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Everything posted by johninderby
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Second the 8โ Classical Cassegrain. Loved my old Skymax 180 but my new 8โ Cassegrain is much better. Will take far higher manification and is sharper with more contrast and better resolution and is only slightly heavier than the 180. The stock Crayford is not bad at all but I replaced mine with a BaaderSteeltrack refractor focuser.One of the biggest advantages though is the freedom from dew. Never had any dew what so ever. Well worth spending the extra. Also higher build quality.
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heq5-pro HEQ5 Pro mount buying advice required
johninderby replied to SimM's topic in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice
While a saddle is included it is not that good. Most replace the stock saddle with a much higher quality one such as this one that acepts both Vixen and Losmand doetails. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/adm-dual-saddle-upgrade-for-heq5-neq6-avx-zeq-ioptron.html -
Prototype Sky-Watcher Evolux ED Refractors
johninderby replied to FLO's topic in Sponsor Announcements and Offers
There were the Celestron 80 and Orion 80 with FPL53 but basicly the same as the Skywatcher. Same objective was available in the Celestron Onyx in a better OTA. The WO Zenithstar 80FD was also FPL53 and widely regarded as as being a bit better than the Slywatcher.. -
Photos of a Skytee I used to have. That is untill one end fell off. ๐ Lesson..........donโt put too heavy an OTA on it. Keep OTA weight to about 10kg or less and it will be fine.
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The Skytee is a great buy and performs very well for a budget mount but the AZ100 is so much better in every way. Not just a piece of engineering art but a joy to use. Bit like the difference between a Kia and a Ferrari. Both do the same job of getting you from A to B but thatโs where the similarity ends.
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Collimating a Skywatcher 250PX dob
johninderby replied to Adam Barnsley's topic in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups
Laser should be tightened like an eyepiece. Must be firmly held to be acurate. -
Lots of EQ platforms from Telescope aexpress to give you an idea of what is available. From not too expensive to expensive such as the Geoptik. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/index.php/cat/c20_Mounts-----Equatorial.html Not difficult to build yournown though. Just Google DIY EQ platforms.
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Usefull little item to have tucked away in your spares box. ๐๐ป
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Collimating a Skywatcher 250PX dob
johninderby replied to Adam Barnsley's topic in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups
The inexpensie lasers rarely are even close to alignment as received. No excuse for not including colimating procedure for the colimator.. I found putting the colimator in a lathe and shining the beam through the headstock works perfectly. Worth mentioneg though to remember to check your focuser for being square to the tube and that the drawtube doesnโt twist or shift out of line when moved. Now use a Hotec which is properly colimated from the factory and is self centering. ๐๐ป -
Hope you didnโt get round to ordereing the eBay dovetail yet then.
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Turn left at Orion - on-line resource
johninderby replied to Geoff Lister's topic in Getting Started General Help and Advice
The CN link isnโt working for me. Just get you donโt have permission to view this espite being signed on to CN. Anyway have the Kindle version of the book which is handy to have on my iPad. -
Iโve been recommending Sticky Stuff Remover for years.. Works and no nasty smells and it doesnโt harm skin. Works well on upholstry and clothes as well.. I recently refelted some rings with some of FLOs flocking.
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You do enjoy the challange of building something out of the ordinary. ๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป Hope it all goes according to plan. ๐
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Hmmmm.......A paintball gun with red paint to turn the spotlight a dull red perhaps. ๐๐๐
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One problem with the Revelation az roller setup that can occur is if it is greased which can stop the rollers from turning properly. Just WD40 or something similar sprayed on and wiped off is all it needs.
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Nice to see your post๐๐ป Will be interested to see how you get on with the Nexus DSC. I might go with the Nexus II sometime in the future. Let Rowan know about the tray holding knob and Iโm sure theyโll come up with something better. An idea for Rowan. A quick release counterweight safety knob? ๐ค Yes that ADM saddle looks a bit anemic doesnโt it. I had one from my old Skytee but itโs now sitting on Johnโs Skytee.๐ The usual clouds that came with the mount have meant no proper outing yet but just looked outside and it looks like itโs clearing. ๐๐ผ
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Would a computerized scope be better
johninderby replied to startreker1's topic in Getting Started General Help and Advice
Iโve not heard anything about the Tal Apolar 125 in ages. Some dealers still show it as available though. What you might look like after collimating one. ๐ -
Barlow vs Focal extender
johninderby replied to DavidJM's topic in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice
Basicly Barlows are a simpler design and magnification varies depending on the distance between it and the eyepiece or camera as the light path is a cone. With a telextender (sometimes called a focal extender) magnification is the same no matter what the distance is between it and the eyepiece / camera as it contains extra elements to straighten the light path. BTW the ES extender is a great bit of kit and pretty well as good as the Televue Powermate in most scopes. Highly recommended. If you want more detail. https://www.telescope-optics.net/miscellaneous_optics.htm -
Replacing the az bearing with a roller bearing will help a lot. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1646_Azimut-Roller-Bearing-for-Dobsonian-Teleskopes-D---320mm.html The lazy susan aproach is a lot cheaper but requires adding some riction to the movement to stop the scope just spinning at theslightest touch. You could also replace the alt bearing with a friction bearing. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p6767_TS-Optics-Friction-bearing-for-altitude-axis---for-ATM-mount-and-Dobsonian-construction.html There are a lot of threads on low cost modding your dob so do a search if you donโt mind a bit of DIY. Adding a handle or knob at the top end of the scope makes it much easier to control.
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New GSO Classical Cassegrains
johninderby replied to dweller25's topic in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups
Simple. The scope is made by GSO. and GSO says the reflectivity is 96%. -
HoTech Laser Collimating
johninderby replied to Jiggy 67's topic in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups
Get yourself a Concentre. They are available in 1.25โ and 2โ versions and absolutlely nothing else does as good a job of setting up the secondary mirror. Having a properly setup secondary is key to good collimation. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p5506_TS-Concenter-2--colimation-eyepiece-for-Newtonian-Telescopes.html A regular Cheshire eyepiece is better than nothing and will help get the secondary close enough to allow using the laser to finish the collimation but if you want the best collimation get the Concentre. Itโs one of those tools that once used you wonโt go back to a Cheshire.