johninderby

Little 6x30 RA errect image finder with a black bracket for the 80mm grab’n’go frac. ? Now for a bit of looking at chimney pots and aerials. ?

A simple to use synthesizer supposedly. Simple compared to brain surgery I suppose. ?

First impressions are it feels really solid and having the clamping part split in two means it should really clamp down well. Although just using vixen type dovetails at the moment I want to be able to upgrade to the Losmandy type later on. A Primaluce dovetail would look nice with Big Red. ?

And nice big knobs you can really get hold of. ?

Nice new PrimaLuceLab dovetail saddle for the AZ-EQ5 GT mount. ? Do you think there’s enough bolts to hold it on? ?

TS-Optics AZ5 Alt-Az Mount I had sold my Skytee II mount to help fund a new GOTO mount and as much as I like the new mount do miss the simplicity of the old Skytee II for quick views. Hard to get hold of just the Skytee II head only at the moment so decided to order the Telescope Express version. Comes without saddles but no problem as I would have replaced the Skytee ones anyway. Looks the same as the Skytee but however doesn’t feel the same at all. Stuck the Skymax 180 on it and was surprised to find there was zero backlash. ? Feels tight and well sorted. ? Fitted a spare ADM saddle and also fitted a Manfrotto QR baseplate to the upper mounting point. I use my 80mm frac on a photo tripod with a Manfrotto geared head so having a common fitting will be usefull. Just need to get hold of a couple of countersunk M5 screws though before it can be used. First impressions are while it is a Skytee they seem to have applied a bit of quality control and properly sorted it before shipping. ?

Although not used for serious work there is the 1.8m Leviathan of Parsonstown, or Rosse telescope. Recently restored although with an aluminium mirror rather than the original speculum metal. https://blogs.royalsociety.org/history-of-science/2016/10/03/leviathan/

I used to leave my CF version for an hour to cool down. I had discussions with others with this scope and found I wasn’t alone in experiencing this “problem” When conditions were right it was a great performer but some nights just didn’t perform. I just put it down to being a very sensitive scope that didn’t like poor seeing. Had a couple of the Skywatcher Maks and never experienced this.

I had the CF tube version with the best grade of optics and did have mixed experiences with it. While opticaly excellent found it was very fussy about seeing. When seeing was good it was a great little performer but in times of ordinary seeing found it gave somewhat disappointing views. I eventualy sold it on because of this.

Do you mean it used to be a LED panel. Clueless shippers. ? Remonds me of a set of drinking glasses received in the mail recently. Just in the thin cutaway cardboard display pack and simply put in a plastic carrier bag with no packing at all. Amazingly arrived in perfect condition. ?

I’m just waiting to see if any Xmas visitors are taken in by the “Tartan Paint” ? Re: kilts. The cold winter wind blowing through my hair is enogh for me let alone blowing around other parts. ? Just a thought. Has anyone ever done a dob in tartan?

A tin of Tartan paint. ? Bought as a joke Xmas gift but I’m keeping it for myself. ?

Would recommend buying this as well. ?

It might surprise ypu ro know that UK and US taxes are pretty much the same for higher earners although lpwer in the UK for lower earners. Then of course there is the cost of buying health insurance in the US. ?

Yes it was. Not a single damage claim in twenty years. ?

Particularily those that live in London. ?

Automated sorting equipment used by the bigger couriers is one of the major causes of damage. The packages get fired from point to point and slammed arpund a lot. Some couriers do offer an extra care option with everything being sorted by hand. Of course the low wages paid to drivers does mean a lot don’t care how they handle stuff. Ran a mail prder business for many years and the advice I was given was to assume the package will be given to a gorrila who will jump up and down on it, slam it against the walls and then play football with it. ? Louis D - Fuel is so dirt cheap in the US that long drives aren’t that expensive. However in the UK fuel is eye wateringly expensive and becomes a real factor. Also takes twicw as long to drive an equivelent distance as in the US.

A Rigel Quikfinder perhaps. Has a stick on base so no drilling or other messing about with the scope. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/rigel-quikfinder-compact-reflex-sight.html

Let’s see the pics then. ?

You’ve got yourself a great eyepiece. ? One of my favourite Naglers. Prefer it to the 31mm Nagler as to me it gave more satisfying views.

I think it’s actually a type of cheese. ? Should last long enough to undo two nuts though......I think. The Halfords is a lovely little set though with a lifetime replacement guarantee. I keep one around for small tasks..

Any small socket set like this will do. Of course you can pick up cheap sets off Amazon or eBay for a few quid as well if you don’t think you’ll be using it much. https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-36-piece-socket-set-1-4 Or the cheapie stuff that won’t last but is cheap. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-36109-Socket-Set-Pieces/dp/B000WDTI1C/ref=sr_1_4?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1539893610&sr=1-4&keywords=Socket+set&refinements=p_36%3A118658031

Once you’ve had a Berlebach you just don’t want to go back to a steel tripod. It’s the UNI18 and FLO also sell the spreader. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/berlebach-tripods/berlebach-uni-18-tripod-heq5-eq6.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tripods/spread-stopper-for-berlebach-tripods-31008.html BTW the pic on FLO is one I took of my tripod. ?

Does indeed reduce vibration as wood dampens vibration whereas steel just transmits it and if you fit the spreader bar so much easier to just flick the legs out into position. Makes setting up quicker and easier than the steel tripod. Find with the rubber feet on a hard surface have no need of vibration pads. You can use the spikes on grass but I don’t usually bother.The Berlebach are beautifully made and have endless accessories available. The only thing I didn’t like about the stock tripod was the spreader chain arrangement but fortunately easily sorted by fitting the aluminium spreader. I used to have a WO wooden tripod which did look good until you put it next to the Berlebach where it suddenly looked crude and cheaply made in comparison.

Received the mounting foot for my grab’n’go 80ED scope I had been after thanks to another SGL member Cleetus. Great guy. Sent the foot by 1st Class post and wouldn’t accept any payment. Not even for the postage. Some amazing members here. ??? Helps keep the weight down and perfectly adequate for visual. ? John