The Giant Binocular

The first gloss black powder-coated in the large oven behind it.
pc1.jpg
BUT, yep, had to swallow my pride and get the pros to sand blast the trusses.
It took me 3 hours just to sandblast the two top cages and I looked at the four trusses and thought "No way, they will take me days."
as the powder coating was only another $20 each truss I got them to finish coating them as well.
That oven was specifically made to coat the trusses, ah well.
pc2.jpg
So they also sold me the same powder for all the remaining components so I'm coating them in an old toaster oven.
pc3.jpg
These are actually gloss black but I've started on the matt black for the aluminium plates.
These were the red disk brakes, I think they look way better gloss black.
I did learn a very very valuable lesson with the first matt black on aluminium.
If no matter what you try and the powder just wont stick its sometimes a good idea to turn the gun on. :bang head:
 
Still, it’s all lookin’ pretty da•n good! Now let’s get some glass in those things and gather a few photons! I’ve got a nice pair of 8 mm Tele Vue Ethos eyepieces that would complement all of your good work. Just bring your binocs by my place and we’ll look at some great northern faint fuzzies. (They aren’t upside down like yours are.)
But seriously, good job! I was starting to wonder if your project might outlive me, but the light at the end of the tunnel(s) seems to be becoming a reality.
Go Charles Go!

Admiringly yours
The Grumpy old Northern Charles
 
Thanks "Grumpy old Northern Charles", (gotta feeling I was looking in the mirror typing that)
I must admit that I'm really looking forward to starting the mirrors its been way too long.
 
SAVARIN
Take a lot of pictures of your glass spinning efforts. I know that you plan on spherical surfaces to be parabolised by deforming by mirror cell stressing.
Do these stresses need to be re-adjusted for temperature compensation?
Chuck the Grumpy old guy
 
From what I have found the changes occur predominately in the first few weeks and after that seem to settle down.
Some have stated they release the tension after every session whilst others have said they done need to change it after its settled down,
My experience with the very thin 8" f3.6-7 was that once set it didnt need adjusting.
 
Looking good Charles, hope the rebuild goes well.
 
another big step done!
-brino
 
savarin said:
The plethora of stainless fastners didnt show up as much when is was all rusty or bare steel
Click to expand...

I like the contrasting fastener look! Overall awesome project.
 
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