Half the Battle is the Focuser.

[Earl]

Focuser's are in my opinion are one of the main frustrations with purchasing any scope.

Stock ones meaning the one that comes on a standard scope, are more often than not the weakest part of the scope, yet ironically this is that part which is going to receive the most abuse.

At present there are typically 3 Upgrade paths, Baader Steeltrack, Moonlite and Feathertouch, and pretty much in that price order.

Over the last year I have used all of these and have come to the conclusion that, the price pretty much also reflects performance and overall value that you get.

Overall Feathertouch is now my preferred choice, and this does come with an added bonus that with some models you can swap and change it between scopes with the right adapters, I purchased a Cosmetic Second FTF2015BCR this fits, SCT's Newt and Refractors with the right adapters for each scope.

[ollypenrice]

Totally agree. the cheapo Crayfords dolled out all over the place really do need to disappear. I recently saw two WO 110s, both almost unused from new, and neither had a focuser that could even wind in all the way when horizontal. It is shocking, quite honestly.

You need a good focuser. It needs not to sag and not to slip.

I must say that Yves' Steeltrack on the 14 inch has settled down well and isn't causing any issues.

Olly

[perrin6]

Some problems on focusers can be much improved by tightening the appropriate screws.

[Stephen]

Some problems on focusers can be much improved by tightening the appropriate screws.

Equally some focusers (read ALL SW ones I've owned ...) should just be considered a place holder until you can put a decent one on

In fact next time SW, please knock me some money off and just send me the scope without the focuser?

Steeltrack for me, because I can't justify the Feathertouch, and it's close enough to the Moonlite (IMHO) to save the £100 and get some other toys.

[swamp thing]

+1

I too have found nearly all stock Crayfords utter gash.

Regards Steve

[nightfisher]

Im still looking at a crawmack ELP for my 180 pro, works out to about £125, and i will keep the standard focuser as well

[Viv]

Have to agree on the fustration, but also peace of mind.

If you're imaging & hanging a expensive camera (all of the time more expensive, than the actual scope / focuser), then you need to be confident it's not going to slip / fall off !!

[John]

I notice that William Optics have moved to a rack & pinion design now on some scopes. I agree on the Skywatcher crayfords being poor but I've managed to get their older style rack & pinions pretty smooth for visual observing with some re-greasing and fine tuning. FWIW the Orion Optics OC-1 is not too good either

[iwatkins]

What a relevant thread.

Just spent a pleasant hour in the shed tinkering with the focuser on the SW 80ED as it was slipping at high Alt angles with DSLR and reducer on it.

Go it to the point now that even without using the focus tube lock screw, pulling on the focus tube doesn't move it (well not without putting a foot on it and leaning back) but the focus knobs still move it.

Took a lot of fiddling with the various adjustment screws but the biggest improvement came from smoothing the flat section on the focus tube. Lots of wet and dry and a good cleanup makes masses of difference. Gives lots of grip against the focuser shaft.

Also got the top bearings lubricated too.

Need to test in anger, but reckon I've cracked it. If not, it goes in the skip and a Steeltrack goes on it

This is my second 80ED, I should have gone for the cheapo single speed, reduced accessories version and a SteelMoonTouch focuser.

You live and learn.

Cheers

Ian

[Moonshane]

Personally I have never really had a major problem with the Skywatcher, Revelation and Antares dual speeds that I have used on my newts. I also have a OOUK dual speed which is the worst of the ones I have used but still OK. I use heavy eyepieces too (and a Paracorr with my big dob).

I think the key though is that I only use them for visual use and also that they are in dobs where the focuser is inclined upward slightly at all times. I also ensure they are well adjusted (I have even fully dismantled the odd one to ensure the teflon buffer and associated screws are all parallel which seems to be one of the more critical aspects of the adjustments)

If I was imaging though I'd agree they are not even close to satisfactory.

[melsky]

Maybe I've been lucky but I've never had a problem with a stock focuser and it seems pointless to me to spend a considerable money on something that adds absolutely nothing to the image quality. If I'd spent money replacing the focusers on both my refractors I'd either have one less ethos eyepiece to use or no modded 550D to image with.

