Truss tube ideas

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Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

Hi all,

I am aware of a couple of people mentioning truss tube builds and have had the idea of doing my own build for some time now. I thought I'd start this thread so I can put down a couple of basics and see if anyone has any other ideas or pointers. There are going to be many outlets and ways of achieving this so sharing seems like a good idea.

I have ordered:

6 x 1metre aluminium tubes of 25mm diameter and with a 1.5mm wall. (These weigh approx 2 kg)

https://www.aluminium-online.co.uk/prod ... gth=1000mm

24 x Spring Threaded Tube Connectors that fit the tubes above with M10 bolts.

https://www.vital-parts.co.uk/spring-th ... 4629-p.asp

edit: I am going to need to double up on the poles and that will add 4kg to the overall weight)

My plan is to make either aluminium or steel circles from blanks and screw the tubes on like a truss dob. I intend to drill six holes round each support circle and use three alternately as you go up in either two or three rings. I will make a top plate / cell for each of my objectives in time but will just try to get it fixed together in the first place. (I'm thinking about an adjustable top ring that all cells would sit on)

I am planning with 250mm or so as an upper range in the future and am good for any ideas you guys may have. I think that puts my rings on the 300mm mark for future proofing.

I currently use an NEQ6 but with plans for an EQ8 if this gets too heavy.

Any thoughts or pointers would be very welcome. Please feel free to dump here any of your own initial ideas even if you do then start a post of your own. This is going to take me ages to get sorted and I will probably change my mind many times as I go along.

Thanks,
Fraz.
Last edited by FRAZ on Thu May 05, 2022 12:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I wondered at doing the Hexagonal build and may go there for the bigger build yet but my idea is to use the scope rings I have on my 10' reflector and turn that into a diy dob in the future.

I'm going to have to do a weight assessment but I figure that the beefy truss is going to be lighter than the 10 incher anyway.

edit: The three poles staggered will not work well and the weight is not good in total for a set of rings. I will have to go hexagonal and use a plate to attach one of the six sides.
Last edited by FRAZ on Thu May 05, 2022 12:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

The objectives I had in mind are from Istar. When I go large I want to try and hit that 228mm.

https://www.istar-optical.com/achromatic.html#ach220f15

The aluminium I have gone with is in sheets that I will cut out myself, that will be another piece of machinery I need to buy.
I have gone for 6mm aluminium and will make probably 4 support plates out of a 600x600 sheet and a long adapted dovetail plate out of a 1 metre by 300 sheet.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401463858919 ... SwpzJaO9N5

I purchased a workbee cnc from ooznest to mill the aluminium which takes a couple of months to come and then I will have to build and learn to use the thing so it could be a while.

Please note any links are just examples and not advertising, they are just what I am thinking and would always appreciate any insights as to good or bad choices.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by marktownley »

Sounds like you're going to have fun Fraser, I've not done anything like this, but I will sit back with some popcorn and watch it develop.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by rsfoto »

Hi,

Interesting project.

Maybe some sketches for a better idea what you are doing ?

I have seen many Truss tube designs and most of them have varying sizes of intermediate plates in order to avoid parallelism among the tubes.

Doing it like this perhaps saves you from using too many intermediate support plates ?

Just an idea.
Last edited by rsfoto on Thu May 05, 2022 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

rsfoto wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:36 pm Hi,

Interesting project.

Maybe some sketches for a better idea what you are doing ?

I have seen many Truss tube designs and most of them have varying sizes of intermediate plates in order to avoid paralellism among the tubes.

Doing it like this perhaps saves you from using too many intermediate support plates ?

Just an idea.
Do you mean thickness of the plates or designs of those plates?

I had only considered design as to make them narrower but your comments suggest I may be missing something here.

Thanks,
Fraz.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

marktownley wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:31 pm Sounds like you're going to have fun Fraser, I've not done anything like this, but I will sit back with some popcorn and watch it develop.
I'm going to make lots of mistakes. I'm going to learn a lot.
:seesaw


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by rsfoto »

FRAZ wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 8:08 pm
rsfoto wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:36 pm Hi,

Interesting project.

