Cheap filter wheel for Atik 314L+ mono??

[Astrosurf]

I can't afford an automated filter wheel for this Atik I intend to get, so can anyone suggest a brand of filter wheel, and filters, that I might be able to get second-hand??

Alexxx

[red dwalf]

hi Alex, i couldn`t run to the expense of a Atik filter wheel but managed to buy a second hand starlight express 7 position one for £200 of astro buy and sell, work very well and in my opinion slightly better as they are powered from the usb lead so you don`t need a separate power like the Atik ones as well, there`s enough cables dangling on an imaging rig so one less is very welcome as far as i`m concerned.   

[Ant]

FLO do a couple of cheaper manual FW's - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/filter-wheels.html in the 80-110 quid range.

I believe that Ian king also does a cheaper FW (but I don't have a link).

Cheers

Ant

[Astrosurf]

Many thanks guys. Food for thought.

[lennylovit]

I have the Xagyl usb 5 slot 1.1/4   filter wheel coming in the post from Ian King  , to go with my 314l , will post back when it comes ,

Lenny

[Ant]

That was the one that I was talking about Lenny. Have you got a link?

Ant

[lennylovit]

http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_product.php?id=1294

this is the one I have on order

Lenny

[JamesF]

I have one of the Xagyl ones too.  I've had no problems using it with my 314L+.

James

[lennylovit]

pop out the shed for ten mins and a card posted thru letter box , typical trip to sorting office now

looks like my wheel has come ,

Lenny

[Chris]

Joys optics an eBay shop have a constant auction running for 5 position filter wheels. I've had one off her before and they work great. There's an auction running on one at the moment and it's currently at 16 pounds but the auctions usually end at around 45 to 50 pounds which is a great price for a filter wheel!

[red dwalf]

5 spaces are ok for a filter wheel but if your thinking of doing narrowband imaging as well i would suggest the 7 position wheel would be better

[JamesF]

My concern with manual filter wheels for imaging is light leakage, though that might be dealt with by hanging a black cloth over the filter wheel unit.

James

[red dwalf]

also it`s a pain to keep stopping your guiding and changing the filter as the slightest movement sent my guider all over the place, i used to cover my manual filter wheel with a cloth.

[Astrosurf]

Thanks guys. I know the manual side of things will be a pain, but I simply cannot afford an automatic one. Unless someone will let me pay in installments!

Awaiting your report, Lenny!

[red dwalf]

i know there a real expense, i had to think twice but i paid £90 for a manual Atik wheel, not looked back since buying the starlight, Kelling next week, might be some bargains there if your going.

[Astrosurf]

I'm afraid I'm not going to Kelling, sigh. I'll just have to keep an eye on the second hand sites.

[carastro]

Bern does some cheap manual filter wheels.

Carole 

[ollypenrice]

Lots to be said for them in my view. They don't go wrong or suddenly decide to stop being recognized and if the filter stops in the wrong place it's your fault! I have an old Scopetechnix which is fine. On nights when I'm unplugging and replugging one of the electric ones to try to get it to play I wish I still used it...

Olly

[carastro]

Yes I've been using a couple of them for the last two years - main drawbacks is light leak for taking flats, so they can't be taken during the daytime.  

Plus having to manually change the filters, which sounds simple, but who knows what angle your scope will be at when you have to do so, and it can be difficult to see what filter you are on without looking right underneath the FW into a small hole where the number is.  I even had to lay on the floor once in order to see into this hole.  Not so bad in an observatory, but less desirable in the open.  

Otherwise they work well.

I've just bought myself an EFW, but based on what Olly has said, might be a good idea to keep the manual ones as a back up.  

Carole 

[Astrosurf]

Thanks Carole, Olly. It's good to be prepared for the difficulties! They won't be a shock now.

I'll check out Bern's.

[ollypenrice]

I used some painted marks to identify the filters easily. Don't use colour codes though because they won't show in red light!

I also faind I can't get good flats in the daylight even with closed wheels.

Olly

[Astrosurf]

Thanks Olly. I was wondering about identifying marks, but wouldn't know how until I used the thing.

I use GradientXTerminator for any vignetting and it's great. I've not had dust bunnies yet!

Alexxx

[tony210]

I use the Xagyl USB 5 filter wheel with a 314L and its excellent -best wishes Tony

[carastro]

I used some painted marks to identify the filters easily.

Hmmm, yes I could have marked the wheel, never thought of that - well too late now.

Duh!

Carole 

[lennylovit]

Xagyl wheel has come ,looks ok , all alu construction  screws in the face plate are very small , c,ir,r,g,b fitted , drivers all loaded ok and filter numbers set,wheel turns with a tinny whirring sound ,314 fitted for a dry run with neb 3 ,the only way I found to run the wheel is with script , the one script preloaded for lrgb in neb3 did not spin the wheel .time to read the help file !!! found this link for a script gen for nebulosity 3 http://www.astrovox.gr/forum/download.php?id=34469

anyone used it ?

dry run No2 planned for today , before the weekend and try it out for real

first impression seems ok ,but got nothing to compare it with

Lenny