Rotating tube rings (or something!)

[Gomtuu]

Can anybody recommend using these or not?

I want to be able to rotate the scope about its optical axis without having to loosen the tube rings.

[Pete Presland]

never tried them myself,there is somebody selling a giant jubilee clip+padding on ebay as well.to be honest i have never found its nothing a good quality diagonal cant overcome

[Gomtuu]

I was thinking more about balancing than the EP.

[johnny diamond]

think i see where your coming from but to gain the ballance you are after usual mean's the ep position will be awkward i ignore that aspect of balance and go for comfortable viewing as a preferance!

[Macavity]

I found, with an equatorial(???), the vaguely counterintuitive way of pointing the eyepiece *downwards* when in the "home" (polar viewing) position met most viewing requirements. And was also symmetrical re. balancing issues?

[Hobbes]

I'm just putting a set of these together at the moment as I'm sick and tired for my OTA slipping when I rotate the eyepiece to a comfortable position -something I seem to have to do a fair bit.

Im using the following system as a guide - Andy's Shot Glass - Wilson Rotating Rings - Astronomy & Astrophotography for Non-Gazillionaires

I sourced the jubilee clips from Industrial Hose | Hose Shop | Hose Distributors and am using the top cover from plastic wiring channel instead of the garden edging.

If I had a standard diameter tube I would probably just buy another set of tube rings and mod them using AstroBaby's guide Rotating Rings for Reflector Telescopes but my OTA is an old one and I cannot find any off the shelf rings to fit.

[Gomtuu]

Thanks Rob, that's the kind of useful info I've been after!

[Hobbes]

It's a pleasure

[hemihaggis]

eh ??? i never have to rotate the tube ... the above post got it spot on ..when in home position the ep points almost down ....whats the problem ???

[Gomtuu]

As I said, it's not about the eyepiece!

[hemihaggis]

Can anybody recommend using these or not?

I want to be able to rotate the scope about its optical axis without having to loosen the tube rings.

you said its not about the ep .... why else would you want to rotate the ota then ??

as for balancing ota ...once its balanced .... its balanced ... if you add a camera and increase weight at one end ...tube rings and rotateing wont help ???? am i missing somthing here help ??

[proflight2000]

Go to an embroidery shop and get two embroidery rings the size you require to fit around your scope. Dirt cheap and they do a brilliant job.

[Hobbes]

Go to an embroidery shop and get two embroidery rings the size you require to fit around your scope. Dirt cheap and they do a brilliant job.

Excellent idea and a lot cheaper than mine!

[Pete Presland]

Go to an embroidery shop and get two embroidery rings the size you require to fit around your scope. Dirt cheap and they do a brilliant job.

now they certainly look the part! great call and a choice of colours

[Tinker1947]

I use this method, the plastic strip with a 1 metre measure, jubilee clip source at E-Bay, anything flat will do that goes under the protruding nut...

[Bried]

never tried them myself,there is somebody selling a giant jubilee clip+padding on ebay as well.to be honest i have never found its nothing a good quality diagonal cant overcome

I have thought about this solution myself for overcoming awkward viewing positions but have been led to believe that a diagonal can't be used on a reflector

Is this not the case then?

[Gomtuu]

you said its not about the ep .... why else would you want to rotate the ota then ??

as for balancing ota ...once its balanced .... its balanced ... if you add a camera and increase weight at one end ...tube rings and rotateing wont help ???? am i missing somthing here help ??

Hi hemihaggis, I think this explains what I'm trying to do:

[Gomtuu]

Job done on my 200PDS, courtesy of a 210-242mm Jubilee clip from ebay and a trimmed 1000x19x3mm PVC strip from B&Q.

[NoSiriusly]

Job done on my 200PDS, courtesy of a 210-242mm Jubilee clip from ebay and a trimmed 1000x19x3mm PVC strip from B&Q.

Hi Gomtuu, are you still using this method? It it worth me trying it? Anything to be aware of?

[Gomtuu]

Hi Gomtuu, are you still using this method? It it worth me trying it? Anything to be aware of?

Yes, still using this. It seems to work fine. I haven't found any obvious drawbacks to it.

[NoSiriusly]

Thanks Gomtuu.

I see you're in Plymouth. Me too. Ever been to the Plymouth Astronomical Society?

[Gomtuu]

Thanks Gomtuu.

I see you're in Plymouth. Me too. Ever been to the Plymouth Astronomical Society?

I'm afraid I haven't.