Lunartic shouldn't have bought my 12" Orion from me....

If I remember rightly, Phil L. is building one of these babies?
You out there Phil ?

With a telescope like the 8" f/60 dodeca-Shiefspiegler you be waiting 10 minutes for the light to hit your eye :laugh:

Certainly am out there... way out there!

I'm nearing (I hope!)the end of yet another extended lay-off working on the "Great Construction!" The Optics are more or less done and the observatory building is mostly finished and flat-packed in my sheds. I was having fun with Dee's arc-welding kit (something every girl should have!) in September, welding up the frames for the 14" and 20" scopes that will be mounted side-by-side on the same fork mount. I just have to stop finding excuses, pull the finger out and finish off the job!

I've just discovered Neodymium super-magnets and am investigating the possibility of using them to magnetically levitate the dome to reduce friction and rotate it by turning the whole shooting-match into a low-speed motor! Not sure I can get that to work (for a reasonable price) but it's a bit of fun researching it!

Phil.

You better get your order in quick Philip. Only this week I read about how China has 97% of the Neodynium reserves on the planet....and they have started to cut the supply to the rest of the world. They want to do all the processing within China. ie. instead of selling the raw ore they want to start making all that 'added value' revenue themselves by doing all the processing 'inhouse' and selling a more finished product abroad. Means the price will rise in the short to medium term.

After reading your post, I thought it was a bit of a wind up at the beginning but by the end I realised you were serious, WOW. You don't do things by halves do you. One of the most complicated optical path scopes, in one of the most complicated geodesic shaped dome, running on the most sci-fi bearing systems.

Can't wait for the grand opening. I assume myself, Dee, Lunartic, Dave B and Michael M are invited! Tea, Crumpets and observing at Phils gaff every new moon....

Don't you just love the comment at the end:

Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.

Anyone know any under-12s who could lug that thing around (or over-12s for that matter!)