Pimp My Telescope -- Red Dot finder

I managed to pick up a simple red dot finder, actually it is simpler than I thought and I think I can make one out of a laser pointer and some optical glass etc.

Pimp my Telescope - components list

Parts to make/fabricate

Bearing Box

• The box, 4 sides about 7" long by 3" wide
• Bearing disks, 120 mm diameter, (double thick, apply laminate)

The Fork

• Bottom Disk, 10" Apply Laminate
  
• Fork Arms 8" high (Double Thick, apply teflon)
  

The Base

• Tripod top disk, 10" (Teflon on top)
• Legs, 4 foot, round edges.
  

Building the Dob-like mount

For the Bearing Box:

1. 1 sheet HVHC plywood (3/8 should do it)
2. 1x2's for the legs (3)
   
3. Teflon (On order)
4. Ebony Star (on order)
5. Varnish/wood finish

Tools

1. Jigsaw
2. Router
3. Sander
4. Square
   
5. Clamps (have a few more would help)
6. Circle Jig
   

Modding the telescope (ETX-127)/ AKA PIMP MY SCOPE

OK so I have a meade ETX-127 Optical tube that I picked up used. currently it has a orion 9x50 Finder which Is pretty nice but poorly placed. In addition the scope is currently sitting on a tripod head that was really made for a view camera. and while it works well with a view camera it kind of sucks for a telescope.

SO some changes, I would like to do 1 and 2 and maybe 3 in the next month.

1. Build a dob style alt-az mount, and maybe a new wood tripod
   
2. Move the current finder to the structure of the mount (see #1) (may need new finder bracket)
   
3. Add a Zero Power Finder
4. Add Binoviewers
   
5. Green Laser Pointer?
6. Pair of 13mm Naglers
   

Photography projects

I think with the equipment I have now (save what I just wrote about in the last post) I can do most of the things I want to do. I have some ideas for stuff involving flash that will have to be put off until some future point, but I think I can do the projects I'm working on now at least to some extent with the cameras I have. I think a normal lens (Which is what most of the cameras have) will work for all of these.

• Flowers: Sinar with the "Flower Tripod" Just have to wait for the flowers to bloom, I will probably also have to find a large piece of cardboard to lie down on while working.
• Milky way, Round 1: Pentax or Rollei with Barn Door, next summer mostly
  
• Landscapes, Sinar just need to find the time, and get my car back. I would like to drive down the Allon road over Passover to take these.
  
• Moonscapes, Full moon in the desert, can use any camera, normal lens will work fine.
  

Equipment to aquire in the short term

"Flower Tripod" Will be just two boards screwed together with a screw to attach the camera. I may have to buy the machine screw and a few screws to build it. Should be able to salvage the wood. Total cost less than 50NIS.
Need to buy

• Machine screw to mount camera
• Some wood screws (May have)
  
• Wood glue (may have)
• 1x4 board , about 3', may be able to find
• Loops for tent pegs (Strapping, 12")
  

Barn Door mount/ bent bolt.
Needed to buy (See sky and telescope)

• Wood, (See above)
• Some eletronics (current regulator, Pot, Resistors, LED, breadboard)
  
• gears (2 same tooth count)
• extra finder bracket ($12)
  

New Telescope

I picked up a Meade ETX 127 MCT telescope, well just the OTA. I attached an Orion 9x50 finder and put in some eyepieces that I already had. So far mostly been looking at Luna (as I didn't have that finderscope)

Also recently aquired a Carl Zeiss Jana 300mm F4.5 Tessar lens for the astrograph.