Sunday, May 13, 2007

Finishing the Ball Scope

Long weekend, tomorrow is national election day. So I've had some opportunity to work on my telescope rebuild.

Everything is coming together nicely, this time I was careful not to cut too much away from the truss tubes (and end up with a too-short optical tube). It's much nicer when I can leave the scope for a few hours and go to the mall. Lets the glue dry nicely.



Problem is, it's now top heavy. When I did my initial balance estimates, the trusses were about 10 inches longer (so I thought I had enough leeway) but there was no focuser, eyepiece, diagonal, spider, or finder up on the upper truss assembly.



Now with my home-made helical focuser, Rigel Quick Finder, diagonal and holder, and eyepiece up there, the tube sags downward when it's anything less than 40 degrees from the horizontal. I will have to try putting another five-pound barbell weight inside the ball. If that doesn't work.. I'm fresh out of ideas.