Maybe some sketches for a better idea what you are doing ?

I have seen many Truss tube designs and most of them have varying sizes of intermediate plates in order to avoid paralellism among the tubes.

Doing it like this perhaps saves you from using too many intermediate support plates ?

Just an idea.
Do you mean thickness of the plates or designs of those plates?

I had only considered design as to make them narrower but your comments suggest I may be missing something here.

Thanks,
Fraz.
No, the outer perimeter.

Make a search for truss tube telescopes and you will get the idea

https://tinyurl.com/truss-tube

https://tinyurl.com/DIY-truss-tube

http://www.nfilipovic.com/astrophotogra ... -telescope


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

You know when you look at something and think, that looks more difficult, I will go for the easier option.
You just got me good and proper.

I really just wanted to make this thing, if I could do it in stages and make improvements then I would feel so good about it. It seemed the logical way to go.

Having thought about it for a short while I think that a bracket could be made in the same position and rods used at different angles, it complicates things mostly in my machining capabilities I will need to look into this. Thankyou.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by Rusted »

Back in the early 80s [?] I made a truss tube 8.5" f/3.8 Newtonian using rubber "expansion bolts".
As the central screw is tightened a cone expands the hollow rubber "plug" into a very solid fixing.
This reduces the need for precision angle brackets. The rubber can allow some misalignment before it is fully tightened.
Such "expansion bolt" systems are easily made from "borrowed" cones and rubber bushes. Skateboard trucks?
They also exist in many different commercial forms for fixing items to walls.
This idea works well with aluminium tubing but might split carbon fibre tubing.
The other advantage is that the system can be dismantled repeatedly. Just by loosening a few screws.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by vkx86 »

Lunt has one very nice truss design - I think you can get some ideas from it.
There is very cool truss design from one of the forum's members - really good one IMHO.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

vkx86 wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 4:51 am Lunt has one very nice truss design - I think you can get some ideas from it.
There is very cool truss design from one of the forum's members - really good one IMHO.
Thankyou very much.

That first Lunt design, did you catch the price of that telescope!

The second is absolutely where I was aiming for and I couldn't have a better example.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by vkx86 »

FRAZ wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 1:52 pm Thankyou very much.

That first Lunt design, did you catch the price of that telescope!

The second is absolutely where I was aiming for and I couldn't have a better example.
It's my pleasure to offer some help in such an endeavor of yours :)
Lunt 300mm price is indeed astronomical - I have no idea what contributes to such a price.
Regarding Alessandro's truss design - it's ticks all boxes in very best ATM design I'd ever saw.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

vkx86 wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 2:12 pm Lunt 300mm price is indeed astronomical - I have no idea what contributes to such a price.
I guess it is a combination of etalon size and 'research grade'
I wonder how much more it is for the double stack!!!

:o


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by vkx86 »

FRAZ wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 2:30 pm I guess it is a combination of etalon size and 'research grade'
I wonder how much more it is for the double stack!!!
Their largest PT etalon is one used in their 230mm, it's 80mm CA un-obstructed etalon.
Off 230mm USD 33K price I would wildly guess that the tube, focuser and achro lens (using istar prices) costs 500+500+3700 = 4700 USD, let's round that to 5K.
That lefts us with 2 x 80 mm etalons at 28K, so 14K for one etalon.
I think they use same etalons in their 305mm, so we can speculate if applying research grade polishing to etalons is a main driver to two-fold price increase and not the fancy truss-tube and 70mm bigger lens ;)


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I know I have called this thread Truss tube ideas (but) and I want to talk about lenses.

It seems to me that after exhaustive research I came back only to Istar, the mod by Allesandro used the exact same objective I found! I am going to assume that there is not a glut of quality objective producers outside of china? I appreciate that this could be a thread of its own and will cut this short.

Are there any others I have missed that are in the realistic price range. Not more than 3 or 4 k?


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by Rusted »

Just as a side note: Parallel tubes are not a true truss design. [Not a Serrurier]
Parallel tubing OTAs have been used and called "skeleton" tubes for over a hundred years.
Parallel tubes do offer much easier linear adjustment of all the components.

