Helios Spares Needed?

[odyseus10]

Hi All,

I rather stupidly left my 6" helios outside a couple of years ago and everything corroded

I have just replaced all the screws with stainless steel ones and fitted a two axis motor.

The other night I thought I'd give it a test, only to find the images 'smudged' - I just couldn't focus it. I assumed it was a collimation problem and bought a laser aligner. Yes the secondary was well off the primary mirror centre. I'd already cleaned the primary but not the secondary.

I removed the spider BUT what a state the secondary mirror was in! Corrosion and chip outs around the edges. I decided to remove the mirror BUT forgot about the small lens at the end of the spider tube. So the blinkin sencondary slid down the spider tube and took a chunk out of the small lens - ******!

So after this long tale of woe, I need a new secondary mirror and spider lens? Where can I source these?? I assume that Helios is now owned my Skywatcher.

All the best

John

Telescope details:

Helios 6" Newtonian D=150mm. F=1000m

Mount Skyscan 2001.

Secondary mirror 40mm wide, 56mm long.

[Cornelius Varley]

It might be cheaper/easier just to buy a new ota.

Peter

[odyseus10]

..I must admit, the thought had crossed my mind on that? ~£200 for a 6" and £270 for a 8".

Wonder if it's worth paying a bit more and going for the 8"? I assume that the mount can handle it OK?

Cheers

John