SAO 127MM 'BRIGADIER GENERAL RICHARD PIERCE' REFRACTOR OTA COMPONENTS & ACCESSORIES
127mm f/9.4 Fully-Coated Achromatic Objective Lens and Cell from Surplus Shed. 5"d x 48"l x .073"w Aluminum Tube (Main) purchased from Hastings Irrigation Pipe Company. 6"d x 12"l x .083"w Aluminum Tube (Dew-Shield) purchased from Hastings Irrigation Pipe Company. 2.7" (2.0" I.D.) Rack & Pinion Focuser from Meade 127ED Refractor. GSO 8x50 Right-Angle Finderscope from Antares 12" Dobsonian.
Cradle Rings made from Solid Teakwood with Aluminum Hinge Plates. .250" Plywood Backed CD Knife-Edge Baffles with Anti-flipping Pegs.  
                                                       
In constructing the OTA for the SAO 127mm 'Brigadier General Richard Pierce' or BGRP refractor OTA, I applied the same principles and techniques I used in building my 10" f/5.6 Newtonian. Innovation, durability, performance, and cost effectiveness. The OTA's collection of components consist of the mounted 127mm f/9.4 fully coated achromatic objective from SurpluShed, the raw 5" O.D. x 48" length x .073" wall and 6" O.D. x 12" length x .083" wall tubes from Hastings Irrigation Pipe Company, and the focuser came from a Meade 127ED refractor and was donated by Richard Pierce (for which the instrument will be named after). The baffles were constructed from old CD's, 1/4" plywood and dowels. The cradle rings were cut on my band saw from 3/4" teak wood. And last but not least, the 8x50 right-angle finder was donated by my colleague Gary Barabino. In this section, we will go into a bit more detail regarding these components. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at the address below:

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vsc-astronomers@vega-sky-center.com