catman161 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 So after making the moveable setting circle and installing the lazy susan the sky was finally clear enough to give it a try. So I put it put in the back yard and let it cool for about an hour. I leveled the base and stuck on the wixey and spirit level to the OTA. I put the hyperion zoom in and did a rough "by eye" polar align by just centering polaris in the eyepiece and adjusting the finder to match and then set the circle to zero. I used my iphone and the app starwalk to get the alt/az cooridnates. To test it to see if it worked I picked the brightest target in the sky, Jupiter . I configured the iphone by giving it a figure of 8 motion through the air and held it up to the sky and jupiter lined up on the screen relative to where it was in the sky fairly accurately so I gave it a tap and clicked on figures which brought up the alt/az coordinates. I proceeded to set these coordinates on the circle and the wixey. They were fairly close but about a degree out but I was fairly pleased that the premise had worked. So next I set to trying to find M33. Unfortunately a lot fireworks around where i live had been going off and ther was a lot of smoke in the air, couple that with the appaling LP where I live and I did not find it Next I went for M31 and was very pleased that when I set the coordinates and looked through the eyepiece, there it was . After this I went for M34 and again found it quite easily. Then I went for a target that I have not managed to find before M27 the Dumbell nebula. I am pleased to say that I found it yet was a little dissapointed that it was just a very faint fuzzy. I hope to see it from belper some time to give a comparison. After this the fireworks just kept coming and coming so I had a look at jupiter and her 4 visible moons which were all in a beautiful straight line tonight. All in all I was quite pleased with how it worked but definitely need to put some milk bottle washers under the slide glides as the lazy susan moves a little too freely now that I have removed the central bolt to put the 3 way spirit level in the centre of the base. So one new Messier object for me tonight then the smoke and the cold and fatigue got the better of me so I called it a night. I think if I had had the polycarbonate rings machine cut to precision I would have been a litle more accurate but for a first attempt at scope modding I am pleased that it worked to a fashion Now I just need a very wide feild of view eyepiece, recommendations anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Glad it worked out, satisfying isn't it! The seeing not to bad now but earlier I thought it was pants! M27 always going to be a 'smudge' item I think, M57 so much more 'real'? Cheers Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Nice report Felix, so just to confirm, level the OTA with the spirit level and set wixey to zero, find Polaris in the ep, then set the setting circle to zero and making sure it is pointing North (towards Polaris) and away you go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I'm really pleased it works for you Felix. I think you know it's gonna be deadly accurate when you've done the fine tuning. Using that sytem Mick can find stuff with a 16" dob quicker than I can get to it using the goto lol. It's gonna rock and you're gonna be chuffed - believe me lol You can get a nice 33mm wide angle Swan by WO for around £40 s/h. GSO do a similar 30mm clone - possibly a tad cheaper (both 2" barrels). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Spot on, I told you it was going to be easy. Well done soon you will complete the Messier catalogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Glad it worked out, satisfying isn't it! The seeing not to bad now but earlier I thought it was pants! M27 always going to be a 'smudge' item I think, M57 so much more 'real'? Cheers Ron Thanks Ron, M57 is next on the list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Nice report Felix, so just to confirm, level the OTA with the spirit level and set wixey to zero, find Polaris in the ep, then set the setting circle to zero and making sure it is pointing North (towards Polaris) and away you go? That's it daz first thing I did was adjust the feet to level the base then just get Polaris centred in EP and set circle to zero. Then I levelled the OTA and set wixey to zero and off I went Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 I'm really pleased it works for you Felix. I think you know it's gonna be deadly accurate when you've done the fine tuning. Using that sytem Mick can find stuff with a 16" dob quicker than I can get to it using the goto lol. It's gonna rock and you're gonna be chuffed - believe me lol You can get a nice 33mm wide angle Swan by WO for around £40 s/h. GSO do a similar 30mm clone - possibly a tad cheaper (both 2" barrels). Thanks Kim, it certainly gave an added "buzz factor" when you line up the numbers then look in the EP and the object is actually there! Thank for the recommendations I like the sound of the William optics one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Spot on, I told you it was going to be easy. Well done soon you will complete the Messier catalogue. Thanks again for your help & advice Mick. Think I need to work the kinks out a bit like I said machined perfect circles would have made it a bit better I think but it'll so for now and I can always make an upgrade I doubt ill complete the messier catalogue too soon, especially where I live. Gotta get out to sawley/Belper/the new site at wymeswold depending on how things go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tweedledum Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Well done on the diy mod Felix. Just think of the cash you have saved, now go & find one of those uw SWAN's. