Skymentor 8" Dobsonian Refurb
First light with the slightly-used Sky Mentor 8" Dobsonian
First light with the slightly-used Sky Mentor 8" Dobsonian
First light with the slightly-used Sky Mentor 8" Dobsonian
Taken around 2005, my first real telescope.
Last of the logo
First light with the slightly-used Sky Mentor 8" Dobsonian
First light with the slightly-used Sky Mentor 8" Dobsonian
Didn't bother trying to save this...but for posterity...a pic
Strip down and paint begins
First light with the slightly-used Sky Mentor 8" Dobsonian
Strip down and paint begins
Just before total dis-assembly, sanding and painting
It's ALIVE!!!
Re-worked the focuser
Strip down and paint begins
All put back together, cleaned up and collimated.
Sexy beast
Re-worked the focuser
Re-worked the focuser
Re-worked the focuser
I considered upgrading the stock focuser, and still may go that route.
For now, I shimmed it up a bit and it's much tighter and smoother...and a bit of bling too
Secondary mirror mods
Re-worked the focuser
Re-worked the focuser
A few upgrades for the stock secondary mirror.
Added a teflon 'slip ring' to allow the mirror to rotate smoothly when collimating. Also installed a thin stainless washer where the adjustment screws contact the aluminum base for the secondary. It developed small dimples over the years, and collimation was getting difficult as the little dips sucked the screws into the same place.
NewStar 8" Dobsonian Refurb & Conversion
Primary mirror of the NewStar 8" Dobsonian
Primary mirror of the NewStar 8" Dobsonian
Primary mirror of the NewStar 8" Dobsonian
The primary mirror of the barn-find NewStar Dobsonian, as seen through the eyepiece/ focuser hole. This scope sat for over 15 years in the corner of a hobby room, uncovered and without a base or focuser. There was about 1/4" of dust and cat hair on the primary mirror...so I offered them $30...
NewStar Mirror
Primary mirror of the NewStar 8" Dobsonian
Primary mirror of the NewStar 8" Dobsonian
A better look at the primary mirror...no scratches...and the secondary looked decent...hmmmmmm...
Gentlemen...we can rebuild him...we have the technology...
As found...no focuser, no base and no cover
Primary mirror of the NewStar 8" Dobsonian
As found...no focuser, no base and no cover
Just before total dis-assembly. We have a pulse...
It Survived!
Used the original focuser after upgrading my Dobsonian
As found...no focuser, no base and no cover
It isn't perfect, but it's damn close...cleaned up better than expected
Used the original focuser after upgrading my Dobsonian
Used the original focuser after upgrading my Dobsonian
Used the original focuser after upgrading my Dobsonian
I upgraded the focuser on my Sky Mentor Dobsonian to a motorized focuser, so the stock focuser from that bolted right in to this brother of my Dob
Collimation
Used the original focuser after upgrading my Dobsonian
Used the original focuser after upgrading my Dobsonian
After everything was back together it didn't take much to get all the optics aligned...love my Hotech laser
First Light
First Light
First Light
After removing the bearings from the sides of the tube on the NewStar, and scooping a set of rings I was able to mount the refurbished tube onto my portable HEQ5-Pro mount.
I pretty much ran out of weights for balancing, but came pretty close with some creative solutions
The views were quite impressive.
Jupiter's moons and bands were quite visible, and Saturn's rings were easy to see. It was nice to have such a large aperture tracked on a target for hours...same views as my 8" Dobsonian, but without the need to nudge it every once in a while...especially with a high magnification eyepiece