Hello, Larry,
Based on what you have written below, and assuming that observing
rather than imaging is your interest, I think any of the following would
give you much better mechanicals and much better optical quality, as
well as larger maximum field, quicker cool-down, higher contrast, less
dewing, smaller central obstruction:
Going up in aperture would be an additional benefit of the change.

The 10 inch (Dob) Compact Precision Telescope . A cinch to set up,
holds collimation, very compact. With a Royce mirror.
An 8 inch, 10 inch or 12.5 inch Mag1 Portaball, depending on what
aperture you would like.
An 11 inch Starmaster ELT f 4.55

Of these, the CPT and the Starmaster can have Sky Commander digital
setting circles installed, and can be used on a tracking platform. The
Mag1 Portaball scopes have their own tracking system so they don't need
an equatorial table, but they are not amenable to digital setting
circles.
People who own any of these scopes are happy with them, I have
found.. . They are not inexpensive but they will give pleasure forever.

I cannot speak much about the inexpensive Dobs since I have never
owned one except a very good 6 inch f 5 Telescopics (with a mirror
refigured by Wessling), unfortunately no longer manufactured. If you do
get an inexpensive Dob, get a high quality 2 inch focuser as an
extra-cost option, and a Telrad, with it. From what I can tell from
s.a.a. and other postings, the mirror will probably be okay, it is the
mechanical aspects that might have to be modified by you to reach a
standard of quality you would like. If the mirror isn't okay, you could
have it refigured by Wessling, or Royce or Swayze. The Orion Dobs will
have provision for digital setting circles,which I recommend.

Hope this helps,
Bill Meyers



Larry Curcio wrote:

Am considering selling a late model (just pre-bankruptcy) C8

and getting an 8" or 10" dob. Objectives are better optics and

greater ease of finding things in the sky with the Alt/Az mount.

The latter point is most important. It's hard to scan the sky when

The DEC axis is either very tight or very loose. One cannot move

The tube fluidly. (The focal reducer helps, but the mount really

sucks.) Tracking is not as important to me as I once thought it

would be.

Sooooo. Is this a rational idea?

Thanks and Regards,

-Larry Curcio