The tubing used must be stiff in a parallel tube design.
Or the whole OTA will bend like a banana under its own weight!
Even before you add any optical components.

A full length brace to fit on the mounting saddle is a very good idea.
It brings its own inherent stiffness to the design [due to its beam dimensions].
You could use multiples of these rectangular beams to form your "tube."

I have used "builder's straight edges" for this purpose. Look up SWALK straight edges.
These are used for levelling screed and plaster work.
Very light and inexpensive for the quality and proportions they provide.
Available in lengths to match any likely amateur OTA. 3.6m? They have an internal rib for extra stiffness.
Most builders merchants sell them over here. Sometimes with a bubble level fitted at far higher prices.

This design has a sturdy beam.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26691

iStar objectives have a good reputation and have been used by some "world class" imagers.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I was speaking to a workmate today who recommended that I make the rods out of single longer rod of thicker aluminium instead of trying to connect multiple rods to either side of the plate, instead use connectors that attach the plates to the rod.

I can't see very well how Ale had his attached but I am keen to try that design. It just means I have wasted all that money on shorter poles and spring loaded connectors. I'll have to make something else out of that :)

I think the base plate is a t strut system and the aluminium is thick enough to bolt through and this is also how the rings are bolted to the tubes. RS Pro do this base plate and bolts. That may be worth looking into.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by rsfoto »

... instead of trying to connect multiple rods to either side of the plate, instead use connectors that attach the plates to the rod ...
Hi,

Not necessarily. Take a good look at those huge truss tube constructions of the Ritchey Chretien or whatever mirror telescopes.

Make some sketches and look at them ...

Thicker walls not always bring more rigidity but increase the weight of the construction and so other problems will arise ...


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by banjo »

lulu204mm.jpg
lulu204mm.jpg (185.55 KiB) Viewed 5240 times
super.gif
super.gif (23.66 KiB) Viewed 5240 times


bresser/messier 150/1200 (or 200/1800 Istar ) Mod -D-Erf 160mm intern-glasspath 1.25-etalon Pst barlow X2 ASI174
https://astropol.pagesperso-orange.fr/b ... 9/best2019
sorry for my English translators google :mrgreen:
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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by marktownley »

That's pretty cool Paul!


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by MalVeauX »

banjo wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 1:33 pm lulu204mm.jpg

super.gif
Fantastic! I've been looking for ways to build a truss frac for solar using my existing current lens I use (150mm). This is great inspiration!

What's the total weight on that?

Very best,


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by Rusted »

There is also the Porsa building system of aluminium tubes and reinforced plastic joints.
The joints are hammered into the square tubing using a rubber mallet.
The result is a very stiff construction capable of supporting aquaria.
Though not particularly lightweight.

Here is my take on the Porsa system for my folded 7"/180mm f12 R35 iStar refractor.

P1270146 rsz crop folded 7 telescope 2.JPG
P1270146 rsz crop folded 7 telescope 2.JPG (259.76 KiB) Viewed 5195 times


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by marktownley »

More cool scopes! Nice instrument Chris!


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by Rusted »

Thanks Mark. :D

Collimation was a nightmare!
The folding mirrors really need remote control rods.
With collimation adjustment knobs on the back plate.
I preferred to use the simpler, straight tubed version.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by banjo »

hello.
13Kg for the trip
lunette pliée alexandros.jpg
lunette pliée alexandros.jpg (270.57 KiB) Viewed 2205 times
no bigger than a 200/1000 Newton
200mmsemi-emballee.jpg
200mmsemi-emballee.jpg (116.12 KiB) Viewed 2205 times


bresser/messier 150/1200 (or 200/1800 Istar ) Mod -D-Erf 160mm intern-glasspath 1.25-etalon Pst barlow X2 ASI174
https://astropol.pagesperso-orange.fr/b ... 9/best2019
sorry for my English translators google :mrgreen:
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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

On my own journey to build something I have made steps on this looong journey.

