6" F8 rebuild.

Discuss making your own telescope!
Post Reply
User avatar
rickolson62
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:00 pm
3
Location: USA
Status:
Offline

6" F8 rebuild.

#1

Post by rickolson62 »


hello folks. the rebuild is going along quite well! took an old orion deep space explorer Dob apart to clean and fix what ever, found the old focuser to be of little to no value so bought the GSO crayford 1.25. from Agena and decided to rebuild the whole thing! (lot of help from different people, including "Newts for the net") bought some old criterion 6" parts from a very good fella, and when they got here the shipping company had dropped it and broke the mirror cell. (bummer) any way, got my sonotube at lowes and went to work. used a bar of 1/4x1.25" aluminum, cut the old cell apart and made a cell for the new scope. everything went together fine. dropped a ton off the scope. from 13lbs down to 8.4lbs. not quite ready for viewing but here's the project so far. thanks for all the help!



Rick
resize2.jpg
resize3.jpg
:observer:
gear.
1979 "orange tube" C8
Skyviw pro goto EQ
Nikon D3200 and HP-HD 4110 webcam moded
User avatar
JayTee United States of America
Universal Ambassador
Articles: 2
Online
Posts: 5619
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:23 am
4
Location: Idaho, USA
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#2

Post by JayTee »


A little midnight blue paint on the outside of the tube and nobody will know that OTA didn't cost $300.

Nice job,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

Image
User avatar
rickolson62
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:00 pm
3
Location: USA
Status:
Offline

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#3

Post by rickolson62 »


thank you Jay! i was just thinking a nice cobalt blue would be a good color for this one! think i'm going to put a ring around the top end to stiffen it up a little as well. rings are the next project. should be fun on the SVP mount. might be a bit long but it's pretty light. we shal see! lol.
:observer:
gear.
1979 "orange tube" C8
Skyviw pro goto EQ
Nikon D3200 and HP-HD 4110 webcam moded
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 585
Online
Posts: 12279
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#4

Post by helicon »


Nice retrofit and mods Rick. Nice job so far.
-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
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
User avatar
rickolson62
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:00 pm
3
Location: USA
Status:
Offline

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#5

Post by rickolson62 »


scope test1.jpg
had a chance "before the rain" to test focus the scope. worked very well yay! now for paint, flocking, and a dovetail mounting system! so....rings or direct bolt up with big washers inside? scopes 9.4lbs with out EP.
:observer:
gear.
1979 "orange tube" C8
Skyviw pro goto EQ
Nikon D3200 and HP-HD 4110 webcam moded
User avatar
drock
Saturn Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 11:51 pm
4
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Status:
Offline

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#6

Post by drock »


Very nice project. Enjoy the views.
Z10 Dobsonian, Starblast 4.5, a few Russell 2" Konigs, and various other eyepieces.
User avatar
rickolson62
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:00 pm
3
Location: USA
Status:
Offline

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#7

Post by rickolson62 »


hello folks! well clouds have moved out for a few hours. think it's time for a test! keep your fingers crossed.
telescope and mount.jpg
:observer:
gear.
1979 "orange tube" C8
Skyviw pro goto EQ
Nikon D3200 and HP-HD 4110 webcam moded
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 585
Online
Posts: 12279
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: 6" F8 rebuild.

#8

Post by helicon »


Fingers crossed! Hope you had a session...
-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
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in

Return to “ATM”