12" Dob recommendation

Very nice trio of scopes John, the Lightbridge looks lovely. I have one of these incoming early next week.. www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_inf...escope---Deluxe.html
Apparently the optics are the same as the Lightbridge, both made by GSO. Can i ask if yours had thumbscrerws for collimating the primary or screwdriver headed screws?

Hi Damo

The scope came with thumbscrews for the primary and these work pretty well. However I made some modifications as soon as I received the scope that make a world of difference

1. Replaced the primary springs with stiffer ones from Bobs Knobs (or Farpoint). This makes a world of difference in collimating the scope and holding colimation and only takes a minute to install.

2. Replaced the secondary screws with Bobs Knobs thumbscrews. Again makes a big difference for collimation in the field

3. Added some Farpoint counterweights to the rear cell. This balances the scope perfectly even with a heavy eyepiece and the altitude break is no longer required

4. Get a Telrad finder

www.irishastronomy.org/index.php?option=...9&id=91426&Itemid=40

The scope is really good and the images are great, especially the moon. Easy to transport too. You will have lots of fun with the GSO but you may need a few simple mods (cost about 70-80 Euro) to make it a great scope. The focusers (10:1) are pretty decent too.

Cheers
John

Thanks for the info John. I have heard that the GSO primary springs are on the weak side so will look into the replacements along with the Bob's Knobs secondary thumbscrew adjusters. I had a look at the Farpoint counterweight system, nice idea. Already have a Telrad so sorted in that department

Hi John,

Nice to hear from you. You got a nice array of scopes in your collection now. If I had read your post before your order, my recommendation would also have included Revelation, but I am not sure you can get them from new lately. Remember the selling frenzy around 4 years ago over here? Fantastic value for the size of the scope versus price. We bought a second hand one (12") and find it fantastic - when we get a chance to use it...

Seanie.

Seanie_Morris wrote: Hi John,

Nice to hear from you. you got a nice array of scope in your collection now. If I had read your post before your order, my recommendation would also have included Revelation, but I am not sure can you get them from new lately. Remember the selling frenzy around 4 years ago over here? Fantastic value for the size of the scope versus price. We bought a second hand one (12") and find it fantastic - when we get a chance to use it...

Seanie.

Hi Seanie

Are Revelation and GSO the same thing?
I must admit I really like the dobs for sheer convenience and great views. My C11 will be used only for imaging now. The weather has not been that great here either. The last two years have been the wettest on record (ever since I arrived )

Cheers

johnomahony wrote: The weather has not been that great here either. The last two years have been the wettest on record (ever since I arrived )

So, when you leave (Ireland), you always take the weather with you, only you left some of it behind here! :whistle:

Seanie.