Image of the day

Captured by
Terry Wood

Jupiter (clearer) Nov 5th 2023 w/Mewlon 180c

My Account

New to Astromart?

Register an account...

Need Help?

Posts Made By: Robert Piekiel

June 29, 2006 08:23 PM Forum: Meade

Problem with 1812 DC-to-DC adapter

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Does anyone out there have a Meade 1812 DC-to-DC adapter? The one that converts 12 volts from a car battery into 18 volts for the telescope? I have one that has the main transistor component inside burned out. I have taken the cover off and tried to get the part number of the component, but it’s burned off so I can’t read it. (The component is the black, 5-pin transistor type device mounted in the heatsink) Meade will not help me at all with this. They won’t give me any info on getting a replacement part. This is not the first time I’ve had issues with the Meade service dept, but that’s another story. Is there anyone out there with one of the 1812 adapters that would be willing to unscrew the cover and look at the part number of the component inside, and tell me what it is? I’d be most appreciative of it. Thanks, Bob Piekiel

October 26, 2006 03:44 PM Forum: Meade

Upgrading database in Classic LX-200 for daytime a

Posted By Robert Piekiel

I have a couple of "Classic" LX-200s. I use a Star-GPS on both to allow quick set-up if I move them around, but does anyone know of a way to upgrade the database to INCLUDE the sun and moon for daytime planet finding? Meade tells me that it can't be done. I had an idea for aliging in the daytime, but haven't tried this yet: Set up the mount in the alt-az mode. when it slews to each alignment star, just select "enter" to both (even though you can't see them) just to get the motors running and the mount "initialized." Then, calculate the RA and Dec for the sun at that exact moment, and command the scope to slew to these coordinates. Manually center the sun, and then hold the "enter" button down to "sync" on that position. The mount should now have "refined" pointing accuracy. Has anybody done anything like this and/or have a better suggestion of how to easily aling one of these old classics in the daytime? Thanks, Bob Piekiel

August 23, 2007 03:18 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Extremely fast mirrors

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Can any of you experienced mirror makers offer any tips or suggestions on making f/2 or f/1 spherical mirrors? I've tried a couple both by hand and machine. It seems that the only way to get an even sphere going without zones is to use a spindle machine with both the mirror and tool revolving quickly. TDEs and other wierd things still come up and haunt me. Any tips? (size of tools, overhang, stroke length, pitch or polishing techniques, etc.) MANY thanks, Bob Piekiel

December 23, 2007 03:55 PM Forum: Maksutovs

Polishing convex maksutov correctors

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Is there any easy way to get a steep convex curve on a Maksutov corrector to go MORE CONVEX (by a few fringes) with a polishing tool? I find that even with a long stroke (2/3) COC, the horizontal motion of the tool planes away the center of the glass and keeps flattening it out when I'm actually trying to get it to go more convex. What about putting a lap off to the side and letting it spin? I've has some tries with this, and ended up with zones. Any specific help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bob Piekiel

December 23, 2007 03:55 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Polishing convex maksutov correctors

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Is there any easy way to get a steep convex curve on a Maksutov corrector to go MORE CONVEX (by a few fringes) with a polishing tool? I find that even with a long stroke (2/3) COC, the horizontal motion of the tool planes away the center of the glass and keeps flattening it out when I'm actually trying to get it to go more convex. What about putting a lap off to the side and letting it spin? I've has some tries with this, and ended up with zones. Any specific help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bob Piekiel

January 7, 2008 05:50 PM Forum: Telescope Making

B&I Satellite grinding machines

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Does anyone remember the old B&I Satellite grinding machines that were advertised in S&T back in the early 70s? I have one, and the manual refers to obtaining an optional "Hand Spindle #95" for working steep curves. I phoned Dick Blick Co. the manufacturer of these machines (They're still in business) but they discontinued their lapidary division in 1977. All their old archives of these items is lost. Does anybody have one of these machines with the #95 hand spindle? I'd like to see a photo or sketch of it so I could duplicate one for myself. Thanks, Bob Piekiel

February 3, 2008 10:19 PM Forum: Telescope Making

book drawing of grit grain sizes

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Hello, I have just about every telescope making book from Willmann Bell. Somewhere in one of those books was a drawing of the various grit sizes and the corresponding chunks of glass they remove - the coarse grits looked like boulders and the finest ones looked like sand. It might have been on a left page in the upper part of of the text. There might have been a caption something like "The guy went crazy trying to polish out a defect for 100 hours when he should have done it by fine-grinding..."
I can't find this drawing! Does this ring a bell with anyone? Do you know which book/page it might be on? Thanks! Bob Piekiel

April 24, 2008 09:01 PM Forum: Astro-Physics

AP 7002 autoguider

Posted By Robert Piekiel

I have an AP 7002 autoguider eyepiece but not the matching AP drive corrector. The autoguider has two RCA plug outputs, one for RA and one for DEC. Does anyone have a schematic, manual, or any other helpful info that will assist me in wiring this to an Orion Accutrack drive corrector? Thanks, Bob Piekiel

April 24, 2008 09:01 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Astro Physics 7002 autoguider

Posted By Robert Piekiel

I have an AP 7002 autoguider eyepiece but not the matching AP drive corrector. The autoguider has two RCA plug outputs, one for RA and one for DEC. Does anyone have a schematic, manual, or any other helpful info that will assist me in wiring this to an Orion Accutrack drive corrector? Thanks, Bob Piekiel

May 29, 2008 09:45 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

Question about PST CaK

Posted By Robert Piekiel

Is anybody here an "expert" on the CaK PST? What is the purpose of the tiny filter directly under the eyepiece? It's about 3/8 inch in diameter, silvered, and appears to transmit mostly blue light. Does it simply reduce intensity does it further narrow the bandpass? If so, what percent does it transmit and at what wavelength and cutoff? Thanks, Bob Piekiel