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Alt / Az mounting my OMC140

Last post by John Baars « Sat Dec 24, 2022 10:30 pm
Replies: 3
by John Baars » Sat Dec 24, 2022 2:40 pm

First post

My OMC140 ( 140mm Maksutov) was actually always a tad heavy for the Alt/Az mount my GrabnGo 102mm Maksutov normally sits on.
The little 102mm Mak has...

Last post

Well done John! I do the same with ES Twilight 1 when observing with 8 SCT, improves observing considerably. Unfortunately, it does not work with...

3 Replies

148 Views

Last post by John Baars
Sat Dec 24, 2022 10:30 pm
Low Budget Solar Viewer

Last post by Lady Fraktor « Thu Dec 01, 2022 5:25 am
Replies: 2
by chartram » Thu Dec 01, 2022 1:35 am

First post

Hello,

Apologies if this has been covered already. This is a super cheap DIY solar viewing setup.

Ingredients:

- 3gal bucket
- ultra flat black...

Last post

Very cool!
This is something like a solar funnel?

I use refractors from achro doublets to oil spaced triplet with a herschel wedge without issue....

2 Replies

113 Views

Last post by Lady Fraktor
Thu Dec 01, 2022 5:25 am
New insulation- jacket for 140 mm Maksutov

Last post by messier 111 « Tue Nov 29, 2022 2:48 pm
Replies: 5
by John Baars » Mon Nov 28, 2022 2:24 pm

First post

Well, if you're still busy sticking radiator foil behind the radiators of the heating, you might as well replace the old insulation jacket of the...

Last post

what ? don't you look at the stars in a tuxedo?
seriously if it works why not.
you can spend more time looking at the stars.
good thing.

5 Replies

156 Views

Last post by messier 111
Tue Nov 29, 2022 2:48 pm
Where do you go to the Bathroom

Last post by planecrazzzy « Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:54 am
Replies: 6
by planecrazzzy » Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:46 pm

First post

.
Ok... That was just a Hook
Although, the reason I bought this was so girls could go to the bathroom on the pontoon boat.
Just remember that when...

Last post

.
Hi , Glad to hear your about your new booth...
Is it for your scope , or for you ? Maybe both.
.
I have two Tips ...
One , on folding... you'll get...

6 Replies

191 Views

Last post by planecrazzzy
Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:54 am
My platform

Last post by Frankskywatcher « Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:44 am
Replies: 2
by Frankskywatcher » Wed Nov 16, 2022 2:39 pm

First post

I finally got around to making a platform for my scope now it’s so much easier to move my scope around.
I cut a piece of wood 4 inches bigger than...

Last post

Locking wheels?

No but I prefer it that way my garage and my driveway is perfectly flat

2 Replies

113 Views

Last post by Frankskywatcher
Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:44 am
Mount Stabilization with three Bungie cords

Last post by planecrazzzy « Mon Nov 07, 2022 9:29 pm
Replies: 7
by planecrazzzy » Fri Nov 04, 2022 7:22 pm

First post

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I haven't needed this kind of stabilization yet... I'm still mainly Visual...and preparing for AP.
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I've thought about some of the things they do...

Last post

There is no pressure to speak of... ( The sky is not falling... the tape is NOT red , There is NO spoon )
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OK... Why do people make those Braces to...

7 Replies

190 Views

Last post by planecrazzzy
Mon Nov 07, 2022 9:29 pm
Bottle cap Diagonal on Orion Finder scope

Last post by planecrazzzy « Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:25 pm
Replies: 4
by planecrazzzy » Sun Nov 06, 2022 4:13 pm

First post

.
I bought an Orion 6 Newtonian...

It comes with a finder scope that is HARD to see through, it won't accept a diagonal...
For $100 , they'll sale...

Last post

.
Right now I'm just trying to confirm and fine tune the Mounts target centering.
/
But most of the time I couldn't get into a position to look...

4 Replies

130 Views

Last post by planecrazzzy
Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:25 pm
Mount Mod /StarSense Camera

Last post by planecrazzzy « Sat Oct 29, 2022 12:27 am

by planecrazzzy » Sat Oct 29, 2022 12:27 am

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So it's supposed to go in place of the finder scope...But I want a finder scope
.
What If I wanna put a different telescope on the mount, gotta...

