to add another layer of glass cloth. If it is painted, then a good cleaning/sanding and repaint will surfice. It is easyier to redo the dome while it's at ground level. I just refinished the fiberglass surface on mine, up on ladders. Much harder that when I built it!

Marc-Andre

Gary

The following website has a listing of sites under the topic "piers" which may be helpful, as well as a link to "the basics of pier design".

I'm sending you a private message.

Marc-Andre

Sandy Stubblefield said:

Hi Maurice,
What is the bible definition of blasphemy?

I have yet to hear Dr. Stanley say anything that was not supported by Scripture and I wish he had included the verses here.
This is the first time I have heard it explained the way he has. I always thought it was, as you said, the refusal to respond to the Holy Spirit and accept salvation.

But, this would apply to nearly all believers, before they came to believe, wouldn't it? I mean. I don't see how, once someone is aware of the presence of God, they could honestly deny Him.
Unless, they have been blinded to the Spirit by God then, in that case, they weren't aware in the first place and aren't really denying.

Did that make sense? :S

Hi Sandy,

The passage that Dr Stanley seems to be refering to in the final summary paragraph of his daily devotional is Matt 12:24. He opens the devotional refering to it. I find that it's best to read passages both before and after a cited passage when reading devotionals/articles/commentaries as it provides the bigger picture. In this case:

Matthew 12

22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29" Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

30"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

33" Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

In reference to your other question (I don't see how, once someone is aware of the presence of God, they could honestly deny Him.)

Romans 1

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.


28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

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Marc-Andre