Re: [ATM] Strip planked telescope tube

[Gilbert Gagne <ggagne@clearwire.net>]

This is a great idea.
I built such a tube for a 4 1/2 inch f/10 using 3/16" pine cut 3/4" wide 
on a table saw. Assemble on several circular disks mounted on a length 
of pipe. Cover the disks with something to keep the glue from them. I 
also cut the disks in half and taped the pieces together to make removal 
easier. My tube was coverred with a single layer of  fiberglass cloth 
and sprayed flat black on the inside. Using the same technique for 
patching rust holes on my cars, I spread the fiberglass cloth on 
aluminum foil and worked the epoxy resin into it until it became 
translucent using only the barest minimum of resin. You can then lift 
the alum foil from the back and transfer to the tube without getting 
resin on your hands. With the tube now coverred with alum foil, you can 
smooth the resin/cloth with your hands. The alum foil comes off easily 
after the resin has cured. My tube has a beautiful yellow-orange glow 
from the wood and resin with the wood grain clearly visible.

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