Having said this I bet the next scope I get has a focuser made of jelly

Mel

[A McEwan]

Well, the focuser does contribute to image quality - or more accurately it will detract from it if it isn't right. If it is sagging when drawn out, the eyepiece will not be aligned with the objective so collimation errors will appear. Also, inability to hold focus reliably will naturally affect the view, and frustrate the observer.

The standard single speed Crayford I had on my old ED80 served well after some tweaking and a smoothing of the flat surface. Others have been less responsive to such treatments. Conversely I've had excellent performance from my Moonlites (though one had to be returned and replaced on arrival, due to a slight fault during manufacture).

Ant

[Viv]

I think it really does depend on the weight of what you're attaching.

The Canon 7d is 850g (excluding battery), but my new modded 1000D is only 450g - I may even be able to balance it properly now !!

lol

[John]

I think it really does depend on the weight of what you're attaching.

The Canon 7d is 850g (excluding battery), but my new modded 1000D is only 450g - I may even be able to balance it properly now !!

lol

Thats a good point - my Nagler 31mm and the 2" diagonal together weigh 1,500g - thats a pretty good test !.

[Viv]

John - that is a fair weight !!

I thought the camera was heavy

[ollypenrice]

A good focuser doesn't add to the image quality but a bad one detracts from it. Sag and slip come up endlessly on SGL. Some of the naff Crayfords work some of the time. When they work a Feathertouch would add nothing. When they don't a Feathertouch would add everything.

Olly

[philj]

So many scopes are advertised as having crayfords these days and to be honest a cheap crayford is just as bad as a cheap rack and pinion from my experience, just cos it says it has a crayford doesnt mean to say its good.

Give me a quality Vixen R&P over most low to mid range focusers any day

IMHO

The best focuser is the feather touch, I have one on my FLT98 and its a dream and yes its a R&P.

The nicest crayford is the Badder Steel track with the Moonlite very close behind.

However with a bit of fettling on a milling machine the cheaper focusers can be made to work a little smoother and a little more positively but thats time and money which would be best spent on a better focuser to begin with.

Lets hope the new generation of super R&P focusers that maufacturers are developing are properly designed and work.

Philj

[ollypenrice]

We just need to hope that 'R and P focuser comes to aquire the marketing status of 'Fluorite' or some such wonder.

Olly

[John]

...Give me a quality Vixen R&P over most low to mid range focusers any day......

The R&P on my Vixen ED102SS is a gem

Funny thing is though, when I bought it a few years back, many folks recommended that I ought to replace the focuser with a crayford. As I don't image and I've not had the budget for a something in the class of a Moonlight or a Feathertouch, I've resisted changing and I'm rather glad now

[RikM]

I've had no problems with standard single speed Crayford on my 150P. I guess this is due to only hanging a little 1000D on it, having the draw tube almost all the way in because of the DSLR focus position, and being a Newt, the Camera doesn't really hang vertically off it when imaging high up.

I had a refractor or a big camera / filter wheel I might have had a different experience.

[RobH]

I have a pair of moonlites and a pair of Feathertouch focusers on various scopes.

The FT's are faultless, and the moonlites are very good.

The WO Crayford on my FD80 though is total junk.....forget about putting a filter wheel on it.....sag isn't the word....droop is more accurate....and skid, not slip

Whan finances allow, I'll put a moonlite on it, but for now, it's a guidescope.....it seems to be able to handle a lodestar without too much angst!!

Rob

[Earl]

I have a pair of moonlites and a pair of Feathertouch focusers on various scopes.

The FT's are faultless, and the moonlites are very good.

The WO Crayford on my FD80 though is total junk.....forget about putting a filter wheel on it.....sag isn't the word....droop is more accurate....and skid, not slip

Whan finances allow, I'll put a moonlite on it, but for now, it's a guidescope.....it seems to be able to handle a lodestar without too much angst!!

Rob

The crayford on the Meade 80 triplet I had made a wizards sleeve look snug !

[philj]

The Meade caryfords on the EDTs arent all that hot, I changed mine for a Moonlite on my 127EDT its made a good scope into a great scope

Philj

[scarp15]

I replaced the stock focuer for a feathertouch microfocuser on my C8, it has noticeably sharpened up the view.

Iain

[Ibbo!]

Swapped the flaccid piece of rhubarb they used as an excuse for a focuser on the WO 132 for a Moonlite (wanted a feather touch but the bank manager said NO)and it is now usable

Love my Tak R&P's

Steve