Excruciating eyepiece experience

[West End Wendy]

Picked up my eyepiece case last night and I must have forgotten to do up the drawbolts. Cue the sound of several hundred pounds worth of (mainly) Televue optics rolling out of the case and on to the concrete patio. A sound I never want to hear again.

I'm annoyed with myself because I'm usually always so careful to avoid that exact situation happening, but luckily the only obvious damage is a tiny chip on the barrel of my 10mm Ethos (aaagh!).

Optically, that eyepiece is still The Best Eyepiece In The World, but eyepieces are such strange objects of desire that I still feel a slight sense of loss.

I've had to post this on the forum as a kind of cathartic stage in the grieving process.

Thanks for listening. ?

Tim

[MikeP]

My normal observing position is on a concrete patio and I have a morbid fear of hearing glass and concrete come into contact, so I can imagine how you felt.

With Ethos eyepieces, I'd be more worried about the patio though.

Mike

[Ags]

The horror! The horror! You'd better replace the concrete paving with rubber tiles. I suggested that for our garden makeover - the idea did not fly, on 'aesthetic grounds' :-)

[Stu]

You have my sympathies Tim, horrid thing to happen and it makes me cringe just thinking about it. Seems like everything is ok but I am like you, I like things to be perfect and even a knock is annoying.

Cheers

Stu

[nightfisher]

ouch

the worst thing that has happened to me is my Tal100 frac throwing itself to the floor, i had fitted a home made servo focuser and this took the worst of it, also the focus spindle bent but i was able to source a length of 4mm 316 stainless bar and remake the part as new

[Trull]

Ouch - I feel your pain.

I recently started looping a nylon cord through the camera strap loop on my dslr, the DFK and up onto my ED103 to stop that calamity... oh the horror!

[Ags]

When my dslr is attached to my scope, I wrap the camera strap around the scope to catch it if it falls out.

[West End Wendy]

Thanks for your therapeutic words.

It's funny how appearances do seem to be important, especially as this is a hobby we do in the dark. ?

I suppose the one genuine issue with cosmetic damage is loss of potential second-hand value, not that I have any intention of selling that Ethos...

[callisto]

I would cover the patio with that stuff they use in childrens playgrounds. (just to protect the patio)

[Simms]

To be honest, that Ethos is probably only worth £30/£35 with the damage you mention - but tell you what - I'll take it off you for sixty and put up with the chips and dents you mentioned (between the lines) - PayPal gift OK? ( and don't embarrass me by thanking me you big softy).

[West End Wendy]

What a generous offer - If only the buy and sell section was open...?

[Space Bat]

Yup - guess quite a few of us have been here...so know your pain....

I got lucky as you have - I once played juggler when once when unscrewing my focal reducer only for it to spin out my hand and a little juggling before failing horribly as it was lost out of my grasp and onto the patio...fearing the worse - I picked it up rushed inside and found only a slight scuff to the thread...Phewww

[Joguj]

A bit less cost involved - I only started last week but did the same thing with my new revelation eyepieces. Fortunately the case flew open just over a well placed sofa. I saw the eyepieces drop in slow motion landing softly and my lesson is well learned. Never again!

[patomlin76]

This is reminding me of an experience this morning when my 4 year old son inadvertently found my (brand new) reflector telescope tube, started to pick it up before dropping it about 6 inches to the floor.

Luckily the carpet was a very soft pile. If that was the kitchen lino I'd have been crying! Suffice to say, it is now stored away from little hands!

[LeeB]

The horror.

I had a near miss last week carrying the 10"orion in having already carried the mount in and put its weights on. I knocked the mount with the mirror end of the tube and the mount because of its weights started to tip over ( this is the point to note that i was in the conservatory) heavy mount and windows don't mix. After the slow motion panic bit, descided in an instant stuff the window I'm not dropping the OTA. Then thought no!! and managed to catch the mount with my foot and keep hold of the tube. Then i was stuck standing on one leg unable to put the ota down or remove foot from mount. Lucky the crys for help were soon answered (have descide to store the score in a safer corner now).

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Shudder!! Yesterday, I was observing on grass, but the ground was frozen rock solid and there were (rock solid) molehills all over the place. I nearly tripped carrying my 31T5 (the Terminagler/Panzerfaust). Heart-stopping moment.

[MjrTom]

Ouch!

I shudder at the thought. I also tend to observe on the concrete patio so I am always mindful to check that I have done all the catches up and double check before moving anything.

I do have a bad habit of standing them up on the ground when switching them out.

Only time before I knock one over without thinking...