[ATM] 13 inch Dob construction complete, almost, I think..

["Russell Jocoy" <russjocoy@hotmail.com>]

   To all on this list,

        I have found new respect for all of you experienced "Dob" builder's. 
Whether they be
    boxed, custom, lite wieght, tri-dob, mini -dob, .. made of aluminum, 
wood, bondo, carbon,
     or plastic..  If you can get an image from the sky of stars to bounce 
off your primary, onto
    your secondary, into your focuser, through your eyepiece in a straight 
colimated line and
     see an image that can be focused to a pinpoint , you are truly an 
engineer of my admiration.
          Oh, I left out the question of "balance"  That part gives me the 
"Moody Blues" ha ha...

           I have "completed" my 13 inch custom DOB.. the completed  part is 
on-going.. This
      construction was towards the custom end, but basic DOB systems..  Well 
the custom end
     kinda made me over look the balance end of the project.. I built my 
"cage" first, and making
    sure it looked great...  it ended up wieghing a little over 10 lbs.. Now 
I don't know if that is
     an overload, but when I mounted it on my truss poles it went south real 
quick.  Back to the
     drawing board.. (already scared with deep pencil gouges).  Obviously my 
"altitude" bearings
     needed to be raised further above the mirror box.. Easy right,.. 
No...They were already as
     high as possible.  Extensions were needed on the sides in order to 
raise the half moons up.
      Balance was achieved.. Yeah..
           I was proud of focus achievement,.. I only cut my truss poles 
three times... but never had
     to add nothin'...  I was proud of this.., Come to find out tonight I 
need to cut about another
        1/2" off so my Barlow will focus... ( the drawing board is now part 
of the scope)..
              I have also found out that my focuser is out of alinement(sp), 
but this is easily fixed..
            (I do have a hammer) just kidding..
            I have collamation to complete, and afew tweeks to work out , 
but I am one enlightened,
          proud, and have gained new respect for anyone who builds their own 
telescope...
                        This is my third , and largest, the others were Dob 
101...  More to come
                 on this telescope's performance once the bugs are hammered 
out.. (sorry telescopes
             and hammers should not be mentioned in the same sentence)
                                                      Russ Jocoy
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