Re: ATM 3/4" plywood for dob.?

[Adam Perkins <scopeguru@yahoo.com>]

Mike,

I built the entire mount (excepting the tube) for my
6" dob from 3/4" ply.  It is solid as a rock and not
very heavy because its only a 6" scope.  Using 3/4"
board allowed me to use glued and screwed butt-joints
instead of any more complicated joining technique. 
The end result is a very clean and simple-looking
mount (I think).  More weight is not always a bad
thing in a small telescope, as long as the balance is
well thought out.

Perversely, if you're building a large scope, you may
want thinner wood.  The weight will probably get out
of control with 3/4" ply, so maybe thinner wood is
called for.  Properly braced, thin plywood can be
unbelievably strong.  I've got shelves in my shop I
built from 2X4s, 1X3s, and 3/8" plywood that hold
hundreds of pounds without a problem.

For what its worth, my current 12.5" "Mel-o-Scope ;)"
project is 3/4" ply in most areas (including the
single-ring secondary cage, drilled full of lightening
holes).

Good luck with your scope

Adam Perkins
Covington, Louisiana
USA

> 
> Has anyone had luck utilizing 1/2" sheets or is the
> 3/4" sheets used due
> to trial and error from past projects utilizing 1/2
> " sheets.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mike
> 



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