What DIY project did you work on this week?

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Rainmaker
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What DIY project did you work on this week?

#1

Post by Rainmaker »


I am sure there are a myriad little DIY projects out there that will give ideas and guidance to others:

For me DIY has been a necessary evil, though I now have some nice equipment it was not always so, in fact my very first telescope was a rubbish dump find 60mm F10 refractors nearly 50 years ago.
Repairing that scope set me on a course of many, many DIY projects including two 18" Dobs and lots of little enhancements for my other astro items....

My most recent ones include many modifications to my FTX mount, a new polished base for my AZ-EQ6GT mount and a "Super Jumbo" fine focus knob for the Feathertouch on my Excalibur:
Attachments
MIS_6996.jpg
MIS_7282.jpg
MIS_7290.jpg
Matt in Oz
Rainmaker “Excalibur” 18” F3.5 +SIPS @ 1860mm
TMB-LZOS 152mm F7.9 @ 1200mm
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#2

Post by OzEclipse »


I think I might have mentioned this somewhere else....Hmmm...maybe on another forum????

Two weeks ago
I made a sprung adapter sleeve so I can use my 28.5mm bore iOptron counterweights on my 18mm Takahashi EM-200 counterweight shaft. Machined it from a piece of 32mm aluminium shaft leftover from another job so it only cost me the time it took me to machine it.
The attachment Counterweight-Sleeve-6166.jpg is no longer available

The attachment Counterweight-Sleeve-6166.jpg is no longer available
Counterweight-Sleeve-6164.jpg
This week
I purchased a second hand R.F. Royce 12"f6 conical mirror. RMS 0.036 wave, 0.96 Strehl. Seller is travelling to Canberra next month and will bring it with him. Mirror only weight 4.5kg. Tossing up between a lightweight ultra-portable Dob and a lightweight truss tube OTA to mount on my EM-200. The OP Rainmaker, also saw the same mirror advertised and considered purchasing it for himself for the same reason. a 12"f6 in a low slung dob is well matched to my height, I am 6' tall. Rainmaker would need knee pads or a high altitude bearing position :lol:

I cannot get these pictures to place where I want and the sleeve picture has reproduced twice. I have not doubled up on the insert code.

Sorry

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#3

Post by OzEclipse »


Counterweight-Sleeve-6166.jpg
Counterweight-Sleeve-6165.jpg
And while the images I referred to appeared multiple times in the preview, they did not appear at all in the post???
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#4

Post by Altocumulus »


I sat and watched a wasp trying to build another nest in my obsy box.

I also had to fashion a removable lower front to the box, because every time I parked I was within a whisker of bashing off my camera. Forgetting to retract drawtube before parking could have had expensive consequences for my 102! A peril of remote observing.
Just call me Geoff....

I do what I do because I can, and because I want to.
It doesn't mean I know what I'm doing :mrgreen:
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#5

Post by Thefatkitty »


Wow Matt, that to me is some really nice machine work! Better than factory, even :D Well done, to both you and Joe as well.

I don't have any machining skills, but I made this a couple weeks ago with my MIG welder. My tribute to Orion...:lol:

Image

Again, nicely done and all the best,
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#6

Post by helicon »


Hey Mark there is that Orion again! Pretty darn amazing creation.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#7

Post by OzEclipse »


Post by Thefatkitty » Sat May 18, 2019 11:14 pm

Wow Matt, that to me is some really nice machine work! Better than factory, even :D Well done, to both you and Joe as well.
I can attest to Matt's skill and workmanship. I bought his older beautifully constructed 18"f5.6 dob.

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#8

Post by bladekeeper »


OzEclipse wrote: Sat May 18, 2019 9:44 pm
Post by Thefatkitty » Sat May 18, 2019 11:14 pm

Wow Matt, that to me is some really nice machine work! Better than factory, even :D Well done, to both you and Joe as well.
I can attest to Matt's skill and workmanship. I bought his older beautifully constructed 18"f5.6 dob.

