Posts Made By: Scott Wegner

Anybody have any experience with these? I was going to buy an Orion 6XT dob as a quick thow out in the yard scope but when I finally went to order this afternoon they went off sale and out of stock. Meanwhile, I had seen the Hardin 8" for $299! on their site. It looks almost identical to the Orion and they "claim" it has a better mirror than Orion.

For $300 I figured I can't go wrong it is only 5lbs more than the 6". I already have a Meade LX200 8" and tons of eyepieces including some 2" Naglers so the 2 " focuser looked more enticing and Orion being out of stock helped me decide.

What does anybody know about these?

Thanks,
XOrionFe

I finally after 2 years decided to link my LX200 to my laptop running Starry Night Pro 3.12. I figured out how to make the control cable thanks to Doc Gs corrections on the MAPUG site. But I am confused on procedure for use.

The main question is whether I do a 2 star alignment (ALT-AZ) first the normal way with the LX200 (its a classic) and then connect in Starry Night to the scope? Do you need to align the scope even? Wouldn't the two (Starry Night and the LX200) fight each other for control?

I'm confused.

Also, it seems like when selecting objects in Starry night and slewing to them, it pays no attention to wrapping the DEC motor cable around and around.

Thanks for any insight.

XOrionFE

I have taken a look at some of the piers available out there such as Pier-tech and LaSuer and am astounded at the price these guys charge. I would think a steel pipe with a couple flanges welded on would be under $100.00 to make.

Are there any out there cheaper than these? Not to bash them as I am sure many people appreciate that at least somebody is making them but I cannot see spending upwards of $600 for a piece of steel pipe with some steel plates welded on.

For that kind of money I could buy my own arc welder and make my own. Who knows, maybe I will start making a model that is much more affordable to the humble masses.

XOrionFE

In order to hopefully kill the thread I started entitled "Ridiculously Priced Piers" I would like to thank all of you who responded with constructive comments as well as your own personal experiences in building your own.

I in no way intended to take away from companies making them currently except to point out that for a lot of people out there including me, they are too high priced. This is not to say they aren't a great quality and service to those willing to pay the price.

As for me building some for the masses, I have decided to build my own and not pursue further as some people out their obviously do not care about the opportunity to get a basic pier for around $100.00. If I am wrong, let me know.

To those of you who spend your time in these forums attacking "people" on a personal level, you should think about your comments before posting as you add nothing to a good intellectual debate.

Thanks again to the rest of you. Especially those who showed their homemade piers and explained the time it took to build them.

Lets move on.

I just lucked upon a 10" Meade Starfinder EQ in excellent shape. I got it for $275 and it includes the heavy duty original EQ mount with Parallax rings and digital setting circles (Meade Magellin I), a telrad, 8x50 finder, collimation kit, and believe it or not, a JMI NGF-DX3 focuser that was mounted on it and looks like brand new. I took a peek at some stars and jupiter and the optics seem great.

Now, the thing is, the mount is huge, heavy and out of control. I would like to take the tube with the JMI, telrad, finder, etc and build a Dob base for it and sell the rest in the classifieds.

I have a woodshop and a supply of baltic birch. Does anyone have a decent plan for doing such a thing. I have a Hardin DSH-8 dob and I guess I could model it after that but I would have to figure out how to duplicate the round plastic pivot points mounted on the tube.

Any ideas or some plans would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Scott

I have a Meade 8" LX200 Classic and am purchasing a Canon Digital Rebel camera for astrophotography.

Questions:

1. Do I get a T-Adapter or am I better off getting an Off-access guider (do they do the same function as far as attachment and do I not need a guider for long exposure)?

2. I guess I need a T-Ring also. Is this purchased from the camera store or from telescope store?

3. Can a webcam be used for autoguiding ( I own a Logitech Quickcam 4000)?

4. My scope is f/10. Will I definitely need a focal reducer? f3.3 or f6.3?

Thanks for your help.

XOrionFE

I just finished converting a 10" Meade Starfinder f/4.5 onto a Dob base. I didn't want to deal with the EQ mount. Last night I finally tested the optics (I recently bought it from a guy down the block but didn't want to drag out the EQ mount). I decided to build a dob base...if the optics were no good than I figured I wouldn't finish the base. Last night I tested the optics and the dob base. Primary was pinched, JMI focuser was slightly off as was secondary. I pulled out the cell, loosened the clips, put back in and adjusted and colimated all. Star test turned out good although we had clouds rolling in and out and seeing was horrible.

Anyway, the base works fine but a little sticky in azimuth so I am going to put a couple bigger pieces of teflon underneath. I only used Ebony Star on the altitude bearings as I didn't have enough for the base. I used a regular slightly smoother laminate piece from Menards.

I am happy enough with it that I think I will go ahead and finish it today as it is a crappy day out.

Scott

Is it better to get split rings and mount solidly without ability to adjust or better to get 3point mount rings?

I plan on using the at1010 to guide for the LX200 with a webcam but also plan on using the at1010 for primefocus photography using the LX200 as the guide scope?

What do the rest of you do?

Thanks,
Scott

PS. - I have posted this in Equipment forum also but I figure you allhave the most experience with this.

Is it better to get split rings and mount solidly without ability to adjust or better to get 3point mount rings?

I plan on using the at1010 to guide for the LX200 with a webcam but also plan on using the at1010 for primefocus photography using the LX200 as the guide scope?

What are the opinions out there from folks with similiar setups?

Thanks,
Scott

Well Robert,

Obviously you TOTALLY misunderstood my point. I don't give a damn about electronically lifting the scope and maintaining a nats ass alignment.

I want to park my scope on a SIMPLE pier for SIMPLE viewing. What in the heck do I need a $650.00 high tech lifting gizmo of a pier. My backyard is not the future KECK site.

I merely was asking for "as you just repeated" a simple pipe with a plate welded on each end with a couple bolt holes. If Pier Tech was smart, they would make one for around $100 and I bet they would sell a ton of them.

There are a lot more of us simple amateurs who just want to grab an hour of visual observing than there are of millionaire amateurs with tens of thousands of dollars wrapped up in equipment trying to achieve professional observatory results.

BTW- It looks like Pier-Tech has an awesome product for a specific small niche of enthusiest. I am not trying to take away from what they made or bash it. If I had a few thousand dollars to throw around like it was nothing, I would probably buy one.

Got it now?
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