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Posts Made By: Mike Clemens

July 18, 2003 08:39 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Mirror Aluminum Finishes

Posted By Mike Clemens

I am building a couple 6" refractors, and I would like some mirror-like parts on them. (See Pic) As I understand it, I could:

(1) chrome them, or
(2) nickel plate them, or
(3) highly polish them and clearcoat, or
(4) highly polish them and not clearcoat, maintaining the shine instead.

Can anyone speak to the practicality of any of these paths? Path 4 seems pretty attractive if the shine can be maintained.



July 19, 2003 02:39 AM Forum: Eyepieces

Monocentric Update

Posted By Mike Clemens

Thomas Back has 400 of the ep's in his hands now. He is testing them.

August 1, 2003 08:25 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Mirror Aluminum Finishes, Part 2

Posted By Mike Clemens

This looks to be a great kit if you have some components of your scope you want to put a mirror aluminum finish on:

http://www.erigate.com/3MFinishingSystems/aluminum_kit.htm

You can see the complete (brief) kit instructions on that page.

I ordered a kit from them. I've taken one of my focuser-rings partially through the first (roughest) grit of the abrasive so far and I think it's looking like this is going to turn out fantastic.


August 6, 2003 11:43 PM Forum: Binoviewers

Mark V initial impressions

Posted By Mike Clemens


I rcvd a Baader Mark V bino today from Astro-Physics. Overall, I like the new eyepiece holders. I think they'll take a few sessions to get used to. I dont particularly like having any lubricated components in front of the prisms or around the eyepieces, but it's obviously essential for the eyepiece holders to work properly.

The clamp lock action does grip with the force of Odin. A mild twist of the lock and you can pick your scope up by the eyepiece (I'd assume!.. wont be trying that.)

The diopter adjust seems fluid enough, about like the Lapides adapters were, very smooth but not perfectly smooth.

I intend to try some Denk II's some day, and I'd like to read anything I could find about how their diopter adjustable locking eyepiece holders feel.

February 17, 2004 07:55 AM Forum: Telescope Making

baffled

Posted By Mike Clemens

I am building a couple of aluminum refractor tubes for 6" lenses. I am practically ready to paint and put the lenses in, with one exception. I am thoroughly baffled on how to baffle the tubes. Can anyone point me to someone who can make precise donut shaped baffles which are produced to fit my tubes here? (They are about 5.75" inner diameter.) Thanks. Mike

March 8, 2004 09:59 AM Forum: Telescope Making

ATM refractors one more step

Posted By Mike Clemens

I just couldn't wait for my final paint, and went ahead and had first-light on my ATM 6" TMB APO. It was spectacular! It gave me my finest views of Saturn ever on the first night out, which was a big relief seeing it all come together.

Here's a picture of the scope as it went out that first night. It's back in pieces again for painting now smile

Anyway, I wanted to share another picture of the results of that 3M aluminum polishing kit I mentioned a while back. Notice the dewshield ring in the picture above, and after about 45 minutes of polishing see the results below. There are still some scratches you can see, so it's going back under the polishing paper some more, but the 3M kit is great, especially with a lathe spinning the piece. Here is the stuff:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E152215A7

March 8, 2004 09:50 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

question about TOA130, Tak152 etc.

Posted By Mike Clemens


Are there tak made rings available? Would the FS152 tube clamp hold a 35 pound scope well? Will it hold a scope of 6" outer diameter (plus paint)?

thanks
Mike

March 16, 2004 08:24 AM Forum: Telescope Making

To flock the impossible...

Posted By Mike Clemens

OK so I want to flock my refractor. The main tube is 5.75" inner diameter, and about 28" or 30" long (it's not here.) No baffles are in it.

How does one possibly control a roll of self adhesive McMaster during this process... I am quite intimidated by this step.

thanks
Mike

March 20, 2004 01:03 AM Forum: Telescope Making

2nd Light Tonight

Posted By Mike Clemens


First light was in bare aluminum. Not too classy smile Tonight the tubes are back from the painter and flocked (thanks John B.) and ready for some action. The red tube will take a couple more weeks to be finished since the dewshield ring needs to be opened up by about 1/16th inch to play nice with the new paint job.

March 30, 2004 11:02 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Another ATM152

Posted By Mike Clemens

Finished my second 152 tube today.

You might recall the white one from a couple weeks ago
is a visually oriented scope with a 2.7" Astro-Physics focuser:
http://www.eagleriver.com/tmb152/scopus.jpg

The red one I finished today has a 4" Astro-Physics focuser
and is capable of medium format film work. (Providing I
could get a field flattener adapter to the AP focuser format.)

Here are some pics:

http://www.eagleriver.com/tmb152/final/red2.jpg
http://www.eagleriver.com/tmb152/final/red1.jpg
http://www.eagleriver.com/tmb152/final/red4.jpg

I only have one TMB152 lens so I moved it over to the red
scope for now.

The red one will be fun at star parties since it is, ahem,
you could say.. rather vibrant . I am not really sure I like
the red, but thats the way it's going to be for a couple
years I'd guess... "Refractor Red"

Mike