8 inch Horseshoe by Mel Bartels

My first real scope was an 8 inch f/7. As a kid I was in love with the Palomar 200 inch. It was a given that I used a horseshoe mount, and since my dad was a carpenter and contractor, it was a given that I used wood. I used a tape measure drive inspired by an article in Sky and Telescope. It was a little jerky at high power because the drive hub was too small - only 2 inches diameter. I used concrete for counterweights, and 2x6's for the yoke arms and base. The tube could rotate in the tube box.

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