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The Dumbest Useful Upgrade for an Old Dobsonian Telescope

Astronomy Garage with Reflactor

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Add a navigation knob to the front of a Dobsonian telescope tube - the same kind of guide knob Orion used to put on high-end SkyQuest Dobs. This is a quick 5-minute DIY upgrade that makes it easier to aim and track without grabbing the focuser or the rim.

In this video I show a simple way to add a front knob / handle to an old Dobsonian so the scope is easier to push, pull, and fine-tune at the eyepiece. It’s a tiny “luxury” mod, not a fancy rebuild.

What this upgrade helps with:
1) Smoother altitude and azimuth movement
2) Better control near the zenith
3) Less grabbing of the focuser or optical tube

A cheap Dobsonian telescope upgrade you can do in minutes
#dobsonian #telescope #telescopeupgrade #diyastronomy #oriontelescope

/// USEFUL UPGRADE TUTORIALS ///
Dual Speed Focuser Knob Upgrade: Dual Speed Focuser Upgrade Kit - A Budget ...
Home-Made Magnetic Weight: Balance Your Telescope: A Simple Counterwe...
Setting Circles: Cheapest Quick-Aim Telescope Upgrade: Inst...
Dust Caps: Telescope Dust Cover Replacements (Every O...

/// Affiliate Links ///
Check out my modern-day sci-fi series about a retired astronaut who just can't get a break:
RED HOPE (Kindle & Audible): https://amzn.to/4r8bJxN

20 Comments

@AstronomyGarage Creator 3 weeks ago (edited) Pinned

It’s just a navigation knob, right? Orion used to put one on the front of the tube, and it makes an old Dob easier to aim.
Takes about 5 minutes.
/// OTHER SIMPLE DOB UPGRADES ///
Dual Speed Focuser Knob Upgrade: https://youtu.be/PJEX4QZCeOg
Home-Made Magnetic Weight: https://youtu.be/595eMvKvuQQ
Setting Circles: https://youtu.be/ufExHsPD4lg
Dust Caps: https://youtu.be/MdxmK2jjRE0

@JohnJonckheere 3 weeks ago

I have been looking for an 8" Dobsonian, for quite some time, but they are still going for a pretty good price. Enjoy all of your videos, it has helped me tremendously and has also kept my family safe from sun / eclipse gazing with the proper glasses and the proper telescope filters. Thank you for all you do for amateure astronomers

@mesenteria 3 weeks ago

It was my first modification/addition to my Orion Skyline 12" that just turned three years old. Went to Canadian Tire, purchases a twin pack of cabinet knobs, drilled a hole in the tube forward and below the focuser, and attached the knob. It's the first thing I know I want when I go to use the heavy 12".

@cbcb7524 2 weeks ago

Love your hot rodding video series! So far, I've added two vertical garage door handles to the side of my 10" base. Followed up with two lifting straps connected to those like suspenders. Made traversing steps and apartment parking lots easier. Lol I drimmeled out the original solid dust cap to tape a solar filter and use a perfectly fitting 5 gallon bucket lid to recap and protect the solar filter. My next project is the knob and I found replacement arcade joystick knobs on Amazon to attach. Great to see a thorough and safe method to attach them.

@Naztronomy 3 weeks ago

That's a neat upgrade! So simple and useful. I can see this being useful in star parties when people ask "how do I move this" and you can say "use the knob."

I might put one on my 10" Truss tube at some point.

@JoeJaguar 3 weeks ago

Hey John, thanks for showing everybody that great video. See you on the next one.

@Do-Say 13 days ago (edited)

I have the Intelliscope XT8i and has that knob. It's great, makes moving to an object easily.. I've had this telescope for about 20 years and it's my only scope. I don't use the hand held controller any longer because Astrohopper makes things so easy. It's antiquated now anyway.
Thank you as well for the vids you did about Astrohopper. That tent idea was genius!
Thank you for your videos. I subscribed a while back!!!

@stevelacombe5291 3 weeks ago

My first thought when I discovered these knobs at the hardware store was “I need to put one of these on my telescope. It will make the perfect Dob-Knob.”

@jc4evur661 2 weeks ago

I've always been afraid that I might poke my eye out with that thing.

@Kakuren 2 weeks ago

I love your channel and this video is perfect for me! I just snagged this exact model used for $200!

@sgt.gumball9722 3 weeks ago

Ive been looking to install a knob on my Orion XT8+. This is perfect! Great video as always. Clear skies!

@mootpointjones8488 3 weeks ago

I've a Sky-Watcher 8" Dobsonian and it came with the knob as standard. I amalmost certain the two makes, Orion and Sky-Wather were using the same parts or maybe even the same factory. Thanks for another informative and useful video 👍

@Typhoon_namikaze-05w 3 weeks ago (edited)

"Orion sold tons of it; you can find them used, you can find them cheap";

I really wish my country also has that level of privilege in astronomy retailing.

@Wildean2024 3 weeks ago

I work in hardware in the East and couldn't resist looking up your N. Texas store. Elkins hardware looks great 👍
Always good to support the locals, I only go to the big box stores when absolutely necessary. Clear skies!

@michaelsamuell9377 3 weeks ago

Good stuff I miss Your diy projects

@johngiromini5745 3 weeks ago

Absolutely a great way to control movement. One of the constant issues I have with my current 10" DOB Starsense is lack of smooth azimuth movement. Altitude is fine. And yes, the heat is pretty bad here (D/FW). I posted a photo of the Watauga location star party on Friday; the 3-4 acre grass was completely baked, with a thunderstorm taunting us on the eastern horizon.

@AstronoMoe 3 weeks ago

Great video showing this upgrade John. You're braver than I am in doing some of these things as I'd still be freaked out with some metal shavings falling onto the primary mirror. 😅

When I worked at Orion, it was way before the time those XT's were introduced. I'd keep up with many of the goings-on with Orion after I'd moved on to other jobs and knew that when they introduced the XT line of Dobs, they had a winner.

@bulldawg54 3 weeks ago

I was just looking at ideas for this, this morning, Thanks !

@Stephen-gp8yi 3 weeks ago

I bought the stellalyra 8 inch dob mainly because of right angle finder because of back problems.i love it.just bought the set of baader Hyperion eyepieces and the mark 4 zoom.just need to use it more often!great content John🤙🏻

@captainofthesky8890 3 weeks ago

I always wondered why telescopes never came with knobs preinstalled. With all the holes needed to be drilled into the tube just to make a functioning telescope, adding one more for a knob doesn't seem like it would be that much more costly.

I lways manually add my own knobs to my telescopes when i get them. Such a useful upgrade. And gives my scopes more style points in my opinon. People at astronomy meet ups who recognize the classic Orion xt8 always ask me how these knob and handle (a large cabinet handle i got from Lows that i installed to easily be able to carry the optical tube) got there.