0 Replies

88 Views

Last post by planecrazzzy
Sat Oct 29, 2022 12:27 am
Options for case foam

Last post by planecrazzzy « Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:46 pm
Replies: 11
by Chich » Fri Jul 08, 2022 10:23 pm

First post

I have to make new foam inserts for some cases. Before spending a schwack of money on some Kaizen foam does anyone have any other suggestions? or...

Last post

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Thanks for explaining that... it's the first time I've came across it.
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I've had to edit a few post ... must have been within that time.
.
Gotta...

11 Replies

506 Views

Last post by planecrazzzy
Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:46 pm
Mod for Tri-pod 2" legs

Last post by planecrazzzy « Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:01 pm
Replies: 4
by planecrazzzy » Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:17 pm

First post

IMG_6827.JPG .
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OK, here's something easy to remember...
Pipe is measured from the INSIDE...
Tubing is measured from the OUTSIDE...
.
The Legs are...

Last post

One last example.
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This shows how many cables these hold...
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But , one set of this down the tri-pod leg , can be shared by another set...staggered...

4 Replies

129 Views

Last post by planecrazzzy
Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:01 pm
Correcting Coma in my F5 Fraunhofer Doublet.

Last post by Makuser « Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:41 pm
Replies: 2
by John Baars » Tue Sep 22, 2020 9:43 am

First post

I have had this 150mm F5 Fraunhofer refractor for a year by now. I recognized a small amount of Coma on the optical axis. It was clearly visible from...

Last post

Hi John. I just found this link that you posted on another thread recently and as I have an Omni 150XLT f/5 Fraunhofer doublet refractor, I found...

2 Replies

2990 Views

Last post by Makuser
Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:41 pm
Fixing jerky azimuth on my dob

Last post by avid.astronomer « Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:57 pm
Replies: 3
by avid.astronomer » Mon Aug 01, 2022 11:33 pm

First post

I love my 12 Zhumell Dob, but I've noticed recently that whenever the tube is pointed relatively high in the sky, the azimuth motion has a tendency...

Last post

I was intrigued by the idea of using a lazy susan bearing and had already put it on my shopping list as the next thing to try when I came across a...

3 Replies

241 Views

Last post by avid.astronomer
Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:57 pm
Rotatable finder mount

Last post by John Fitzgerald « Thu Dec 23, 2021 4:32 pm
Replies: 5
by John Fitzgerald » Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:56 pm

First post

When using my 6 f/8 apo, on the G11S eq mount, sometimes the finder becomes inconveniently placed or even inaccessible from the eyepiece position. I...

Last post

It's working great. I have two 50mm finders on it, one per side. One of them is always accessible.

5 Replies

6907 Views

Last post by John Fitzgerald
Thu Dec 23, 2021 4:32 pm
Fitting Baader Steeltrack-skywatcher 200PDS

Last post by UkDave « Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:04 am

by UkDave » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:04 am

So my Xmas treat was to upgrade the stock focuser on my 200 PDS Newtonian to a Baader Steeltrack highly regarded as a solid focuser , so yesterday I...

0 Replies

3285 Views

Last post by UkDave
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:04 am
Renovation of an EQ5-class Mount

Last post by Sky Tinker « Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:32 am
Replies: 41
by Sky Tinker » Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:06 am
1

2

3
First post

Back in the early 2000s, I had gotten a Vixen GPDX, an EQ5-class mount. But within a couple of years it was destroyed in a conflagration, in February...

Last post

Forget iOptron and Vixen. I ordered this...

...and from a Reverb seller, for $21.57, shipped.

We'll see how that flies.

Here are a couple of...
41 Replies

21877 Views

Last post by Sky Tinker
Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:32 am
Corrugated plastic shelters

Last post by SkyHiker « Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:23 am
Replies: 1
by Chich » Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:51 am

First post

Found this site while surfing around. Might give someone ideas for making a small observing shelter. Lots of other interesting projects on the site...

Last post

Found this site while surfing around. Might give someone ideas for making a small observing shelter. Lots of other interesting projects on the site...

1 Replies

3288 Views

Last post by SkyHiker
Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:23 am
Epic idea discovered. use a lighter to create black carbon flocking!

Last post by JayTee « Mon Oct 04, 2021 11:44 pm
Replies: 10
by realflow100 » Sat Oct 02, 2021 2:55 pm

First post

Its extremely effective when applied to the inner surface of eyepiece 1.25 barrel part (the part where you would thread a filter onto)
Even for the...

