TheSkySearchers

I did a quick search on telescope transportation and didn't find any topic dedicated to this specific subject in this forum (I could be wrong, in which case I ask you to redirect me to the correct topic).

The subject is more critical in reflector-type telescopes, due to the dimensions of course. This theme can also be applied to refractors and catadioptric types, but these are usually transported in the same way as photographic equipment in HPRC cases or similar.

Many of the users of this forum don't have pickup trucks or trailers. And the issue is not so much in the weight of the equipment but more the volume it occupies in the trunk or on the roof of the small city car.

That's why I'd like to see your preferred method of transporting your 8, 10, 12 and more inch telescopes discussed here. Do you still use the original boxes? Do you use hard cases from other equipment like theodolite set or golf equipment? Wrapped in blankets? boxes/bags made by you? And what are the critical points where you put foams, rubbers and blockers during the trip to ensure that there is not much loss of collimation.

Since we are on THE INTERNET, in this binary CYBERSPACE, photos are always more appealing. But a detailed description with links is not far behind and is also welcome of course.

Orion used to sell soft zipper fasted cases that would hold the tube of a 12" f5 Dob and a complete case set for their 14" intelliscope.

I use the original box for the 10" Dob. For my 6" refractor for my recent move to a new state I took the scope to the UPS Store and they had a box big enough to handle it, filled with peanuts and bubble wrap. Successfully made it to Washington from California.

When you talk about transportation, are you speaking of cross-country by a third party (eg. moving your primary residence) or are you talking more like by yourself going to a Star Party? These two different modes of transportation would need two different types of protection.

I guess, this:

Many of the users of this forum don't have pickup trucks or trailers. And the issue is not so much in the weight of the equipment but more the volume it occupies in the trunk or on the roof of the small city car.

hints to "by yourself"-option.
I use the back seat of my car. With a seat belt if I see necessary.

Hi Marcello,
I transported a large equatorial mount(EM200) and 8" Vixen Cassegrain from my home in the city, 70km to my friends dark sky property. The last km was over a very rough track to the area near his observatory. The car I used for most of that time was a Ford Focus hatchback. I did a lot of photography so there was other gear like batteries, camera bags etc.

I can't send pictures, the car was destroyed in a storm and I now own a pickup truck but I can describe it.

I fitted a large roof boot. Tripod, and camp table and chairs went up there. All lightweight bulky items.

Heavy items: 12V car battery, 17kg EQ head, counterweights went in there. The boot (trunk) base was lined with bunched up old woollen blankets. The EQ head floated on one blanket and was kept separated from other items by twisted ropes of blanket. Car battery and counterweights, tools etc sat straight on the floor of the boot held in place by twists of blanket. The end result was a layer covering the entire floor of the boot, Padded camera bags were placed on top of these holding cameras and telescope accessories.

My eyepieces are not transported in a fungal breeding enclosure (aka Pelican case) Pelican cases are very inefficient on space and the foam holds moisture and breeds fungus. eyepieces are quite robust and only need a thin padded bag. I have attached pictures at the end of the protection used by a friend of mine. He has it all in his observatory, he doesn't carry it around much but has a landcruiser for when he does and he fills it. He brings his Takahashi CN212 Newt Cass out here and fills the cruiser with foam. He suffered a spasmed back here one night and decide to leave all his gear here for me to pack. I checked the foam case and it was wet. I left it open for a few days to dry out.

My premium eyepieces 2" and 1.25" consist of 31/17/12/7mm Naglers and 10/5mm Pentax XL were and still are transported in a simple camera case padded liner on the floor of the back seat (USD16 on ebay). Nowadays I observe from my back yard after I moved to a dark sky home. The orange toolbox you can see in the background holds all my 1.25" eyepieces in unpadded but separate plastic compartments. I have a 6" newt that only takes 1.25" eyepieces. They'll rattle around a bit but won't get damaged. When I'm going to use the Newt, I remove the 1.25' premium eyepieces from the soft back and put them in the orange tool box. The void in the bottom of the toolbox holds cables, handbox etc.

If I was going rough riding in a 4wd, I would change these to a padded bag like the burnt orange one.

Finally the telescope tube.
8" cass is 500mm long and 232mm diameter.
Another scrunched up woollen blanket on the floor behind the passenger seat. The tube just sat on top held in place by the back to the front seat and the front of the rear seat. A large padded warm suit is tucked around this to hold it down and in place.

cheers
Joe

When I "resurrected " my C8 for a short time, I used a large, plastic storage bin and added bubblewrap and old bath towels. The original footlocker case had disintegrated over the years. Sorry, no pics because I sold the C8 with the bin last year, but this one is similar and has some extra room for an EP case, etc.:

I used to use a sleeping bag to put the dobsonian tube into then placed it on the rear seat.
I would not worry to much about collimation as you will likely have to do it once set up anyway.

I use the 14" cylinder of my 12" Dob to store luggage. For that I cut a multiplex disc on a rope that I lower on to the mirror holders after I take the spider with secondary out. Then I stuff it with a sleeping bag, clothes and whatever else fits in there. The disc is solid so I don't have to be overly careful. It is an F/4 so it fits on the rear seat. It does not make the OTA smaller but eliminates the waste of space that it takes up. No reason to protect the OTA with boxes, mine is made of steel and who cares about a few dings or scratches.