Newbie & Handmade refractor problem

[casemonster]

What a fine night to try out the scope. Objective lens both ways and full extended with the diagonal. It was quite tricky getting the focus which could not be achieved with eyepieces in place. In fact I had to get an exact 9 inches away from the end of the focusing tube of the scope before I got a focus on Jupiter and the four moons. It was difficult to get any definition on Jupiter as the focus mechanism was ME ! It is amazing how much a difference I make when I'm thinking I'm standing perfectly still the focus is going in and out, up and down out of the lens and back in again. Still was impressed with very brief views I got...

I need a 9 or 10inch tube to go into the focusing tube and that should let me focus the thing! because focus was so in and out and up an down, difficult to tell which way the objective lens works best. Need to get some measurements done to get an extension tube diameters. Can you buy these things??

Still at least I got a few glimses at the big gas giant!!!