Last post

I wonder how much a small bottle of VantaBlack goes for?...
Here you go. $24 for 150ml.

10 Replies

4576 Views

Last post by JayTee
Mon Oct 04, 2021 11:44 pm
3D printed telescopes?

Last post by GCoyote « Fri Aug 06, 2021 4:43 pm
Replies: 9
by helicon » Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:11 pm

First post

I came across this link today and thought I would share it. I suppose it's inevitable that this will happen.

Last post

I keep coming back to this concept. I've had to make a number of small plastic or metal parts to adapt different brands of gear to work together. Any...

9 Replies

6603 Views

Last post by GCoyote
Fri Aug 06, 2021 4:43 pm
Transportable Tripod Base

Last post by Jones « Thu Aug 05, 2021 3:53 am
Replies: 3
by Jones » Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:03 am

First post

20210801_102514.jpg
I'm getting old and feeble. I downsized to a SV M2 mount and 115mm triple scope but I hate it (is that a crime?). A 130 triple...

Last post

It was raining all the time while building. When done the rain stopped, skys cleared and tested that nite. Hey, this is Arizona after all.

3 Replies

2669 Views

Last post by Jones
Thu Aug 05, 2021 3:53 am
Alt-Az Block-Pipe mount

Last post by GCoyote « Thu Aug 05, 2021 2:49 am
Replies: 6
by Jones » Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:01 pm

First post

Just finished building my latest mount head. Mounted up is my 18 lb. 130mm f/7 triple. Galvanized threaded 1.25 pipe rides nice and smoothly in 1...

Last post

Here is a previous mount- the wood equatorial.
Uses 2 screw pipe. Built 2003. Has a slot in the base for easy 2-wheeler transport. Worked great for 8...

6 Replies

3586 Views

Last post by GCoyote
Thu Aug 05, 2021 2:49 am
All sky cam project

Last post by KathyNS « Thu Jul 01, 2021 12:14 pm

by KathyNS » Thu Jul 01, 2021 12:14 pm

I had an ASI120MC that mostly gathered dust except for a short time around planetary oppositions. And I had a curiosity about what the weather was...

0 Replies

1996 Views

Last post by KathyNS
Thu Jul 01, 2021 12:14 pm
Scope stuffer for traveling

Last post by Graeme1858 « Sun May 23, 2021 8:10 am
Replies: 1
by SkyHiker » Sat May 22, 2021 9:15 pm

First post

With my upcoming GC trip with a friend I decided to use the 14 cylinder of my 12 Newt for storage. For that I made a lid that can be lowered on a...

Last post

That's quite ingenious Henk!

Regards

Graeme

1 Replies

2645 Views

Last post by Graeme1858
Sun May 23, 2021 8:10 am
Extra Counterbalance for Guidescope

Last post by chris_g « Thu May 20, 2021 4:30 am
Replies: 3
by Graeme1858 » Thu Jan 16, 2020 8:26 pm

First post

Six squares of roofing lead cut from a roll.

Held onto the end of the cantilever arm with the safety bolt!

Regards

Graeme

Last post

I just bought mine from B&H Photography . They offer free expedited shipping on most orders over $49. I added a pack of lens cleaners, good for eye...

3 Replies

4678 Views

Last post by chris_g
Thu May 20, 2021 4:30 am
Need to Make a Dew Shield for my Telrad finder.

Last post by Graeme1858 « Sat May 15, 2021 7:41 am
Replies: 10
by GCoyote » Wed Sep 02, 2020 5:32 pm

First post

The humidity has been so bad I'm prioritizing dew shields for gear that doesn't already have them.

Has anyone made a shield for a Telrad finder? How...

Last post

A quick blow of a hair drier before use might be an alternative option?

Regards

Graeme

10 Replies

6932 Views

Last post by Graeme1858
Sat May 15, 2021 7:41 am
DIY Anti-vibration pads?

Last post by GCoyote « Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:13 am
Replies: 22
by pakarinen » Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:07 pm
1

2
First post

Not sure if my deck is showing more signs of aging, if the ground has different water content these days, or if I'm just becoming more aware, but...

Last post

Good to know. Four more days of rain forecast so still not getting the gear out.
22 Replies

18068 Views

Last post by GCoyote
Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:13 am

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