Bug fixes in version 3.26: fixed crashing issue when cycling after a few pints of beer. Fixed reboot after only 4hr sleep issue affecting consciousness, balance and grumpiness. Fixed clone merge issue with Marco 1.xx occurring bed time; sub issue 0.7 resulting in confused wife.
I’m back. Well not me, but me with a few updates and improvements. Marco 1.xx is solely concerned with Career, DIY and keeping my wife and son happy. Marco 2.xx looks after Sports, Gardening and reading Sci-Fi novels. Marco 3.xx is used in the pursuits of carnal pleasure and other hobbies. Since the addition of 2 extra bedrooms i’ve been able to house my original DNA master and clone 2.xx. I say “house”, the adjective, because it was me (3.xx) that was used to complete the attic conversion. So where does this leave us? Thankfully in a position to recommence telescope making activities which i’m missing a lot. The Mars opposition of 2022 looms large as it will be the last good chance for many years; it disappearing off into into it’s sulking ellipticity. Peering back into the inner solar system like some petulant child.
I’ll be diving right into the 1930’s scope refurb. No distractions. Focus, single mindedness, right to completion this time. Most of the tear down has been done so it’s time to bring her back to life. I had a wee bash at keying the surface of the OTA getting all that old paint smoothed out ready for a spray. It will paint up really well. The invisible man is lying dead underneath the workmate where I accidental dropped all 20kg of tube it on his head. Thankfully he was wearing some PPE at the time and I was able to check his pulse.
After pottering a while with an orbital sander I got cracking with the CAD. Primarily to get a feel for the pier height the scope will need and also because the existing 3 vane spider needed a complete redesign to an offset 4 vane. And for that I need the OTA in CAD.
It’s peerless for now. Having been an only child, there probably aren’t many like this anywhere. Also it’s pierless but i’m thinking about 0.7m high steel reinforced concrete sunk a descent amount into the ground. That puts the eyepiece at 1.7m at the zenith. I’s got a large tungsten counterweight that I’ve just spotted is missing from the CAD. Thankfully these 1’s and 0’s weigh only 0.392E-29 Kg so our virtual scope will not topple over.
The fist few initial tasks will be getting the paint job done on all the OTA, EQ Wedge and Declination assembly…..watch this space…
Marco's Telescope Making 