Posts Made By: Floyd Blue

I just got the Rini 25mm non lighted reticle that they are clearing out at $25. It looks pretty darned good. $32 delivered is a good price and the reticle has a fine threaded focus with a nice reticle cross hair. It even has caps for both ends. I think I will like it. L made my own 32mm, but this one might just work better. Plus my 12.5mm lighted reticle does not have a very wide FOV for finding alignment stars.

I just had to post a picture of this 5 fan module for a 40" Dob that I just finished assembling! This thing is big! It blows 170 CFM of air! I can use it to cool myself while I work on it. Chcek out the yard stick to get a sense of the size.

Well, my StellarCat and Argo Navis came in today! I just ordered the powered ground board for the Starmaster from StellarCat too. It will ship next week. Everything was just as stated in the ad, of course it was Astromart, and it is all brand new and not even unpacked! What a deal. Took 4 days from Canada to here, not bad.
Now, to get some time to install it.
Anyone here installed one of these and made a podium or other method of mounting the larger Argo Navis? I am wanting some ideas as to how to mount it.

Well, I have begun to make the brackets and fittings for the ServoCat installation. The Starmaster side bearings are only 3/ 4" thick, so I had to make an aluminum bracket for the Alt drive cable tensioner lever. It needed a 1" wide mounting surface. So, I made one from 1/4" thick 90 degree angle aluminum stock. I think it will work out quite nice. I am also making some stainless guides for the cable that will give something for the cable to set on where it goes over the edge of the side bearing. I did not like the cable just setting there on a sharp edge. Cables are not meant to take that kind of bend. I can see that there will be a few things that will require some engineering innovation to make this work on this scope.
Next I am working on the podium for the Argo Navis. But I have to have a few things figured out before I can finalize that design.
The Argo Navis looks so cool, but is so big compared to the Sky Commander. I do like the controls though. Nice layout and design on this computer. 29,000 object data base should be different. I am sure there will be a learning curve on this one. I may play with it as a DSC before the Go-To is installed so I can get used to it.

Hi Floyd,

Please tell everyone that I won't able get my email but can read private email through Astromart's site.

James
Here is the message to all from James at Astro Sky Telescopes

This is James, we have been ordered to leave our area because of big storm. we left this morning,we are at Monroe, La. which is in North Louisiana. Please post in forum site that we are unable come home till after the storm. I brought all clients mirrors,focusers, etc with me. Hope not damages our area. Pray for us.
James Grigar

Let us all think of those who are under attack by mother nature this weekend.
Floyd

I just finished the DSC podium for the new Go-To system. It will hold the wiring and the Argo Navis controller.
The bracket is made from Red Oak and is finish just like the Oak on the Starmaster. I used Oak Flooring (simulated) for the pad and put an Aluminum angle piece on for a lip to hold things on the pad. The wiring will go through the tubing and out the bottom of the bracket. There is a 3/4" hole though the bottom bracket to allow the wiring to pass through, then there is a hole in the side of the rocker box near the bracket for them to go inside to the ServoCat. I used 1" aluminum tubing for the stalk. It mounts using one of the wheel barrow handle mounting holes so I did not make any new holes.
What do you think?

Very nice images indeed! Thanks for sharing.

Hi Floyd,

We are at Zwolle, La. in the public library using the computer . We tried go home last night. But the State Police won't allow us to go home. They say we have to wait a least 20 or more days before going home. We heard the electrical power is out in 44 parishes. Our area might be back on power on Nov. 2005. We are staying in a State Park Cabin for while. We don't know how my house is now? Hopefully not too damage.
We are coming back tomorrow and everyday checking for Astromart private email.

James
Astro Sky

This was just received by me today. Hopefully all will work out soon and they can go home.
Floyd

Ok,I got the podium finish finally. I have the quick disconnect box for internal to external connections installed. All wiring plugs into the box for connection to the DSC encoder, ServoCat and 12v power for the Argo Navis.
The hole in the top of the box is for the wiring from the Alt drive when it is installed it will pass through the box into the rocker box.
I also show the back of the podium tray to let you see how I did the attachment and wiring.
Hope you like it!

I took the 10" Astro Sky with the Zambuto to Mt Pinos last night. The seeing was good, but not perfect, rating of 8.0-8.5 on the Blue Sky Scale.
This was not technically first light, but rather second light, but the first time at a dark sky site.
The scope was very impressive! The optics were excellent with text book star tests. Contrast, resolution and clarity were fantastic. I did not expect as good of performance out of a 10" scope on DSO. It was the best I have seen.
Mars did get pretty good at 1am and the details were quite good in moments of clarity, with it rivaling any other scope that I checked out. It even gave as nice a view at the 28" Kennedy scope. Not the same as it was not as bright, but the details were as good or better. It seemed to get more moments of clarity than the other scopes I looked through. I did not exceed 508x because of the seeing. It was just a little soft at 500x and was best at about 260-300x.
The scope handled very well, with good motion and did not vibrate. The DSC worked excellent, with a 7-10mm EP having the object close to the center of the FOV after locating with the Sky Commander.
I am happy with the scope and the performance is as good as I had hoped. Another fine Zambuto mirror.
Speaking of fine mirrors, I had the opportunity to view through Steve Kennedy's 28" F/3.66 Go-To Dob for about 45 minutes last night. The mirror was amazing! I would never have believed that a mirror that fast would be that clean and free of coma. Views were excellent a Binoviewer and EP and if the skies had been better, they would have been spectacular.