8
Box #4: Truss poles
(refer to Figure 6)
Qty. Description
4
Truss pole assemblies (captive pairs)
2. assembly
Now that you have unpacked the boxes and familiarized
yourself with all of the parts in front of you, it’s time to begin
assembly. In addition to the supplied tools, you’ll need a
Phillips screwdriver, a small piece of duct or masking tape,
and two adjustable crescent wrenches. (For base assembly,
you can substitute a 10mm crescent wrench for one of the
adjustable crescent wrenches, or use a pair of pliers.)
assembly of the Dobsonian Base
The base of the XX14i was engineered by Orion to allow quick
disassembly into several component pieces, to make it more
manageable to transport in a standard size vehicle. Assembly
is also fast and easy, thanks to a dozen connecting bolts with
attached hand knobs. The bolts thread into custom threaded
receptacles that are embedded in the adjoining baseplate or
side panel. To ensure that you can never lose them, the bolts
are held captive in the base when fully loosened, or discon-
nected. While some owners may never have a need to disas-
semble the base for transport or storage, others will appreci-
ate this innovative feature, especially if you observe from a
remote location and don’t happen to drive a large SUV. With
its collapsible base and a truss tube design that allows dis-
assembly of the optical tube into smaller sections, this hefty
14" Dob has the portability and manageability of a smaller
telescope!
Refer to
Figure 7
during base assembly. When tightening
screws, tighten them until firm, but be careful not to strip the
holes by over-tightening. If you use an electric screwdriver, do
final tightening with a standard screwdriver to avoid stripping.
With a Phillips screwdriver, screw the feet (Q) into the
1.
underside of the ground baseplate (A) using the feet
wood screws provided. Insert the screws through the feet
and thread them into the predrilled starter holes.
Connect the side braces (N) to the side panels (C) using
2.
three of the base assembly screws for each panel. The
brace should be attached to the outside surface of the
side panel, which bears the SkyQuest XX IntelliScope
label. The screws go through the holes in the side panels
and thread into the starter holes in the side braces. Use
the 4mm hex key to firmly tighten the screws.
Now you will install the captive connecting bolts (G), each
3.
of which is already fitted with a black hand knob. There
are 12 connecting bolts altogether; refer to
Figure 7
for
locations. Start with the front panel (B), which has through
holes for six connecting bolts.
First, slide a spacer (S) onto a collecting bolt (G). Then
insert the connecting bolt into the through hole, in the
direction indicated in
Figure 7.
Holding the knob with one
hand, use your other hand to press a rubber washer (T)
over the threaded (protruding) end of the bolt. It will be a
tight fit; you may have to work the washer a bit to get it on.
Figure 6.
The parts in the box containing the truss poles.
