Adjusting secondary of a 250PX

[smolloy]

Hi all,

Going a little crazy here.

With the snow falling thick and fast outside, I decided that tonight would be a good time to collimate my new 250PX, and now I am stuck at the most basic of the steps! I can't figure out how to adjust the secondary!!

I don't mean that I can't figure out what I am looking at, or what I need to do -- I mean that I can't figure out the screws to move the secondary!!

The manual says to use the three screws surrounding the central bolt, but, although these look kinda like they need allen keys, the hole in each of them is perfectly round, and I can't persuade it to turn!!

What am I missing??!

Steve

[johnnyringo]

Hi Steve

Look here:

Astro Babys Guide to Collimation

Saved my life!

Cheers

John

[sunshine185]

At the bottom of the "hole" you will find the hex screws, you need to grasp the secondary holder and the spider veins firmly without touching the mirror, then turn the screws anti-clockwise. They are very tight at first.

[tbird]

The adjusting screws are allen grub screws set quite deep, it's the small allen key that comes with the scope. If it's the first time they've been touched they'll probably be very tight, support the the mirror holder and slacken the philips screw in the centre.

[Neil1194]

The centre screw moves the mirror a sort distance up and down the tube after youve slackened the three allen screws of -not too much though. The three allen screws adjust the mirror mount in any direction like a joystick

[steppenwolf]

I am pretty sure that these are Philips headed bolts, not Allen Key they are on my 250PX anyway.

[Neil1194]

Definitely allen screws on mine 2mm or thereabouts.

[smolloy]

....it's the small allen key that comes with the scope....

We have a winner!!!

Thanks tbird!

[tbird]

If the allen screws are tight, releasing the philips screw just takes the pressure off, but as Neil1194 says, it adjusts the mirror along the tube.

[steppenwolf]

Definitely allen screws on mine 2mm or thereabouts.

The march of progress - I'd rather have Allen keys than Philips head any day!

[tbird]

And I'd rather have Bob's Knobs

[smolloy]

This forum is awesome! Look at the timestamps -- I got the answer I needed only 8 mins after posting the original question, and had located the tool I needed, and confirmed it was the right one, within 8 mins of the answer.

Just brilliant. Thanks guys!

[tbird]

That's because it's cloudy here