Bought a cnc machine to learn how to make some circles or hexagons out of 10mm aluminium. This is a long journey in itself but I went for a workbee 1500 x 1500 and my learning has started. I actually had to build a room in the cellar and then a table to fit it while building it.

https://ooznest.co.uk/product/original- ... ize-colour
thumbnail_PXL_20220710_180617318.jpg
thumbnail_PXL_20220710_180617318.jpg (377.04 KiB) Viewed 1997 times
Sourced some reasonably priced aluminium t nut strut profile. Got the wrong size but making a smaller version while waiting for the lense for the 228. The profile does not look too dissimilar from that used to construct the workbee as pictured above.
https://www.aluminium-profile.co.uk/30x ... -kjn990720


Paid Istar £3200 for one of their excellent 228 F7.7 standard coating lenses. 7-9 month wait but that will give me the time to sort out the rest.
https://istar-optical.com/achromatic.html

Other brands and options are obviously available but this is where i am at.

Thankyou too for all of the inspiration as I have been battling through the last year. You guys are awesome. :bow2


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I happened on this awesome journey while looking for some finer points and while it is a long read it was very enjoyable and thorough.


I caught a couple of points on initial read that caught my attention but this one in particular:
Connecting the mid rings to the anchor point of the equatorial (mount) source. Is there going to be an expansion problem and how can you limit that?


https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/1660 ... am-effort/


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by AndiesHandyHandies »

vkx86 wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 4:51 am Lunt has one very nice truss design - I think you can get some ideas from it.
There is very cool truss design from one of the forum's members - really good one IMHO.
I am afraid this type are not very stiff or light.

Andrew.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by AndiesHandyHandies »

Hi

There are only two types which will be adequately stiff:

Surrier Truss as used in professional scopes.

Or for compact and quick set up a Hexapod three pole design. See Cloudy Nights thread.

Cheers. Andrew.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

So I have moved a little recently after Andies post and have gone all in on two ideas.

First idea was to buy a 12 inch dob with good solid truss and modify to reach my needs but this morphed quickly into diy truss ideas that I may follow later.

Second idea was to buy an F34 aluminium truss built for dj systems that has minimal deflection over 4 metres.

I have bought a 2 metre truss of F34 and will be trying it out. I will let you know how i get on. £240 seems like a reasonable outlay considering the fing about Im otherwise thinking about.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/stairville_tr ... 12_f34.htm


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by AndiesHandyHandies »

Hi

That should do as well triangulated. Looks do not matter.

The best non truss alternative is a alloy tube.

Cheers. Andrew.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I'm now thinking about the objective mount and the focuser attachment.

I need a 300mm ring like they do on the big dobs for a focuser attachment but in this case would help hold the objective. The logic is that the truss is just too narrow to sit the objective on top and gain full aperture view. I need to hold it slightly higher in the optical path even though this will cause me issues in the focuser regions.

For the focuser I am thinking about running a plate up the truss and a newtonian focuser flattened onto the plate. I would have to modify the seating arrangement to make it flat but I have seen a Diamond steeltrack that can do that and is quality.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader ... nians.html

As always, hints, tips, experience and ideas are always welcome.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

In hindsight after my last post. I should have got the 1.5m version and played with both ends. I could have extended the height and expanded the optical cone beyond the truss limits and I could have brought the focuser back at the rear.

To further explain. The centre point from pole to pole is 240mm and the objective is 228mm. This cuts close with 25mm each corner and will clip the view unless the Objective is raised and that creates the need for the additional connection of a raised ring to eliminate the difference.


https://www.thomann.de/gb/stairville_tr ... 11_f34.htm


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I discovered that you can buy a baseplate for the F34 Global truss system that fits a 5mm endplate.

I took this apart and after a couple of practice turns with some other aluminium I cut a 242mm hole in the endplate and fitted the Istar 227 to it. Very pleased with the results so now I am moving on to the focuser and the issues I am going to have with that.
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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by marktownley »

We do like a bit of machining! Nice work, keep us updated with progress!


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

Focuser assembly plate next.

