Michael Hotka's
My New 12.5-inch f/8 Telescope
My new telescope was complete on April 15, 2011.
First Dark Light - July 28, 2011 - WUTS 2011 - Fox Park, Wyoming
Click on Thumbnails Below to see a Larger Picture and Story
I have found that with the long focal length and hence, truss tubes, my scope is a bit tipsy when it is pointing within 45 degrees of the ground. In order to get the base more stable, thus making the DSC more accurate, I added a second base, which gives a larger footprint on the ground. I also found that the rocker box flexed enough to add about 1/8 inch of tipping here also. So I added more teflon pads to the base and added a large set of washers to help the center bolt distribute the flexing out on the base of the rocker box better. The pictures below show the extended base, the extra teflon pads and the larger washers to remove the tipping of the telescope. Click on each Thumbnail Image to see a larger picture.
My New Telescope Construction Pictures
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