Joe
That is a very beautiful instrument, even the telrad got treatment! I am envious, Joe! :D
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#9

Post by OzEclipse »


bladekeeper wrote: Sat May 18, 2019 10:04 pm
OzEclipse wrote: Sat May 18, 2019 9:44 pm
Post by Thefatkitty » Sat May 18, 2019 11:14 pm

Wow Matt, that to me is some really nice machine work! Better than factory, even :D Well done, to both you and Joe as well.
I can attest to Matt's skill and workmanship. I bought his older beautifully constructed 18"f5.6 dob.

Joe
That is a very beautiful instrument, even the telrad got treatment! I am envious, Joe! :D
Bryan,
Matt has built two 18" dobs and I think you are confusing the two. His first, an 18"f5.6 (AKA Guinevere) is mostly made from Marine ply and looks like an upmarket SDM scope. It is a beautifully built and exquisitely finished instrument but big and heavy at around 90kg. Stored permanently at a dark site, I can wheel it out and assemble, collimate and cailbrate the GOTO on my own in about 20mins. Matt could unpack it from his car and be observing in about 10 mins. I have to look after my back a bit more and so I take a little more time. Matt sold this instrument to me just before Christmas 2017 to raise money for his second build, a more compact 18"f3.5 all aluminium construction with low set rocker box capable of being packed into a short height storage compartment on his mobile home. I think that's the instrument you're thinking of with the carbon fibre coating on the Telrad to match the carbon fibre spider cage.

Joe's 18"f5.6
Image


Matt's 18"f3.5
MIS_5748 copy.jpg
Cheers

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#10

Post by OzEclipse »


Inserted photos in above post are not to scale. :lol:
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#11

Post by bladekeeper »


This is the one I was thinking of: http://www.astronomyforum.net/dobsonian ... ished.html Assumed that one is the one you bought, Joe? I was impressed by the fine detail of Matt's work, even down to the matching telrad. :D
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#12

Post by OzEclipse »


Yep that is the one I bought. I assumed you were talking about the carbon twill on the telrad on his new scope that got a lot of comments but yep, that's mine that has the lovely woodgrain finish.

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#13

Post by Rainmaker »


Thanks guys for the comments, being retired means I have no need to account for the time spent building stuff. If I did then my hourly wage might be about $1 ....
But I do believe in attention to detail.....

At the moment all my projects are complete ....... but the DIYer in me is getting restless....... what to build ????? Might make a 2/3 scale model of Excalibur...
Matt in Oz
Rainmaker “Excalibur” 18” F3.5 +SIPS @ 1860mm
TMB-LZOS 152mm F7.9 @ 1200mm
Takahashi FOA 60mm F8.8
Takahashi FC76DC F7.5
Skylight AR101.15
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#14

Post by OzEclipse »


Rainmaker wrote: Sun May 19, 2019 6:02 am Thanks guys for the comments, being retired means I have no need to account for the time spent building stuff. If I did then my hourly wage might be about $1 ....
But I do believe in attention to detail.....

At the moment all my projects are complete ....... but the DIYer in me is getting restless....... what to build ????? Might make a 2/3 scale model of Excalibur...
You're going to build a 12 inch f2.2??
:lol:

Can't wait!

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#15

Post by mcolbert »


this week, muddling through; see thread for frustrations. ;). I have found, from Agena an adapter suitable for 0.9625" oculars though. Once that is received then I will be experimenting with various microscope EPs. Currently on the bench is an MC 80, innards revealed and sitting there allowing me to contemplate what can be done to it to adapt it to astro use. ;)
Refractor - APQ 130 Reflector - Meade SCT Au coating. Mount - AYOMaster (on order)
Cameras - Blads, D70s, D3300, Lunar and Planetary Cameras (2)
DIY Glass - German military and opthalmic sourced items, AGFA AVIPHOT DIA C
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#16

Post by StarBru »


Awhile back, I bought a used Celestron 5i tripod. It looks very similar to the Meade ETX tripod and it was being offered at half the price! I planned to construct an adapter plate to connect the ETX90 to the Celestron tripod. Before I gave this scope and tripod to my daughter I had been using the scope in alt/az mode since it fits the pre-existing holes of the tripod but the holes are positioned 45 degrees from where the ETX needs them to use equatorial mode.

