TELESCOPE TUBING

Mike Abercrombie (abercrom@southwind.net)
Wed, 19 Apr 1995 23:21:19 -0500

RR> What to you think about using PVC tubing (sewer pipe tubing) for a RR> small apature (8in. max) telescope? I thought I read in Berry's RR> telescope book that PVC tubing isn't that great. Rich,

Two reasons that I can think of exclude PVC as a desirable material. The first and probably most important is the heat problem. You will be terribly plagued with tube currents.

Secondly I would thing that rigidity would be a problem that would be exaserbated by the heat problem. Doesn't take a lot of "sag" to really mess up collimation! Related to this problem would be vibration damping.

IMHO, I wouldn't consider PVC.

Mike

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