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Douglas Rollain

Lion Nebula SH2-132 - RC71

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Posts Made By: Stephen Collett

September 19, 2005 05:08 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Two Piece Truss Poles - Might Work!

Posted By Stephen Collett
By Georgy, I think he's got it!!!! Having used about a thousand of those inserts, I would caution you to be very sure that your tube ends are square. I do this by gently rolling them on the table of my disc sander.

September 19, 2005 05:17 AM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

Ok, my newest one

Posted By Stephen Collett
Wow! The most hansome thing about this scope is the proportions. I like the way you've tricked it out with encoders, shroud, etc. Also, I like your floor tile wink . Gotta look through it soon.

September 27, 2005 10:32 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Mounting Scope on EQ Platform

Posted By Stephen Collett
I frankly don't see a problem with leaving the rocker box attached to the platform. If you lift the mirror box or tube assembly off when you store the scope, the rocker box alone is probably not enough weight to stress the equatorial platform.

October 1, 2005 02:48 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Podium is finished, update

Posted By Stephen Collett
Actually, this is a lectern. A podium is what you stand on (just think of when Robert Reich was Clinton's finance secretary. smile

October 19, 2005 12:05 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

DSC Encoder mounting

Posted By Stephen Collett
I attach the encoder to a short aluminum strap, which is held against a screw on the floor of the rocker box by means of a weak coiled spring. The encoder shaft is held by a set screw in a 1/4" hole drilled in the central pivot bolt of the rocker box, which is fixed to the ground table. No plastic, no slot, no errors.

October 19, 2005 10:38 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

How many degrees to rotate Dob focuser?

Posted By Stephen Collett
Go at least 30 degrees up, and not more than 45. Less than 30 and you strain your neck at low altitudes (even if you use a "prayer rug"), and above 45 you end up bumping the upper with your chest. I've built a number of Dobs in this size range, and 45 seems to be pretty comfortable. Does your builder also know the difference between "right eye" and "left eye" as far as Dob design goes?
Bigger scopes need less rotation. The 16" in the picture is at 30 degrees.

October 19, 2005 10:43 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

DSC Encoder mounting

Posted By Stephen Collett
Ya know, Floyd, if you slap a rubber band arond the screw and one tongue or the other around that slot, you'll have the same effect as my spring.

October 19, 2005 10:44 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

DSC Encoder mounting

Posted By Stephen Collett
Ya know, Floyd, if you slap a rubber band arond the screw and one tongue or the other around that slot, you'll have the same effect as my spring.

October 21, 2005 05:13 AM Forum: Refractors

Orion ED100 fix

Posted By Stephen Collett
Ya gotta be nuts worrying about this. Leave the spacers alone. Nevertheless, if your Y-chromosome demands that you tinker with this, I suggest the following.

Get use of a drill press. Measure the slots or holes you want the pins to fit into. Get two drill bits with a diamater slightly smaller than the measured slots/holes. Get any scrap of aluminum 1/4" or thicker. Drill two holes spaced for the ring you want to remove. Insert the drill bits in the holes, shank down, to enough depth that you can clear the cell collar your ring screws into. Use masking tape on the flute ends to secure the drill bits. Insert and twist. If this doesn't work, you can't ask any commercial outfit to fix it under warrenty.

November 23, 2005 12:35 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Wise move?

Posted By Stephen Collett
There is no substitute for aperture. Having built everyting from 3" to 20", the advantages of a 15 over a 12.5 are marked, especially with galaxies and a dark sky. You can probably upgrade quality, stiffness, and smoothness of movement while you're at it.
I say fie to all ye nay-sayers who doubt the power of light grasp!

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