Re: ATM 16" binoscope project

["Michael Burr" <mtburr@msn.com>]

Yes indeed, I am actually _more_ concerned about the mechanics than I am
about the optics. I'm sure the mirrors will be a great challenge, but I have
confidence that I can accomplish them without growing old first. I'm not
nearly as confident about the mechanics.

For the 10" I'm seriously considering using sonotubes to simplify things.
That won't really be an option for the 16", given the overwhelming size of
the tubes.

A friend has suggested a minimalist design where something akin to a ladder
would serve as the backbone for both scopes. This ladder would be positioned
in between the two primaries, and it would have wires tethering it to the
corners of the mirror box. The design seems attractive, in that the two
virtual OTAs would be basically integrated into a common structure. The
opposing tether wires would put tension on the "ladder", improving stability
over a free-standing single-truss design.

I would imagine, however, that the same issues involving inter-OTA
collimation would remain, and in fact they might be trickier to solve. I'm
not sure how one could adjust one side without affecting the other. Once
they did get aligned, though, the design should theoretically minimize the
need for additional adjustments.

Is my thinking way off base?

Regards,
MTB

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwightk.elvey@amd.com>
To: <atm@shore.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 8:44 PM
Subject: Re: ATM 16" binoscope project


>
> >From: "Mel Bartels" <mbartels@efn.org>
> >
> >>>> Am I nuts, or naive, or both? Comments, advice and recommendations
> >welcome.
> >
> >I think a 16 inch binoc would be wonderful.  If I were grinding/building
the
> >scope, I'd worry as much about the mechanics and alignment as the actual
> >grinding.
> >
> >Mel Bartels
> >
>
> Hi
>  Of course your nuts but I agree with Mel. Keeping
> two telescopes pointed to within a few hundredths
> of a degree is an interesting problem.
>  One of the biggest trouble I have at our viewing
> nights is to convince those that "Know what they
> are doing" not to grab the ends of the OTA's and
> use only the handle provided. Systems like Bruce
> Sayre's may be able to handle this but ours is
> gravity located and not locked like his.
> Dwight
>