MAK127 SLT Cleaning

[Mav359]

Hi Guys

I have one of these scopes and at some point a piece of dust or dirt has worked its way on to either the corrector plate or the mirrors, typically the place's i can't reach without disassembling the OTA.

I'm reluctant to do that but if i do...

Is the corrector plate specifically lined up to a certain point on the OTA? my 9.25 for instance has to come out and go back in in exactley the same place.

Cheers

[dweller25]

I think the optics in a Mak are spherical so there is no need to orientate them, but I would still mark up the orientation of the optics and put them back the same way.

However .....

I find it easier to just uncsrew the front corrector assembly for internal cleaning as when you screw it back on again the scope holds it's collimation.

[Northern Soul man]

Hi Alan, I store my Mak on the corrector cover - so its sort of standing on the corrector cover, I've taken the corrector off for cleaning and i think that there is just a little retaining ring with small holes in, I just placed a jeweller's screwdriver in one of the holes and rotated - taking the retaining ring off, I tipped up the scope and the corrector dropped onto a micro fibre cloth.  As the scope is stored on its "front" - all the dust was on the inside of the corrector - so I just used a blower and the camel hair brush to remove the dust, replace the corrector and re - install the retaining ring.

The adjustment on the Mak is on the main mirror - there's no adjustment on the corrector as the secondary is actually on the corrector - the ridge where the corrector sits inside the tube keeps the front lens at the correct orientation - just be careful of the corrector when you take it out - if you decide to - its very thick and rather heavy.

On re - assembly, the collimation was spot on, I checked it on Polaris - remember though you need to leave the scope to cool for an hour or so, then you can check collimation - but there is no need to mark the corrector - I didn't but may be worth you placing a mark if you decide to clean it - just to be sure.

The Mak seems to hold collimation very well, not had to touch mine since I bought it from new - the Planetary/Luna views are still very nice and amaze me for such a small aperture when I compare it to the views through the 11".

Paul.

[Mav359]

Cheers guys

I think i will clean it, it has its usual little bits of dust on it but what ever this is its bigger and showing up in all shots on the camera.

Think i'll mark it anyway just in case.

Just been out and bought a load of de-ionised water....... here goes

[nightfisher]

Cheers guys

I think i will clean it, it has its usual little bits of dust on it but what ever this is its bigger and showing up in all shots on the camera.

Think i'll mark it anyway just in case.

Just been out and bought a load of de-ionised water....... here goes

NO NO NO dont go any where near it with de-ionised water, if using any thing like this it has to be DISTILLED water, you should be able to unscrew the whole front housing with corrector still in in it, dont touch the mirror if needed use a rocket blower on the mirror and use Baader cloth and fluid on corrector

[Mav359]

glad that refreshed before i started....phew

Have taken the corrector out and cleaned it using the Badder wonder fluid all looks clean but now i have a different dust mark

You cant see it visually and at the moment i have it pointed out across London at some lights on Crane and at the collimation seems to have held

i'll fire it again tomorrow and see what i can see

[Davey-T]

If that's the one that blew over at SGLX Alan it's a wonder it hasn't got gravel in it 

Dave

[Mav359]

lol wasnt the first time thats happened.... its very well put together

[nightfisher]

glad that refreshed before i started....phew

Have taken the corrector out and cleaned it using the Badder wonder fluid all looks clean but now i have a different dust mark

You cant see it visually and at the moment i have it pointed out across London at some lights on Crane and at the collimation seems to have held

i'll fire it again tomorrow and see what i can see

They are great scopes, if you cant see the dust mark visually, could it be on your camera?

[Mav359]

the camera has a nose piece on it and a baader filter plugged into it if cleaned that and the lens covering the ccd and its made no difference..

I can only see the dust mark under lit conditions, earlier today when it was still light but its more prominant then usually which is why i wanted it gone, i'm probably being too extra but its annoying me

[damnut]

Remember that  Baader Wonderfluid is not recommended for use on mirrored surfaces. So keep it away from the secondary on the reverse of the meniscus.

[Mav359]

HA Got You

My OCD kicked in and i couldn't let it go..... went at it again got the offending dirt

See, now i'm happy

Cheers for all the advice guys