Re: ATM 6" Dob: How Easy? How Cheap? How Heavy?

["Guy F. Brandenburg" <guyfbran@erols.com>]

> Finally, everyone really seems to prefer wooden primary mirror mounts
> and I'm not sure why that is. A nice, open aluminum mount costs
> around $30-something which doesn't seem extravagent. For a 6" mirror
> is an aluminum mount like that less stable, durable or adjustable
> than a wood one? Or do most people just have more of a "I built it
> myself" desire than I do?

I bought a cast one for my first scope, and made a wooden one for my
second. The home-made one works better because the mirror doesn't rattle
around when you take it places. It's really the silicone goop that holds
it in place, IMHO, that is important, to avoid the rattling. The rattling
(including all the vibes on airplane trips)eventually caused some damage
to the outer 6 mm of the mirror. You could probably add some dabs of
silicone goop to a store-bought holder and achieve much the same. But, in
fact,, the home-made one was easier to install in the scope, too!