jock1958

Hi @Alma I very much doubt you have a problem with your Tak. I was out last week with my FS-60Q during a rare cloudless night, conditions were steady so decided to give Sirius a quick peek and Wow!! it looked excellent at x200.....this could be it and I'm in with a chance of seeing the Pup with my FC-100DL 😀 I quickly set up the mini Taks big brother only to be hugely disappointed with the views, I persevered for well over 45mins but things didn't improve so put it down to the dratted central heating plumes, cool down time of my Tak or atmospheric conditions changing 🤔 and of course Sirius being too low for my location ☹️

Glad to hear that it compares favourably with the MEF3 and a big money saving as well 😃

Found my original Tak screw slightly to big as well but didn’t pursue in trying to fit it, did you omit the white nylon washer difficult to see in your photos? Focuser looks very nice on your Sky 90 by the way 👍

Sorry misread your question I don’t know? I think there is a difference in the length of tubes on the CB & C versions that will affect the distance of the back focus. Maybe @DirkSteele who’s written some cracking reviews on all versions of the FS-60 series could help out?

Mines a 2004 FS-60C which I bought second hand it came with the shortened CSV tube, x1.7 extender, 2” visual back, standard 1.25” visual back and adapters, clamp and finder. I spent ages messing about with the various options to bring my eyepieces into focus, just now I’m using it in the FS-60Q mode with the CSV tube, x1.7 extender and 2” visual back and it’s been brilliant. Luckily the guy I bought it off had done a lot of the ground work and provided me with a wealth of information. If you need any further info PM me.

@Stuart1971 @JeremyS Yep the thread is a lot longer

@Stuart1971 @Joe GI loosened it all off and It moved in approx 2mm before it bottomed out. If you really wanted to you could extend the slots or the hole in the torque plate with a needle file but that will only weaken it and for the sake of 2mm is it worth it? PS: I suspect the plate is made of aluminium as it’s very light and non magnetic so would be easy to file and ruin forever 😬

Before anyone goes down the DIY hacksaw route this focuser was designed to fit a large percentage of the Takahashi range so might for example be a more aesthetic and better fit on the larger FC-100 series of focusers compared to my Mini Tak FS-60 🤷🏻‍♂️

I will have to confirm that but Im pretty sure the focuser assembly was pushed in as far as possible and contacted the end of the pinion shaft before I tightened the screws on the torque plate.

Yeh looking at them side by side I see what you mean however the focuser on the FS-60 is quite small in comparison to the likes of the FC-100 series where it might not protrude so far. Another thing I noticed the course focuser wheel off the More Blue looks very similar to the wheels on my Starlight focuser unlike the MEF 3 that seems a better Tak match 🤨 What I need now is for More Blue to start making some matching wheels 🤣

Yeh I might swap it around does look nice in chrome 👍

You use the original Tak pinion cover and attach it using the brass screw provided finger tight only.

Not 100% sure but I think @FLO are sold out already! Did you get the last one?

Well bit the bullet and bought the More Blue focuser for my Tak FS-60, thanks @FLO! Everything is neatly packaged and beautifully engineered, it comes with everything as per the pictures on the FLO website including a couple of Allen keys, however one thing they need to add is a spring spanner to remove the attachment screw on the Tak pinion cover, luckily I already have one from the Starlight FT pinion focuser kit for my FC-100DL. There are no written instructions provided but the Astro Hutech video is self explanatory and it only took 15 mins or so to fit, maybe @FLO could add this video later? I haven't tried it in anger yet but initial thoughts are it is very smooth in operation with a nice weighty feel, very similar to the FT focuser on my FC-100DL and just what I need to hit the tiny focusing sweet spot of the FS-60. https://astrohutech.store/product/more-blue-precision-focuser-kit-for-takahashi-telescopes/

Great set up Jeremy - Mini Tak + Scopetech Zero + Berlebach Tripod + Berlebach Chair - now that's what I call grab & go Nirvana!!

Snap! Got my little FS-60 on a Scopetech Zero as well. It’s a brilliant little scope and with only 2.4” of aperture it punches way above its weight and as I get older and more creaky I think I’ll be using it a lot more. I’ve mounted mine on a manfrotto 190 carbon fibre tripod, what are you using? PS: love the peep sight!

As well as that focuser upgrade @FLO have added lots more “More Blue” goodies!

Thanks 🙏🏻 I’m saving for one now 👍

The 24mm panoptic is a brilliant eyepiece with crystal clear wide angled views with good eye relief, it’s one of my favourite eyepieces, I don’t have any issues with the undercut either as I use the Baader T2 prism diagonal with a click lock clamp...brilliant end of!! As far as high powered eyepieces go my favourite just now is the TV 3-6 zoom which is excellent but pricey, I was lucky and picked one up second hand.

Wise words from @mikeDnight. When I re-entered this hobby some 5 years ago I wanted a fairly light weight setup that I could leave assembled in the dining room that wouldn't annoy my other half to much and be easily transportable into the garden, I eventually opted for a Tak FC-100DL mounted on a Skytee 2 & AZ4 tripod (steel legs) which for me is excellent, basically steady views with minimum vibration. Also recently acquired was a second hand Scopetech Zero mount for my mini Tak FS-60 and this combination works great, however I haven't tried the Scopetech with the FC-100DL but suspect there would be vibration at high magnification due to the difference in size and mass of the two mounts, a DC might cope better due to a weight advantage and shorter tube length, others might chip in about this @Stu? Couple of pictures below for comparison of my FC-100DL & FS-60.

I remember someone chopping one in half a few years ago but couldn’t for the life of me remember if it was someone on SGL or the other side of the house?

Agree with everything you say Mike, love mine and it’s the mainstay of my finder equipment but it sure is ugly, I think the designer chose functionality over aesthetics! What about getting a rattle can of matching Tak / Skywatcher white and give it a quick spray job?? just a thought 🤣

Thanks Dave will keep an eye out for an 18mm BCO, I also fancy a pair of the celestron ultima sp’s after buying those halloween plossls off you. Ahh the expense of it all 🤣

Hi @IDMand welcome to SGL. Mounted mine on a Skywatcher AZ4 mount & tripod with the Steel legs, then later on I acquired a second hand Skytee 2 AZ mount. The Steel leg tripod is brilliant and rock solid, I can’t recommend it highly enough! Can’t comment on the go-to computer mounts as I’m purely a visual observer and I’m into quick and easy setups without any hassle & faff especially with the dodgy weather we have in South Wales 😩

I have one of each of the 10mm & 18mm BCO’s and wasn’t sure if they made a good BV pairing, but from what you are saying the 18 is especially good so might keep an eye out for another second hand one. If you haven’t done so already try screwing the lens element of your 2.25x Barlow into the nose piece of your WO BV’s you will be surprised at the bump in magnification! Worked brilliantly for me on Mars & the Moon.