Mark IV Cover

[Tom Droege <tdroege@veriomail.com>]

Arne,

The cover looks nice and simple.  You may want to give the system an 
internal wrap of plastic when you expect blowing snow???  I am working on 
getting lens caps made which would protect the lens front.

Can you send the pictures to Michael for the home page?  I would like to 
get (Michael take note) the opening web page updated to show the Mark IV 
installations and to move the "drift scan" introduction later in the 
page.  I will work on getting pictures of my installation.

As for the sharp corners, I think there is no problem to take the side 
plates off and carry them into that nice machine shop and slice off what 
bothers you.   One side comes off easily.  The other has the power supplies 
on it, but I think there are connectors where you need them.  Or you could 
carry a saber saw out and just slice of the corners in situ.  (Cover the 
power supplies so that filings do not short them out.)

If you perform a slicing operation, you may want to slice off a little 
extra so that you can get more motion when I get the RA drive version out 
that allows it.

I think everyone should feel free to modify and improve.  I stand by to 
send repair parts if you really break something.  You should not fear that 
there is some "sacred" design.  I would rather have you break something 
trying to improve it than to have you forever grumble and grouse that it is 
not what you want.

I had a set of lenses "ruined" when they got wet.  Enough moisture got 
inside that they just clouded over internally.  After they were dried out 
the coatings were "permanently" stained.  If lenses get wet, I recommend 
immediately taking the lens apart and cleaning the elements by your 
favorite method.

Tom Droege