Posts Made By: Steve Vallin

I just pulled a 4.5 inch Tasco f4.3 reflector out of a garbage dumpster. The mount, finder, eyepiece, and plastic barlow are all perfect to go back in the dumpster. The rest of the scope however looks quite salvagable as a small, quick look, rich field scope, or to give away as a good beginner scope. I would like to build a small dobsonian mount for this scope along the lines of the Orion Starblast scope. Does anyone know of any plans or web sites showing the construction of such a mount?

I am going to install 3 small fans behind the primary in my C8 to stir the air in the OTA. Has anyone ever used double sided foam tape to mount fans, instead of drilling holes in the back of the rear cell? I have some 3M Acrylic Plus Automotive Attachment tape, part #06384, for use on body side mouldings, Claddings, rocker panel trim, wheel flares, ect. It is made to withstand exposure to all kinds of weather, car washes, ect. I would think it would work great to mount the fans esp. since they are light as a feather and not exposed to the elements. Of course I would still have to drill one hole for the electrical connection, but that would be a lot simpler than drilling holes for brackets to mount the fans.
What do you guys think. Steve V.

O.K. Heres a question. I NEVER level my Celestar 8 wedgepod when polar aligning for visual use. If I wanted to try using the setting circles would I need to level the wedgepod?

Steve.

I will be using the 3M automotive mounting tape. I did some testing, and was not pleased with the strength of the tape attached directly to the fans, so I built brackets of aluminum like Keith Lawson used on his C 9.25. After I made the brackets I made an extra one and used the tape, (3 strips) to attach it to an extra piece of aluminum angle. I cannot physically pull these two pieces of aluminum apart. Should be plenty strong.

How about it Uncle Rod?