16 inch telescope
Maybe it was a good thing that I kept the "yellow submarine" project 'submerged' until it was completed. I started off the DIY project with no experience and few skills, and worst of all in this case, no idea whether this untested idea to fit a triplet lens into a different doublet ota will work or flop. If I had asked here before I started the project, and got these response, maybe the "yellow sub" would not have materialised (:
Richard Low
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orly_andico
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I disagree that buying one's own dob is preferable to building.
Back in Manila, I built my own because the cost of shipping a complete set was prohibitive for me. While the cost of shipping the parts was much, much less.
Even today, a 16" Lightbridge would cost probably upward of $1000 to ship. That's very substantial.
I have seen some very good home-built dobs in Manila. Sadly, mine was not one of them. If one has the skill (or the ability to tap people with the right skills) then certainly, building is worthwhile.
OTOH.. I ended up with a small army of carpentry tools, and some additional scars on my hands from power tools gone wild. And it still wasn't that pretty. The last iteration (which I sold here on the forum) was the best by far. But it still isn't pretty.
Back in Manila, I built my own because the cost of shipping a complete set was prohibitive for me. While the cost of shipping the parts was much, much less.
Even today, a 16" Lightbridge would cost probably upward of $1000 to ship. That's very substantial.
I have seen some very good home-built dobs in Manila. Sadly, mine was not one of them. If one has the skill (or the ability to tap people with the right skills) then certainly, building is worthwhile.
OTOH.. I ended up with a small army of carpentry tools, and some additional scars on my hands from power tools gone wild. And it still wasn't that pretty. The last iteration (which I sold here on the forum) was the best by far. But it still isn't pretty.
I have seen some home-made dobs that aren't pretty, but they work and serve it's purpose. We should not assume that self-built dobs must turned out to be as presentable as an Obsession or Teeters dob. Each builder got to set his standard based on his effort, skills and ability. We should not be critical of how it looks, but rather how well the view through it looks (:
If one is not too handy with handling power tools or designing a dob, there is no need to build one from scratch; there are a few other options.
One way is hinted by Orly earlier, buy the scope kit or structure kit and fix it yourself. There are a few vendors selling such kits. All the components are there and plywood are already cut to size, so one just need to glue them together and paint it. I have seen one scope kit put together this way and the completed scope is very presentable indeed.
Another way is to come up with your own design, and get a local workshop/carpenter to build it, or get the carpenter to cut the plywood while you fix it up together.
If one is not too handy with handling power tools or designing a dob, there is no need to build one from scratch; there are a few other options.
One way is hinted by Orly earlier, buy the scope kit or structure kit and fix it yourself. There are a few vendors selling such kits. All the components are there and plywood are already cut to size, so one just need to glue them together and paint it. I have seen one scope kit put together this way and the completed scope is very presentable indeed.
Another way is to come up with your own design, and get a local workshop/carpenter to build it, or get the carpenter to cut the plywood while you fix it up together.
Richard Low
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cloud_cover
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Hi guys,
I'm not a DIY person - actually I have both left thumbs when it comes to working with tools. But I wonder if I can strike a balance
The OP's aim of self building a large Dob is definitely a good thing! Its a nice way of getting a large scope at a (relatively) cheap cost and having the satisfaction of seening what he created. I really, really wish him all the best and hope he'll let me peep through the scope one day
However, what some of the others say is also true: DIY-ing a large scope is not the easiest of projects and you can find on the CN forums people selling DIY parts.
So my thoughts to the Op are this: What's the motivation behind wanting to DIY your own scope? If its because you want to have the satisfaction of making something on your own or because you have searched out the other options and decided that the best outcome is still DIY, then go for it!
But do be aware it will involve significant time, some investment in tools (or a craftsman's time) and also require some DIY skills (which I'm sure the others will be happy to help)
On the other hand, if its because of pricing then you might want to reconsider the ready-made options to see if they will eventually be more cost-effective
Also with a 16" it WILL be large and heavy so if transporting will be an issue (i.e. you don't have an easily available deployment site), then do consider how its bulk will affect your viewing pleasure. In my experience with just a standard GEM and an 8" Cat, because I need to physically move it to an obs site, even with a car there are many nights I don't have the time or am too tired. Result: Very few obs nights. So do consider this factor as well
Anyway, whatever the outcome of the OP's decision, lets support him with our best advice and help in what is asked for
I'm not a DIY person - actually I have both left thumbs when it comes to working with tools. But I wonder if I can strike a balance
The OP's aim of self building a large Dob is definitely a good thing! Its a nice way of getting a large scope at a (relatively) cheap cost and having the satisfaction of seening what he created. I really, really wish him all the best and hope he'll let me peep through the scope one day
However, what some of the others say is also true: DIY-ing a large scope is not the easiest of projects and you can find on the CN forums people selling DIY parts.
So my thoughts to the Op are this: What's the motivation behind wanting to DIY your own scope? If its because you want to have the satisfaction of making something on your own or because you have searched out the other options and decided that the best outcome is still DIY, then go for it!
But do be aware it will involve significant time, some investment in tools (or a craftsman's time) and also require some DIY skills (which I'm sure the others will be happy to help)On the other hand, if its because of pricing then you might want to reconsider the ready-made options to see if they will eventually be more cost-effective
Also with a 16" it WILL be large and heavy so if transporting will be an issue (i.e. you don't have an easily available deployment site), then do consider how its bulk will affect your viewing pleasure. In my experience with just a standard GEM and an 8" Cat, because I need to physically move it to an obs site, even with a car there are many nights I don't have the time or am too tired. Result: Very few obs nights. So do consider this factor as well
Anyway, whatever the outcome of the OP's decision, lets support him with our best advice and help in what is asked for
DON'T PANIC
Maybe Dolphy2910 may like to come over my place to take a look at my dob project which is almost done. This is similar in size to what he is probably thinking of building, so he can have a hands-on assessment of whether he wants to take on a similar project, and whether it's comfortable for him to handle/move around (:
Richard Low
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orly_andico
- Posts: 1616
- Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: Braddell Heights
- Contact:
well
Not to read the OP's mind but when I was starting out, I thought that bigger is always better. So I went from an ETX-60 to the 10".. and was thinking of a 14" or 16" as a next step up.
We all know how that turned out.. practicality trumps size, a big scope is really hard to use and transport, so unless you live someplace dark where you can have the scope permanently set up, it would get little use.
Not to read the OP's mind but when I was starting out, I thought that bigger is always better. So I went from an ETX-60 to the 10".. and was thinking of a 14" or 16" as a next step up.
We all know how that turned out.. practicality trumps size, a big scope is really hard to use and transport, so unless you live someplace dark where you can have the scope permanently set up, it would get little use.