[SJAAboard] Analysis of Scope 8 (14" Homebuilt Dob)

[Rob Hawley]

I am going to offer to rebuild the 18" at the next board meeting.  We had to
hunt around for a car that was large enough to transport it. It took
multiple people to carry the pieces and loan it into the car since it does
not have wheels. To me that was a clear sign that something needed to be
fixed.

I could tackle the 14" first, but looking at the overall condition of the
scope and comments from the last loanee makes me question the quality of the
optics.  If anyone were going to approach a rebuild on this we would first
have to have the mirror tested and possibly refigured.

An alternative would be to purchase (or solicit the donation of) a Meade 12"
LightBridge.  This is a commercially available truss type scope.  Modern
mirrors are half the weight of #8's 40 lbs. The 12" Lightbridge is $999, but
many vendors are running Christmas specials.


We should probably take the mirrors for 28 (the scope Albert is already
committed to) and the 18" to Chabot to have them tested.  I would not be
willing to spend the time on the 18 without that. We should have had scope
28's mirror tested this summer.

Rob Hawley