My C8 waiting for nightfall.
C5 This thing is soooo much fun a great grab and go!
Apex 102. Thanks for the help!!
CPC800 with first light for my Mallincam Jr. Pro.
Here's the first of my litter. Dunno if it'll be the last!
Here's my "roll out" C14 in it's normal configuration with a Hyperstar adapter and Vixen 95 mm guidescope.
The "chin" set-up is unusual and cool lookin!
Geez, how far down the street you rolling with that thing?
Good eye…those are indeed the Sisters. I love 'em but they also produce almost constant mountain waves that screws up the seeing all over central Oregon.
Looking cool was an unintended side effect. I moved the guidescope so that it mounts on the main scope dovetail to lower the CG. When I tired it on top, I had to add another rail and the CG moved so far out that I had to slide the counterweights to the outer limit. The resonant frequency got so low and I was very concerned about vibration. By moving the Vixen to the bottom, I could get rid of the second rail and pull the counterweights way up and things got really tight. It's on the centerline so everything is easy to balance. Frankly, Meade got it right by mounting their guidescope and finder really low, near the mount dovetail. One of these days, I intend to machine a plate that will allow mounting my other (heavy) Stellarview 80 mm finder next to the main scope with room for another scope or counterweight on the opposite side--similar to what Meade does. As a rule of thumb, you will always have a more stable mount if you can keep the distribution of mass as close as possible to the CG position.
Hahaha…I guess it does look like a street! It's actually on an airport taxiway. I keep it in a hangar at the airport, which is in a fairly dark area. I only have to roll it out about 30-40 feet to get to where you see it in the photo. I'm in a really quiet corner of the airport and I've only had to waive off one Bonanza late at night when he tried to pass. All the locals know that I'm the "nut" out there at night on the taxiway and they are cool with it. There's another local airplane guy with a C8 who has even threatened to join me one of these days.
That is one heck of a rolling pier! Wow.
It was what I always thought about building, but I bought it from fellow CN member Ron Price. As I recall, Ron was a mechanical engineer on the LBT program and he gets all the credit for designing and building it. It is a superb design and unbelievably stable. It is hell-for-stout and I would guess that it could easily handle a scope up to about 18".
here is my lx10 converted to a intelliscope.
Wow! That is a very nice setup! Awesome scenery you have there, too!
Geeze jhayes how fast does that thing do once it lifts off the runway?
Here's my little backyard grab and go, for those quick peeks.
I like that little rig......sharp!