The Extreme 18" Aluminum Scope



Rocker Box


The rocker box has to built strong, for it holds the weight of the entire telescope, along with continual torque from pushing the telescope in all directions. This box cradles the mirror box and allows movement 360 degrees azimuth and 90 degrees in altitude. Also very importantly, this box is where the wheelbarrow handles attach to allow for much lighter loads when transporting. Thickness varies but we use only top shelf, cabinet grade, void-free plywood. There is no room for the void filled inferior plywood when so much depends on this box. Our boxes are built very strong using finger joints on the corners in addition to doweling down through the finished joint for an unbelievably strong joint.







Here's the rocker box. It's 5/8" Baltic Birch plywood with box joints in the corners. This is a really strong joint outdone only by a dovetail joint.

Here's the mirror box sitting in the rocker box. I don't have the knobs for the altitude bearings yet.

I also don't have the ebony star laminate and teflon on at this point. I have since done that and stained the rocker red. Can't wait to get the pics back.

The bottom of the rocker box with Ebony Star laminate cemented on.

The scope crew stress testing the mirror/rocker box combo.
(Passed)

The rocker box has been stained red which really highlights the box joint corners and the dowels.

Getting close now, everything but the urethane and teflon. The inner spokes of the bearings have been painted black.

Here's the completed rocker box/groundboard combo seeing "first light".

Here's the ground board starting to take shape. I drilled most of the rubber out of the pucks to reduce weight.

Here's the view the worms will get used to.