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Thanks Damian I am on the look out or uwan definitely-allows for slight error in my workmanship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Pop up and try a couple of my wide eypieces soemtime Felix - get a good idea of what to expect - or I can bring some down to you if you're overdosing lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 That'd be great thanks Kim if I remember correctly you have a TV panoptic don't you? Oh how I love TV eyepieces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Lol - I have the 33mm and 40mm WO Swans as well (to be realistic haha) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Cracking job Felix. I wouldn't be too miffed about M33, you probably had it, but it is really faint and you have no chance from a light polluted back yard. I can't wait to have a look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Thanks Martyn. It really isn't that great when closely scrutinised! Very choppy cuts but is circular, almost-i did do the whole thing with a couple of screwdrivers sone glue and a Dremel multi tool!But hey, it works to a fashion. I really need to get it to darker skies to really test it Plus I need to put some milk bottle washers underneath the slide glides to make it a little less easy to slew-I could breathe on it and move it reckon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 There was a bloke once who made a racing bike out of washing machine parts - he only went and won the track cycling time trial record on it beating all the then current high tech bikes and setting a trend for cycle designs to come. So I wouldn't worry about dob mods that look "choppy" lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Great report on a successful mod Felix. You must be very proud to have made such a useful addition to your scope. I'm sure that the more you use it, the more you will put objects in the ep every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 There was a bloke once who made a racing bike out of washing machine parts - he only went and won the track cycling time trial record on it beating all the then current high tech bikes and setting a trend for cycle designs to come. So I wouldn't worry about dob mods that look "choppy" lol. Thanks Kim I am keen to seen mick as be had his Perspex machined so its spot on and the can roller bearings are spot on. I wanted to used then too but didn't know which ones to get so went with the slide guides instead as already had then to hand. I have added a central spirit level since to more accurately level the base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) Great report on a successful mod Felix. You must be very proud to have made such a useful addition to your scope. I'm sure that the more you use it, the more you will put objects in the ep every time. Thanks Pete. I wouldn't say proud as I have never been any good at DIY really but I gave it my best shot and it seems to work at present to within a degree or so. So Am happy that it is helping me learn more of the messier catalogue. Just need to do a couple more tweaks an ill be a lot happier with it. Edited November 8, 2012 by catman161 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazz Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Sounds very successful, i'd like to see that in action. Perhaps a mod for Bob, or even Harry too. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyboy1970 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Nice one. M33 can be hit and miss as it is very dim. M27 is quite small. Keep trying M33 and one day it will just be visable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 Thanks guys. Next meet ill hopefully get to as my back is much better than it was but apparently i still need to "be careful". But if I can get to a meet you're all more than welcome to have a look I would recommend looking at Mick's when he's finished as his is of a much higher standard than mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 As long as there is no lateral movemnt then yours will be as accurate as mine Felix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 (edited) As long as there is no lateral movemnt then yours will be as accurate as mine Felix. Oh right. It is great when it looks "pretty" too though. It's a nice thing to see, real precision and craftsmanship. I think the thing that just niggles at me a bit about mine is that I cut it by hand and whilst pretty circular it's not perfect. But hey it works ok which is good enough for me at the moment. I may "upgrade" it at some point and get some machine precision cut discs and a new degree circle if the niggles keep eating away at me Edited November 8, 2012 by catman161 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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