2nd pair in a row

[Hypernova]

My pair of Celestron 15x70 binoculars have bit the dust, in exactly the same way as the last air that I owned. The left-hand non-dioptre eyepiece has broken off from the central pivot and rendered them useless. The exact same thing was the downfall of my first pair. I have no idea whether it is rough handling (not sure as they've been sat atop a tripod in the corner for months) or a manufacturing defect. Whatever the reason I am left with a non-functioning pair of binoculars, again!

I suppose now they'll have to be chucked although I could always cobble together a sort of spotting 'scope from one of the objective lenses that are left. I have used the parabolic mirror of my dob, a light source shining through the focus tube, a piece of paper and a ruler to determine that the FL of the objective is between 290 and 300mm. That will make it an ~f/4.2.

Has anyone had this sort of issue with Celestron binoculars before? I know that these particular ones are often re-branded as Revelation.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have the Omegon (clone of Celestron), and with me the left-hand EP broke off from its central mooring. I took the focuser apart, and used a special two-component metal glue to fix it, and it works (well enough for the kids, cannot sell the thing now).

I now use the rather better Helios Apollo HD

[Hypernova]

I'm tempted to try and bodge a quick fix with some two-part glue. I have no idea how the central pivot comes apart, could you please clarify how you did this?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

You need to remove the rubber cover from the top (eyepiece) end of the central pivot (I don't think you can put it back afterwards). This exposes a screw (locked by a tune little screw). Unscrew those and you are done.

[Hypernova]

I have now managed to bodge the left-hand eyepiece back onto the central pivot using the method you described. The contact between the eyepiece stalk and teh central pivot is very small and the fracture looked rather brittle which is probably why it broke in the first place. The eyepiece undergoes flexing as it is pulled in and out.

I used a cheap tube of two-part epoxy resin to bond it back together and also fix a previously unseen crack in the left-hand housing. The bond seems solid and the binoculars are now usable again after a brief collimating session. The rubber housing now looks grubby and is peeling away on the right-hand prism box where I have accessed the prism tilt screws but it works again. They now sit atop my Camlink tripod again ready for observing.

[crashtestdummy]

have you not tried contaction celestron and seeing if they will offer a goodwill gesture?

[Hypernova]

Nah this pair was second hand so I doubt they'd do anything. My last pair however was taken back by FLO, who I'd bought them off, and I was given a refund. I am happy now though that they are working again. The optical quality is superb for such cheap binoculars.

[crashtestdummy]

im a bit worried about my skymaster 15x70's now although im a bit girly being gentle with things

[MarkMayf]

I was girly gentle with mine. Two pairs still failed on me. I may just be a bad omen for binoculars though as my Helios pair also had to be returned.

[crashtestdummy]

i would definately shoot an email to celestron or atleast do a bit of research to see if its a common fault