Hello Everyone,
I have an 8" Orion Dob which I love. It's more-or-less portable, but I would like to move it easily (i.e., without bruises to my shins) by pulling it, without actually carrying it, about 150 feet up an inclined path of wood chips into a clearing in my front yard. Does anyone have any suggestions about some way I can "roll" it up there? I don't want to pay almost $300 for a Scope Buggy or Wheelie Bars, but I'm worried about putting it on a standard garden cart or a mover's dolly since (1) it might fall over and (2) it might get stuck on the wood chips. I'm a 55-year old female and would appreciate any suggestions on how to ease my "luggability" problem. I have a very helpful husband who is more than willing to help me build some sort of a rolling platform but we are looking for some suggestions. Thanks in advance!

Borrow a supermarket trolley.
Your 8 inch dobi, should not be so heavy. For the wood chip path large diameter wheals will roll over the chip. I sagest you use 10 inch wheels. The larger wheels go over uneven ground better.
Cancel the super market trolley idea. I was kidding. A purpose built trolley is the best I can offer. The sort of portability you need is a barrow type trolley that you can move up and back easy, or you won't want to bother. You want it large enough for a one trip each way method. For your scope and any thing else you might like to have at your observing sight. Find and modify a golf bag trolley. good luck.

How steep is the slope? What about a hand truck, like people use when they move large or heavy objects? They have inflatable tires which should work on wood chips.

Might actually be easiest to just make two trips.

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"I'm as accurate as any psychic. And I'm a cartoon!" -- Squidward

"Arrrgh, the laws of physics be a harsh mistress!" -- Bender

I have no idea of the difficulty you face in collimating your scope, but if it is time-consuming, you might not want to subject it to the inevitible jostling it will receive from any wheeled transport platform.

Nor have I a good feel for the weight or size of your Dob (I own a trio of refractors and a pair of SCTs), but is mere carrying the scope a possibility? You could be far more careful with it than the treatment it may receive being transported on a wheeled platform.

If you choose a wheeled platform, I agree heartily with astromark - the bigger the wheels the better, and pneumatic tires are a must.

What is the diameter of the base, and how far off the ground is are the altitude bearings? Oh, and about how much does it weigh?

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An evil person would do the things I think up.

I own the same scope as you. I have been thinking about just putting two more handles on the sides of the base to make it easier to carry. But I think that a hand truck will work ok. I used one when my back was giving me problems. I did however, strap the scope to the hand truck with bunggi cords. As far as the collimation, it won't knock it out much if any as you may already know, these scopes can take quite a beating. Also, if the trail you use is wide enough, then widening the wheel base to make it more stable will help a lot.

The first thing that came to my mind was an ordinary children's
wagon, and it still seems like a good idea. If it has any major
drawbacks, I'd like to hear what they are. Is a wagon too small
to hold the telescope base?

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

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"I find astronomy very interesting, but I wouldn't if I thought we
were just going to sit here and look." -- "Van Rijn"

"The other planets? Well, they just happen to be there, but the
point of rockets is to explore them!" -- Kai Yeves

That was my first thought too. Hence the base diameter question. Also it might be just a bit top heavy if the ground is very uneven.

I was thinking something along the lines of an I frame made of 2X4s with 4 air filled wheels. The base of the mount would ride on the boards which would be pulled by a handle attatched to the lead bar. 2 of the good metal tent pegs, or big nails of pipe could be placed through small holes in the boards to anchor the whole thing in place so the scope would not neeed to be taken off of the trolley for use.

Assuming a 16 inch diameter, the whole thing could be made with 1 8 foot 2x4, a 16 inch square sheet of plywood, the 4 wheels, 4 bolts, 2 sikes, and whatever is used to allow the front bit to pivot for steering. Oh and the rop handle which can be tucked away so as not to be a tripping hazzard in the dark.

__________________
I'm not evil.
An evil person would do the things I think up.

Thanks for the great suggestions! My base diameter is actually 19 inches. For now, I'm simply making two trips with the base & the tube, but I'm thinking of either modifying a hand truck like glasspusher or using Tog's idea of a square sheet of plywood with 4 air-filled wheels.

Do it like a man would: With a trebuchet.

The objective is to move it not remove it!

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T. Anderson

Well he wants to move it about 50 yards...I figure a small trebuchet would work nicely

A warehouse supply company would sell you a pre-made or second hand....hand truck, flat bed with wheels and a removable handle, you could modify to carry your scope in a custom bed. Lug it upside down in a truck or on roof racks. Durable, easy, cheap. Equip it with a red flashlight headlight, 12 volt car battery, electric drive or not, hot chocolate heater/beer cooler.....and you're golden. pete.

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A second rate theory explains after the fact.
A first rate theory predicts.
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