GlenM

On 12/07/2022 at 16:17, ian2 said:

How much would I need for a 300p Flextube?

I used to use masking tape and stick around the inside diameter of the tube, cut it accurately and then remove and measure it. You can then work out how much you need.

Clear Skies,

Glen.

On 21/06/2022 at 17:30, FLO said:

You chose well. 

The situation hasn't changed. To make this viable we had to place a large order. We have also invested in a cutting bench. Protostar is regarded as the very best so we consider it money well spent. 

Steve 

It is the best 'dark material' I ever used. I used to sell yards of the stuff before retiring. Good to see it back in the UK.

Kind regards,

Glen.

Nice clean objective.

Delivered from FLO yesterday. Great service as usual. I have been pondering about this little scope and flattener for months and decided to take the plunge.

On 05/03/2021 at 21:43, KP82 said:

For widefield and terrestrial

Nice Hercules mount. How do you get on with it?

Glen.

I used the standard grey primer or the yellowish primer/filler that Halfords sell. Yes, the colour match is quite good on a lot of 'off white' scope tubes. Just remember that light thin coats work best, and give each coat time to dry. You can of course lacquer it after if you need to. Perhaps the time of year isn't good at the moment for spraying outside.

Stay safe.

Glen.

I have used Halfords acrylic paint for scope tubes. With the right undercoat and procedure it's a very durable paint. For white tubes I used appliance white.

Stay safe,

Glen.

Hi Shaun,

Thinking about something similar myself. I think the main thing is to enjoy what you're doing. I do agree about the the difficulties that have been mentioned. Just enjoy what you're doing.

Stay safe,

Glen.

On 29/07/2020 at 18:52, Steve Clay said:

Well the hercules mount arrived today

Extremely well packaged.

When unwrapped what was revealed was a very nice looking, solid feeling mount. The CNC machining and stainless accessories look really nice as do the 2 included 1kg stainless counterweights and bar. Weirdley the counterweight bar thread is 3/8 16 so photo thread.

I removed the solar quest from on top of the small extension on the EQ5 tripod as I wanted something solid below the mount to assess it's capability and not have to worry about what the tripod was doing. 

The trusty ED 80 was loaded up with accessories: diagonal, finder and 30mm 1.25 inch Ep.

And this is where it all went wrong. Due to the protruding fittings on the SW dovetail I could not attach the scope to the clamp as the dovetail requires sliding in.

Ok so lets see what it feels like just moving it about.  The 2 smaller lattice screws that can be seen in the picture are not clutches so there is no way to apply any tension on each of the axis. not so much of a problem in azimuth but could prove problematic in altitude.

The reduction ratio is about 8:1 on the larger knurled knobs and presents quite a jittery feel when rotated. That said they were not under load so that might improve slightly. Again just pushing the head around was quite jittery as the splines on the belts engaged the cogs no smoothness at all..

So to conclude. A very attractive and different looking mount. If I had managed to mount the ED80 on it I don't think that It would have provided  smooth movement especially in alt as there is no way to adjust and tension and the only tension provided is the friction/ drag on the drive belt.

I will be returning it tomorrow, as it's not suitable for my intended purpose which is a real shame but at £265 it's too much money to spend time fettling about with new dove tails etc only to find there is no smooth movement and the lack of clutches makes it difficult to use.. 

So I think i'll play it safe and swap it for an AZ5

 

Steve

Yes, Steve I had similar problems when I had one. I did get it working in the end, but had to strip it completely. With a bit more thought from the manufacturer this could be a very nice mount. Really sorry it didn't work out for you.

Stay safe,

Glen.

It certainly worked better with the counterweight bar and weights. Lets hope Zoltan got some spares in because there were no spares available when I bought my Hercules.

Stay safe,

Glen.

On 25/07/2020 at 22:42, John said:

One of our members owned one of those I seem to recall but I can't recall who it was

 

I had the blue version from 365astronomy. I did like the mount but had to strip it down to get it to my standard. I did eventually sell it on though after 'fixing' it up. I believe it's now under a Tak 76 and the user is very satisfied with it. If I wanted another mount I would still seriously consider it.

Stay safe,

Glen.

On 16/07/2020 at 11:42, HollyHound said:

Wow, this arrived quickly from TS in Germany 👍

Berlebach Report 372 Astro with EQ5 (Vixen GP) head. It did arrive with a wooden accessory tray too, but that’s not shown in the photo.

This is so much lighter (4 kg) than the Uni 28 (9 kg), and is intended to pair with the ScopeTech Zero Mount and StellaMira 80mm f/10, as my lightweight and (hopefully) sturdy grab and go refractor setup.

The Uni 28 can revert back to supporting the SkyTee II and Mak 150.

 

I was just about to sell mine since selling all my astro gear. They are a fantastic mid-weight tripod. Berlebach quality through and through.

Stay safe,

Glen.

The camera manufacturers software usually does a good job, and it's free.

Stay safe,

Glen.

I had the opportunity to stock these from Barry, but I was getting close to retirement. A mistake on my part for sure.

Stay safe,

Glen.

Just love that T-Rex mount, very nice.

Stay safe,

Glen.

One of the most beautiful images of the Moon that I have seen, thank you and well done.

Stay safe,

Glen.

If I remember rightly I think I bought mine from Harrison telescopes. It's been a while though.

stay safe,

Glen.

I just never worry when I order from FLO, no anxiety at all. I just know everything will be okay.

Stay safe,

Glen.

To be honest Dave I would be tempted to send it back for a check up.

Stay safe,

Glen.

Perhaps have a look at the Sharpstar 61 EDPH with reducer/flattener. It's a very nice compact scope, and there have been some nice images posted on cloudynights.

Glen.

I went for the Berlebach report 312 FAU. A superb tripod. It's a much sturdier version of the standard 312.

Glen.

I've always found Ted to be very helpful.

Glen.

48 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

Hi all

as a result of advice on this forum and a bit of research, I’ve just taken delivery of a 17.5mm Morpheus eyepiece and what a well presented eyepiece it is!!

One question though.. can anyone tell me what is the little steel object in the box, looks like a little tab like object, what is it’s purpose? It’s not mentioned in the enclosed booklet 

Excellent choice. You won't be sorry. Enjoy.

Glen.

To be honest I would probably go for 3 or 4 of the Morpheus line instead of the Hyperions. They are now on offer and are excellent eyepieces if the focal lengths are right for you.

Glen.

Nick,

Enjoying what you're doing is what it's all about. Nice image. I never get tired of looking at M81 and M82. Thank you.

Glen.