Dual Speed Focuser: Refractor.

[quantumpanda]

Hello SGL,

I'm looking for a Dual Speed Focuser for my Startravel 150. The R&P it features at the moment is truly awful.

There seems to be several models around the £100-£130 mark. At the moment I've seen Skywatcher, Antares and Orion [Cheaper], but also GSO in America. The GSO one looks really nice.

Anywho, has anyone had any experience with any of these? Are there any I should avoid? Can maybe someone give a glowing review of one?

Thank you!

[John]

I tried a Skywatcher dual-speed crayford on my old 6" refractor and it was OK but I found the adjustment finicky to get it really as smooth as I wanted - the "coarse" speed adjustment always seemed a bit "lumpy". I've now got a William Optics one on my ED120 refractor and that seems much better than the Skywatcher. I believe the WO ones were more expensive though. Moonlights and Feathertouches are the "kings of the hill" of course but priced accordingly.

[johninderby]

The GSO ones are available from Telescope Service and the price works out about the same as importing from the US (don't forget the duties, taxes, handling fees when importing from outside the EU).

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/index.php/language/en/cat/c92_Zubehoer-----Okularauszuege---Motorfokus.html

The Skywatcher crayford uses exactly the same gear unit as the WO ones. I had a brand new WO scope with a focuser that was so bad it had to be replaced. True though that most of the Skywatcher ones seem to come through out of adjustment. It's usually the locking ring on the inside of the geared knob that sets the tension that's too loose or tight.

If you can stretch the budget to about £200.00 there's the Baader Steeltrack. Lovely crayford that's every bit a smooth as a MoonLite but a lot cheaper.

John

[russ]

This one will fit the ST150:

Orion 2". Dual-Speed Crayford Refractor Focuser - SCS Astro

I far as i can see it's the cheapest available but should be very good. It's the same focuser that is fitted to the Skywatcher DS Pro series. Huge improvement over your current R&P focuser and perhaps all you would want to invest in a Startravel. Should be spot on for visual.

[johninderby]

TS has the Skywatcher single speed crayford for 49 Euros (about £53.00 Delivered) A dual speed upgrade can be fitted later on as well.

John

[quantumpanda]

Hmm this is interesting. Single speed crayford would be a huge improvement too.

That's the Orion one I found, sounds like that might be an idea then!

The only reason I'm spending on it is because I only paid £90 for my Startravel 150 on eBay. I would never pay £470 for something that suffers from so much CA.

[johninderby]

I've seen the single speeds go for £45.00 or so second hand so £53.00 new doesn't sound too bad. And as you can fit the dual speed knob to it later on you wouldn't have to get rid of it if you did want to upgrade to dual speed.

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p2625_1-10-micro-transmission-for-retrofitment-of-Crayford-focusers.html

John