banjaxed

Hi and welcome to SGL.

Thanks for the comments. The reason I was a bit reluctant to try and clean it was the Meade manual clearly warned not to try it. Normally I would just get on with it as I have always been very practical and will try anything within reason. Cleaning all the cell lenses is far more tricky so they will be left alone ( for now) 😀

Thank you John for your very clear instructions, I managed to remove the dew shield ( eventually) and removed the lens cell by undoing the 3 screws, then used my blower to remove all the bits and bobs from the lens and gave it a gentle clean. It is a lot better now but it probably would benefit from a good cleaning of all the cels but I think it would be better to leave it as it is, I don’t really want to go that far. Thanks again to all for your help.

I was replying to your first message when you posted this one. It is not the collimatable type as it does not have those screws.

Thank you for your reply, I am not sure how to tell if it has a collimatable objective cell or not but there are no visible signs on the scope to suggest it has. I did manage to rotate the dew shield a little but did not want to force it but now I know it is removable I will try a bit harder. Will keep you posted about my progress.

I have tried to find on line research but am unable to find anything. The dew shield does rotate with difficulty so maybe I need to be a little more persuasive. Thank you for your input, I will keep trying and let you know how things progress.

I have a Meade LXD55EMC 5" refractor and was wondering why the images were not as bright and clear as my 8" dob and 5" Mak untill I noticed the lens was very dirty on the inside. I know it is not recommended to try and clean a lens but it is not really an option to leave it alone. It is not worth using as it is so maybe I should take a chance and try to clean it if I can figure out how to take the lenses out. Has anyone had any experience with this scope who could advise me please.

I think most people use any lithium grease with PTFE for mount gears, there is no need to use a lot.

I think you will find it is Venus.

Hi Dan. welcome to SGL.

there is usually a locking bolt on the tube assembly, try and tighten it up gradually.

I have a few Celestron Super Plossl eyepieces and they are fine in my 200P dob.

Hi John, welcome to SGL.

Great images, thanks for sharing.

I have the same scope and my hand made platform trolley is perfect for moving it around. As for the centre bolt it is a matter of preference, normally tight enough to stay put but loose enough to move easily.

I think the aliens are already here and buying all our toilet rolls 😀

A lot depends on what type of telescope you are using because some scopes need a barlow to reach focus. There is a section on the CN forum dedicated to binoviewers which will tell you all you need to know.

Thank you very much for posting your guide, looks like it is just what I need. The link you provided does not work but I think your guide will be sufficient. Thanks again.

The dec control on my EQ3-2 mount feels a bit tight so I would like to strip it down and give it a service. Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of ? Any advice would be appreciated.

Did my first mirror clean today and fortunately it did not appear to be fungus as the marks cleaned off very easily. It turned out to be a lot easier than expected which is probably a first for me.

Hi Nicola, welcome to SGL.

Sorry about that, it was was because I copied and pasted the info and the rest of the text continued in that mode ??? 🥴

Further to my previous suggestion for using plastic milk bottle caps for the lens end you can buy Round Plastic Black End Cap Caps in 32 mm size for the other end. They are slightly larger in diameter but a little tape does the job.

Thank you for your information Ruud, I will check it out.

I have just been looking at my 8” skywatcher Dob and noticed some spots on the primary mirror, could it be fungus or just dust marks, looks like small patches of condensation to me. It is kept in my garage which is dry but not heated and I always keep the lens cover on.