johninderby

From the UPS at your own risk items list No Protection items: The following items (or any item similar in description or content) can only be carried on a no protection basis on any service. Any person sending such an item does so at their own risk: Amber Antique Beswick Figure Bottles Bulbs Camera Canvas Print Car Panel Ceramics Chandelier China Chocolate Clock Computer Monitor Concrete Confectionery Crockery Crystal Delicate Items Detergent Diamonds Dinner Service Documents Fiberglass Figurine Fish Tank Fishing Rods Food Domestic Parcels Only Fragile Items (all) Framed Painting Framed Photograph Gems or gemstones Glass Glassware Gold Hamper Headlight Lamp Lampshades Lenses Lighting Lights Marble Microscope Microwave Mirror Monitor (including Imacs) Ornament Over Head Projector Packaging/Media Packaging Painting Pewter Figures Picture Picture Frames Plates Porcelain Poster Pot Pottery Precious Metals Print Projector Real Fur Resin Scanner Sewing/Knitting Machines Shower Screen Silver SIM Cards Spectacles Stoneware Suitcases/ Flightcases (Not acceptable as packaging) Tail Lights Telescope Television Tickets Tiles Torches Turntables Vase Velux Vermiculite Board Watch Window Window Frame

Which rates Hermes as one of the best and DPD one of the worst. 🙄 Always thought Which is from an alternate reality. 😁😁😁

Hermes have never lost one of my packages but delivery is sometimes a bit erratic but does show up eventualy..

Recent ranking survey of UK couriers from worst at the top to best at the bottom.

UPS is called Oops in the US due to the number of mistakes they make. I avoid UPS whenever possible. They aren’t as bad as Yodel or Hermes but have made too many cock ups with my packages to actually choose to use them. Remember a few years ago had an urgent stock shipment overdue by several and eventually found out it hadn’t been delivered because the local depot were too busy to deliver. My supplier read the riot act to UPS and the depot manager brought it over in his own car. DPD on the other hand is by miles the best courier I’ve ever used. Always on time and never lose anything plus that one hour delivery slot.

What really annoys me though is the UPS so called customer service. Seems designed to make it virtually impossible to get info out of them. Oh well at least it isn’t something important or urgent or valuable. 🙁

I remeber once upon a time sunspots used to be like that. 😁

Service as normal according to UPS. I get the impression they have lost the package as they have delivered other bits as normal to me this week. Do wish the seller would use DPD. 🤔

One other really useful bit of kit is a solar filter for your finder. I use one on my 9x50 RACI finder it it makes getting the sun centered so much easier. Also can be used on it’s own for a quick look at the sun to see if it’s worth setting up the scope.

Either the Astrozap or the Kendrick brand are excellent. Or you can make your own using a sheet of the Baader film which is a lot cheaper. https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/downloads/dl/file/id/337/product/3007/how_to_make_your_own_solar_filter_for_cameras_binoculars_and_telescope.pdf

Agreed 👍🏻 But just can’t get that interested in using my Badder film filter at the moment. 🙁

Why does UPS make it so difficult to sort out a problem? Ordered from Telescope House and the item was shipped from Germany as usual by UPS and tracking showed it reached the UK Wednesday morning with delivery scheduled for Thursday morning and that’s it. Nothing received and tracking still showing delivery Thursday morning. Phoned UPS and they were no use. Just said the package is on it’s way and no details about where it actually is. Only a 20 quid item so nothing major but still anoying. 🤬🤬🤬

This covers just about everything you need to know about these mounts http://www.weasner.com/lxd/

Something to wear when going to the shop. 👍🏻

For what it’s worth.see the Agenaastro reviews of the Hotech. https://agenaastro.com/hotech-2-1-25-sca-crosshair-laser-collimator.html

The focuser doesn’t have to be perfectly square and would have to be badly out of square to make a real differance. I’d recommend getting a Concenter and then adjusting the secondaty. No other tool such as a laser or cheshire eyepiece isn’t very accurate at setting up the secondary mirror. Found that after adjusting the secondary with the concenter the scope was much easier to collimate as you are not compensatingnfor an out of postion secondary.

Yes that’s what I do.

The grooves in the Hotech. Another thought the rings could be too loose when inserting in the focuser. I adjust them so it will just fit in the focuser so that the rings don’t slip out of position.

Sounds like it could be the rubber rings. Found I did have to check the rings were properly in the grooves before tightening. Perhaps removing the rings and applying some silicone grease and wiping off the excess might help.

Had rwo Hotech lasers and both were absolutely perfect with no variation at all. Very strange that you would find it varies.

Have you checked the focuser for being square to the tube. For checking the secondary position there is nothing better than a Concenter. Really usefull colimation tool and makes it easy to perfectly centre the secondary. It’s the first tool I use when setting up a newt. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5506_TS-Optics-Concenter-2--Collimation-Eyepiece-for-Newtonian-Telescopes.html

Yes the Skywatcher dobs use steel tubes so magnets work well. Orion Optics UK dobs like Johns have aluminium tubes so can’t attach magnets directly hence the kitchen knife strip.

Or you can bolt a dovetail bar to the tube and use a small dovetail saddle with weights attached.

You can make your own weight system or buy commercial dob weights like this. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orion-07006-Dobsonian-Counterweight-Magnetic/dp/B07DGRHTLN Exercise ankle weights with straps can be used or magnetic weights. Lots of ways to do it.

Cycling s one of the forms of exercise being recommended by the gov so access to bikes and parts needed.