In the latest episode of Extreme Makeover: Telescope Edition, Jim makes more rings, a box, and something to put in the box. First, I made two plywood rings that will be the basis of the secondary cage which holds the secondary mirror, the focuser, a finder, and maybe a soda. Next I worked on the mirror box and primary mirror cell which I started on yesterday. You can see the cell sitting in the open box, the back side of the cell with its collimation screws salvaged from the original tube, and finally the cell back in the box with the upper surface of the box.
Next up, not necessarily in this order will be to finish the cell and mae it with the primary mirror, construct the secondary cage, build the truss arms, assemble, determine the balance point so that I will know where the previously covered altitude bearing will be attached then build the rocker box, sand, paint, get the soda from its place in the secondary cage and enjoy.
