Keiths next scope modding plans

Basically, the new info about the existence of a $1600 16" Lightbridge servocat kit means I can get a servocat and Skycommander equipped scope for not much more than the hodge podge, functionally deficient GSO Strut, Dobdriver, Intelliscope hybrid I priced up in my first posts.

ie at current exchange rates €1200 for the servocat/sky commander and €1600 or the LB. €2800. Thats actually less!! :laugh: happy days!!

Just gotta confirm with Gary at stellarcat, that the LB kit has all the functionality of the more expensive versions and can track and goto with the accuracy I want. Basically I want something that can track a planet and keep it in the FOV at 1000x + for high mag webcam imaging with minimal nudging.

Once I know that I will look at the exchange rates. Dollar is down to 1.35 from the high of 1.55 that I got other stuff from the states at earlier in the year. If I find that the trend is ever lower, I'll order the servocat kit soon. If its on the way back up I'll hold off ordering obviously.

If ordering from the States Keith, have you factored in the import tax and duties?

Not in the figures above Paul but then again they would apply to the dob driver too so the price differential stays the same. I will of course budget for handing out a possible further 300-400 euro's in Customs and tax but all fingers and toes will be crossed. The 40 kg Equatorial platform I bought earlier in the year that came in a huge box and clearly marked at €600 made it through without me being charged via USPS. I can only hope that the much smaller 5 or 6 kg servocat makes it through too.

The way I look at it now after absorbing Daves advice is that its worth paying the extra. He's right about paying more for something that just works out of the box than the hassles of cobbling together a hodge podge solution. And how its an investment that I can transfer to future scopes. That being said, I have really examined my concience and I can't see myself short of winning the Lotto plus or a 20" appearing on UKastrobuyandsell for silly money, being prepared to fork out the huge jump in price for 18-20+ inchers. This scope might be the last scope I own. Its the largest apeture under my mental price/performance ratio threshold. Apeture fever loses its hold on me when one starts having to pay 8-9000 for the next jump in apeture compared to a 3000 all in 16" incher.

I can see myself maybe getting the mirrors re-figured to premium standards in a few years alright and maybe even getting a 1000 dollar mallincam to get my 30inch apeture scope kicks, but I think I will have this lightbridge for a decade or too till my back starts to say No No No!! :laugh: Who knows, by then we might have carbon nanotube airgell OTA's with composite 20inch mirrors 1cm thick that weight 10Lbs that weighs in total no more than a sack of potatos and dismantles and folds into the size of a suitcase!!

Heres some pictures of the base dismantling mod. Maybe you should think about this too Eamonn. Saves space in the car and splits the weight in four.

[img=http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/9217/lb1lx1.th.jpg]
[img=http://img516.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]

[img=http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/6277/lb2uq1.th.jpg]
[img=http://img227.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]

[img=http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/7286/lb3uk5.th.jpg]
[img=http://img390.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]

Heres the Lightbridge 16" servocat and argo kit with my additions. Cover over the altitude motor and dsc assembly and cover over the dismantle blocks and azimuth motor,dsc,controlbox assemblies.

My 'Alloy' wheel on the focusser side is unobstructed by anything. So picture it all painted gloss black with a KITT Red LED bar on the front and 'Knight Rider' stenciled on the side. :laugh: :laugh:

[img=http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9158/lb7uq7.th.jpg]
[img=http://img227.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]

[img=http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/9420/lb6qg1.th.jpg]
[img=http://img390.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif]

Groundboard is 31.5" wide by 24.5" high at the top of the forks
The OTA (mirror tub)is actually 22" wide ( because of truss screws and trunions) by 22" high.
Upper Tube Assembly (secondary) is 11" high by 19" wide, but is 22" at the focuser.

Heres some pictures of the base dismantling mod. Maybe you should think about this too Eamonn. Saves space in the car and splits the weight in four.

That could a recipe for disaster in our climate.
Doing that more than a few times could completely weaken the integrity of the base.
It's not that strong at all, just chipboard, and it has to hold quite a weight, so taking the screws in and out might weaken their seating....and let's not even begin to talk about doing that in the dark and cold at an observing site, both before and after, with jet-black screws and damp waiting to get in to swell the chipboard.
I'd thought about the captive nuts and bolts, but I don't think the base material is up to it on a long term basis, and it could be easily damaged even installing them.
I reckon it'd be a go-er if the base was templated and used to cut out a good wood replacement with, but it's fragile to the point where even a soft kick would trash the supplied base....the weak spot of the whole unit.
Honestly, I find it's difficult enough getting it out, assembling it, and collimating it without a DIY session latched onto the start and end of it!
The mods look cool though, but I would really replace the supplied chipboard with decent wood before I added them to the assembly....then you could be confident about it lasting and being reliable.

Thanks for the measurements Eamonn. Definately worthwhile making up some boxes to those dimensions. Its the height of the sloping roof that is the deal breaker with my car. But the Lightbridge base appears to be shorter than the GSO I was talking about at the beginning of this thread 24.5 vs 27.5. Same with the mirror tub 22 high vs 24 or 25 IIRC.

To clarify. The mirror tube end ring is about 19inches but the Aluminium 'alloy wheel' bearings take the width out to 22 inches. So that would mean the 2 side forks are about the same distance apart wouldn't it. ie about 22" from one fork to the other.

Hmmm....The low point in my roof is 24" but either side of this is about 27". I'd just need to tilt it ever so slightly to get one 24.5" fork under the lowpoint and then the two 24.5" forks would have plenty of clearance either side of the low point with 3 inches to spare.

I think this could be doable without a base dismantle mod after all. And as you said, the less messing around with the base the better. Means I could re-inforce the base to reduce base flexure now that I wouldn't have to worry about that intefering with a requirement to dismantle.

It seems like there is less and less work required for me to do to the scope :laugh: excepting the work involved in lifting the thing. :laugh: ie Good possibility of this fitting in the car without any work at all on the base required....so eh....basicaly all I have to do is fit the servocat and argo navis and paint it! Far cry from all the stuff I was talking about at the beginning of the thread.