Cart for telescope

[cope]

I am the recent owner of an Celestron Omni XLT 150. As a science teacher, I want to be able to use the telescope here at school. With a glass solar filter and piggybacked PST, I can use it all day. Also, I come to school early enough for early morning viewing (Jupiter is up nicely these mornings) and can come back in the evenings.

My problem is that fully assembled, the whole thing weighs not quite 50 pounds and mobility is a problem. I have done some preliminary searching for manufactured carts on which I might mount the telescope for easy transport. I am not really finding anything.

Does anybody know of a source for finding some plans for building one on my own? Ideally, I would be able to wheel it in place, lock the wheels and level it fairly quickly. The telescope would pretty much spend all its time sitting on the cart in my classroom when not in use.

Thanks in advance.

[JustAFriend]

2 words: Hand Truck (http://www.handtrucks.com/hand-trucks/compact-luggage-hand-trucks/magnacartfoldinghandtruck.cfm)

A few bungee cords and you're good to go...

[rommel543]

I was thinking about designing and building a cart for my 12" Sky Watcher dob for the same reason. I like to take it out on my deck, by its a pain to haul it back in again.

I was looking at the wheeled ladders that you see in hardware stores (http://www.materialflow.com/global/images/part_class_images/thumbs/tstandard-rolling-ladders---g-tread-models1746-2460.jpg) with the back wheels that lock up and down. I was thinking that something similar could be built but with a smoother mechanism. I could then mount the az mount onto the cart and wheel it from the house out onto the deck and back again. It would also make it easier for lining up.

The other thought that I had was using a similar design to a floor jack (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads12/77739_FAM1200959138.jpg). A small hydraulic jack is used to lift the platform up and allow the wheels to move. Letting out the pressure on the jack causes the platform to drop and thus stay in place. I wouldn't use the wheels from the floor jack because they would be too small.

Both ideas require a smooth surface and would not work well rolling across a lawn.

[rommel543]

2 words: Hand Truck (http://www.handtrucks.com/hand-trucks/compact-luggage-hand-trucks/magnacartfoldinghandtruck.cfm)

A few bungee cords and you're good to go...

The only problem with a hand truck it you would have to set-up and collapse the tripod/stand every time which is something that cope is trying to get away from. Something with a flat surface that you can set-up on once and attach to would be more usefull. The Omni XLT 150 isn't that heavy, but would be a pain to have to set-up and tear down every morning.

[aurora]

JMI Wheelie Bars? (http://www.jimsmobile.com/buy_wheeley_bars.htm)

[cope]

Aurora, thanks, that looks like just the ticket except for the cost...

Off to write another grant proposal.

Thanks again.

[RickJ]

If you have a shop guy at the school he/she should be able to make something similar to the JMI wheelie bars for a lot less cost. Could be a class project.

You mention using that scope with a glass filter for the sun. I'd use Baader film instead as it gives far better images in my experience at less cost. Also repaint the tube white. Out in the sun (even when shadowed pointing at the sun, that steel tube gets very hot with tube currents then making the image unusable. That blue seems to attract IR reflected from the surrounding area like a magnet. Heat is still a problem even with the white tube but more managable. A friend with one is now looking at coating the tube with cork or some other insulator he can easily apply with contact cement and paint white. He's put that project on the back burner for now waiting for sunspots to return. The Piggy backed PST would also be looking through heat currents off that blue tube unless mounted so it extended in front of the scope a ways. Solar viewing requires paying close attention to heat current sources.

Rick

[cope]

Rick,

Thanks so much for all that info. I am new to using a scope like this and really never considered the potential for heat damage. The fact that I live in Florida makes it all the more crucial.

I already have the glass filter, motor drive and Celestron NexImage, all of which came from some grant money I applied for and got.

I will definitely talk to our shop teachers. I know one is a very proficient welder as I had him do some work on some soccer goals once (I also coach soccer).

Thanks again for the advice, especially about moving the PST forward.

[rommel543]

Ok, now I know that this idea maybe a little out there, or may not even work, but what about a cooling system attached to the scope? I'm a software developer and I have friends who play around with cooling systems for their computers. I'm wondering if a cooling system for a computer could be adapted to a scope and avoid any of the heat build up issues.

Also what about wrapping the scope with a reflective material? That might help with the external heat.

Hmm... gets me thinking about something to design.... to the bat cave!

[aurora]

Many people mount fans on their scope, to speed the cool down. I do that on my Dob. And if I am at a star party where my scope is out in the sun during the day, I put a desert storm cover over it (highly reflective cover you can buy in different sizes at telescope supply stores).

[rommel543]

It's generally the primary mirror in a reflector that's the issue, along with the tube correct?

I'm wondering about a liquid cooling system. Is it usually just newtonian that have the problem or do cassegrain and schmidt heat up as well. What about refractors?