Instead of an adapter plate, I decided earlier today to just drill the 1/4 inch holes needed into the top plate. It works like a charm! Why didn't I do it sooner?

Now my daughter can choose which mode she wants to operate the scope in!
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Bruce

Refractors: Meade AR-5 127mm f/9.3, Meade ST-80 f/5 and Meade 60mm f/12, Jason 60mm f/15 #313, Jason 60mm f/12 #306 S7, Bushnell Sky Chief III 60mm f/15.
Reflectors/Catadioptrics: Meade 10" F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian, Galileo 120mm f/8.3 Newtonian, Meade 2045D 4" f/10 SCT, Meade ETX-90EC f/13.8 & Sarblue 60mm f/12.5 Maksutov-Cassegrains.
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro & Meade LXD55 Equatorial mounts, ES Twilight II and Meade 2102 ALT/AZ mounts, a modified 10" SkyQuest Dobsonian mount, various 60mm EQ mounts.
Misc: Celestron 20x80mm binoculars, Revolution II Imager/accessories, & lots of optical accessories/eyepieces.
Projects: 8" f/2.9 and 65mm f/10 reflectors, Dobson-style binocular mirror mount.
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#17

Post by mcolbert »


this week, so far, finishing off the second hand carved frame, final coat of varnish applied, now to air and then that's another present for a New Year's Eve birthday. But that's not astro. ;(
Research done on welding filters and how they can be used for solar work (Grade 12,13&14) and the orders are on their way. Maybe useful for the solar scope I am fretting over building. ;)
Reorganised workspace; removed bench and replaced with several small 45 cm x 90 cm work areas.
Set aside two 500 mm telephotos for wide field imaging, along with a smaller guide scope. Now for the ADM plate.

Still it is but late Tuesday morning... ;)
Refractor - APQ 130 Reflector - Meade SCT Au coating. Mount - AYOMaster (on order)
Cameras - Blads, D70s, D3300, Lunar and Planetary Cameras (2)
DIY Glass - German military and opthalmic sourced items, AGFA AVIPHOT DIA C
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Re: What DIY project did you work on this week?

#18

Post by Lokifish »


While it was technically done last week, here's a junk bin 2" wide field eyepiece. It uses edge chipped objectives from a pair of old 7x35 binos, the 30mm objectives from two small finder scopes, and the front objective from a damaged CCTV zoom lens. I had to use scotch tape to center the elements, gorilla glue to fix the filter ring into place, and foam left over from my DIY dew shield for the eye cup.

Granted it's pretty ugly, but it works out to a 45mm with a 65 AFOV, and a f/ of around 1.5. It plays nice with my SN8, and even allows for direct viewing of many of the brighter DSO's on my 130SLT. By "brighter DSO's" I mean targets like M27, M8, and brighter, or with a higher surface brightness. This is from my Bortle 8-9 skies without filters, and not from a dark site.
DIY wide.jpg
Russ
A.K.A "Backyard Observatory" on Facebook and Youtube

Meade SN8 w/ DIY coma corrector, Astro Modded Rubinar 1000/10 @f/5.2, 130/5 Newtonian, Pentax SMC 200/4, Canon SH 30/1.7
SkyWatcher EQ6-R Pro, Modified Celestron SLT
183 OSC, 224 OSC, Canon 1100D, Sony NEX-3
Nikon 7-12 zoom, a lot of DIY/salvage eyepieces
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