Homemade 8" Dobsonian Telescope Mount

I need a base for my new 8" telescope. In this one, I make a Dobsonian mount. It turns out great and I had fun making it. I hope you all enjoy.

[@tamartin7001]

Thanks! My Dob mount is exactly the same as yours - when I accidentally broke one of the arms, I watched what you did, and it helped with repairs and some updates to my own mount.

[@fergalflynn3688]

I have only recently found your channel and am chuffed to find someone with similar interests to mine, astronomy and engineering that have watched so far. Your repurposing of things is brilliant. Great stuff 👌🏻

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Cool, thanks, Fergal Flynn.

[@patdornan47]

Great plans. I can scale it down slightly for a 6 inch telescope. All I need now is a 3D printer.

[@eclausenx]

Thank you for the video, it was very instructive. I recently got a 10" Dobsonian OTA and needed to build a mount for it. I used scaled image captures from various websites to determine the dimensions for a mount for a 10" Dob and I used most of your method for the fabrication and assembly..

[@glaurung666]

Gorgeous! I'm thinking of building Dobson mount, now I see something that looks like source of inspiration and a plan simultaneously.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Awesome. Good luck with yours. I

[@winnmahuron6314]

When my Dad was going to Purdue he built a dobsonian too. I had no idea that you could grind and polish your own mirror.

[@andresdelaplaza]

Well done! Congrats! 👍👍👍🔭🔭🔭👏👏👏

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Thank you, Andres.

[@timothybales8428]

Great looking finished product.I like your choice of hardware.Only thing missing is a handle or holes in the mount to carry it.Nice!

[@remembertomorrow6737]

Great job and thanks for sharing!! 👍👍

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Appreciate it!

[@jasonminton9681]

Great job man, been thinking of making a Dob mount for a while.

[@chrisg9602]

Awesome

[@chrisg9602]

Great job I have to build a lightweight mount for my 6 inch dobsonian the factory mount is 25 pounds

[@israelgira1]

Excelente! Obrigado por compartilhar...

[@andersongoncalves4378]

Parabéns ficou muito bom

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Obrigada.

[@felippemiguel6751]

Nice!

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Thank you, Felippe Miguel.

[@jodyschultz5870]

Thanks for the details on the bearing, clutch etc. I was afraid you were going to gloss over that.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

That's the most important part, right?!

[@carlose.negrinbecares4870]

Very good work and explanations for its construction Robert. I want to make a dobson mount like yours for the astronomical outreach sessions, it's much easier to handle than an equatorial one. Two questions: How much did the mount weigh without the telescope? and, How did you calculate the dimension of the pieces for your mount? Mine is a New 200/1000 and you probably need to adjust them. Thanks again.

[@olliecrabtree]

I'm about to make one of these to hold a satellite dish for a homemade radio telescope.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Sounds like a neat project.

[@sofiane5448]

Great and elaborate work, please, what kind of wood did you use?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Thank you. It’s 3/4” Maple plywood.

[@azadamw444]

This is exactly what I need to build! Thank you for posting it. Do you have the parts/hardware information and where you purchased everything? Also do you have the STL files for the 3d printed parts posted somewhere.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Took me a few days to run down the list. All the hardware came from McMaster Carr. I created a post on my blog with the part numbers and a link to the STL file. I was going to put it here but there's just too much stuff and it got confusing. radare.net/2023/01/hardware-and-stl-files-for-the-dobsonian-mount

[@azadamw444]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop Thank you!!

[@joelmendoza9401]

​@@RobertAdairWorkshopgreat build! the link doesn't work though. Do you have a PDF or updated list?

[@billkaroly]

Great build. Where did you find that lazy Susan?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I ordered it from Rockler Woodworking: www.rockler.com/lazy-susan-slimline

[@bartekwitkowski7860]

Super! 😉👍👍👍 Muszę zrobić identyczny do podobnego teleskopu. Pozdrawiam serdecznie! 😄🤚 .

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Dziękuję Ci

[@alexhernandez6027]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop hello I have received a 12" dobsonian from my sister with no base. how or where did you find the plans to build a base.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

@@alexhernandez6027 Hi, Alex. It was my own design. I sized the base based on the distance between the two mounts on the side of the telescope.

[@alexhernandez6027]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop yeah I was thinking about making one like that I have the 8" dobsonian I might go off that design for the 12. Thank you Robert

[@Super-Duper_Space_Goat]

hey! i am just wondering about how the handle fits onto the bolt? does it screw on?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Yeah, you’re right. Handle has a threaded hole through it that threads onto the bolt.

[@delubiod1970]

Hi Robert, do you still have the screw sizes, the washers, and the washer with bearings sizes? I really want to buy them while I am here in USA before I go back to Brazil..... Thank you!

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Take a look at my website. I added all the hardware I used and a link to the bearings. radare.net/2023/01/hardware-and-stl-files-for-the-dobsonian-mount

[@anthonyscurrah2732]

The telescope is a Newtonian reflector, its the mount that's Dodsonian

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Yep.

[@anthonyscurrah2732]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop Thanks for the video, been wondering how to make the azimuth motion on mine smoother and a believe you have the answer 👍

[@donaldkasper8346]

Nah, put is on a CG-4. 20 lbs counterweights. 13in vixen plate. 2 tube rings. Good to go. You have to be tall enough to lift it on the mount, but the tripod legs are not extended for an 8" Dob OTA. Premade Dob mount is $300 and achieves nothing. CG-4 is $400.

[@cp1cy688]

Hi , where can i get the bearing from ?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I got it from Rockler. www.rockler.com/lazy-susan-slimline?country=US&sid=V91074&promo=shopping

[@abelsainvalladares781]

Donde compraste a él cojinete de empuje

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

www.rockler.com/lazy-susan-slimline

[@abelsainvalladares781]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop muchas gracias es lo único que me falta para mi montura

[@joeg946]

Hi. Can you please put a link off that plates and other ring from ebay? Thank ypu.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I put the specs/sources for the materials used on my website: radare.net/2023/01/hardware-and-stl-files-for-the-dobsonian-mount Hope this helps.

[@joeg946]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop Hi, thanks. There are nothing about your big two plates 15". Are they metal? Can I use vinyl music LP record 12" plates instead?

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

@@joeg946 They were steel plates, I think 20 gauge. I wasn't able to find anything on eBay but I didn't spent too much time looking. An alternative could be a pizza pan or other round baking sheet that is thin enough. I think a record would work just fine. Clever, actually.

[@joeg946]

@@RobertAdairWorkshop Thank you so much.

[@chrisg9602]

What's the weight of the mount

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

I'll weigh it tonight and let you know.

[@jcmusix1]

The is actually no reason to make the base plates round. I made mine somewhat octagonal saving a lot of work with a tablesaw and functionally exactly the same. Nice job though.

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

That’s a fine point. I chose circular for design appearance. But a shape with straight edges would have been easier.

[@lornaz1975]

I bet I paid waay too much for my lazy susan bearing.