I have an old Skywatcher f/9 APO focuser that was on my first PST Mod and no longer used. I wanted to use this particularly because I can sandwich the two parts available between a sheet of aluminium with a hole cut out of it.

I made the hole 2mm too small despite measuring meticulously. Only thing for it was to butcher it with a file to make it fit, and it now does.

I wanted to show this because I have not seen anything anywhere about focuser assemblies on diy. My other alternative was to perhaps buy a decent short reflector focuser and bolt it on to this very plate with the hole in it.

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Now I just need to find the focus point, create a jig on the lower section of the Global Truss unit and cut the plate to size.

Thanks for looking
Fraz.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

The saddle for the mount.

Due to the truss design I had to rethink my method of gripping the truss to then fit onto the mount. Again I had an item lying around which was a dual saddle. I bought a couple of dovetail bars drilled a couple of holes through the truss and bolted them on. I got lucky here in that the ADM dual saddle plate was only about 5mm off being perfect for the legs on the truss.

I know I am going to have some issues with balancing this and in the extended length perhaps being a problem when on the pier but I stole a little balance and I will put a weight on the focuser end if needed when I test it all out.
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Cheers,
Fraz.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

Made the jig for the focuser and tried the truss on the mount.

It's heavy, too big for the observatory and ridiculous to mount but these are all good things.
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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by rsfoto »

Hi,

Excellent construction. May I ask how much does the whole assembly weigh?


regards Rainer

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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

rsfoto wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:11 pm Hi,

Excellent construction. May I ask how much does the whole assembly weigh?
The global Truss runs at 12.5 kg
The plate and objective about 5.5 kg
The focuser assembly and saddle about 4 kg

Total about 22kg

Thanks.

5.4 kg for the objective so far out on the front is the challenging part.
Last edited by FRAZ on Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by rsfoto »

FRAZ wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:17 pm
rsfoto wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:11 pm Hi,

Excellent construction. May I ask how much does the whole assembly weigh?
The global Truss runs at 12.5 kg
The plate and objective about 5.5 kg
The focuser assembly and about 4 kg

Total about 22kg

Thanks.
That is reasonable for such a big lens

:bow2


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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by Rusted »

Congratulations on the progress of your truss OTA project. :bow

Unfortunately observatory size quickly becomes a VERY serious issue with bigger refractors.

DO NOT GET BOGGED DOWN IN CRAZY OBSERVATORY PROJECTS! SERIOUSLY!

It is better to carry out the OTA and mount it than NEVER to use it while you build a suitable housing!
Buy an industrial quality stepladder, like JUMBO, to help you reach the mounting height safely.
A handrail or two may save your life AND your OTA! Be warned! I have been doing this for years!

Full observatory? I would recommend Peter Drew's half cylinder observatories to house your project.
MUCH more practical than a hemispherical dome for a DIY builder.
Or perhaps a roll-off roof housing only large enough to cover the instrument.
Not easy given the height when horizontal! It could easily end up as a spinnaker in a storm! :shock:

Like an idiot, I built a 4.3m [14'] diameter dome out of a fiberglass agricultural unit but it needed a crane to lift it.
So I am currently trying to give it away. Over 3000 hits on Facebook and still nobody wants it! :cry:
Be warned that the scale of such a dome is unbelievable! As is the cost! Even for DIY. $6500+US or £5000+GBP.

https://fullerscopes.blogspot.com/2023/ ... y-43m.html


http://fullerscopes.blogspot.dk/

H-alpha: Baader 160mm D-ERF, iStar 150/10 H-alpha objective, 2" Baader 35nm H-a, 2" Beloptik KG3,
Lunt 60MT etalon, Lunt B1200S2 BF, Assorted T-S GPCs or 2x "Shorty" Barlow, ZWO ASI174.
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Re: Truss tube ideas

Post by FRAZ »

I hear you on the projects Chris, I just last year built the missus a fully insulated summerhouse 3.6 x 2.4 with a hot tub in and a roll off roof. Would look nice with a telescope in it ;) and after reading your blog I can see you jump in with both feet (right up to the neck in it).

I hope you are keeping well and I really appreciate your experience and help here.

Fraz


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