Re: Mel's TriDob (was Re: ATM Oregon Star Party telescope walkabout for 2002)

["John Sherman" <shermj@netzero.net>]

>John
>Any pics of your scope?
>
>tnx
>jtm


Hi Jim,

Yes. I took the scope up to RTMC '98. Before I even got it all set up Tom
Clark took a picture of my "unusual design rocker box" and put it in Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, issue #19, pg 49. I told him the picture would look
better without me in it, but he insisted. Since it looks weird I get a lot
of questions about it. I tell people I designed it as a "flexible rocker".
It twists to keep all four pads down but still holds the side panels
vertical. In the summer of '97 I was designing my scope, one day I was at
Mt Pinos and a strong dust devil went through the parking lot, scattering
papers and knocking over tables, chairs and small scopes. Of course, the Mt
Pinos parking lot is only two miles from the famous San Andreas fault line,
site of the strongest earthquake ever in southern California. So I decided
to try to design a wider support base for the scope. There is also a picture
on the web of the whole scope, at www.johnspics.com/Imag0001.jpg  (another
pic that would look better without me in the way). And I'll put one at
www.johnspics.com/hi/flexiblerocker.jpg  This resembles a standard rocker
because (A) that's the only kind I had ever seen before and (B)  I thought I
required an AZ bolt to mount my DSC's encoder on. But now I have a computer,
and the internet, and you guys. Now I see that modern flex rockers are very
low profile, the middle of the rocker and the groundboard are removed so the
mirror almost scrapes the ground. You can see this in Mel's 6" TriDob (which
scope appears to have come from the mind of a genius). Notice how the
groundboard is actually a circular track upon which the rocker rides?  If
that track were well enuf made he could mount an encoder to the rocker with
a hinge and a spring, and a wheel on the encoder shaft would ride against
the track. So I was right that I require a DSC which requires an encoder.
But now that I see these better designs I realize the encoder doesn't
require an AZ bolt. Hmm....

Some day I should make some good pictures of and a website about my scope.
It has some other design ideas that might be interesting to the list.

I see Tom spelled my name wrong. In the same article he also misspelled the
name of another southern Californian atm who is much better known than me.
Ain't that right, Bob?


>would suggest cleaning the plastic surfaces with a mild soap solution

Thanks Don, I think I'll try it. A soap film might make for less friction,
also.



John













-------------------------------------------
Introducing NetZero Long Distance
Unlimited Long Distance only $29.95/ month!
Sign Up Today! www.netzerolongdistance.com