Baader Steeltrack focusers and ED100

[Hex]

I am considering changing the focuser on My ED100 for Baader Steeltrack. I have two questions, number one would my scope still fit in the case if I fitted the Steeltrack? Question two, where do you put the finder? On all the pictures I have seen there doesn't appear to be a finder shoe to put the bracket!

[nightfisher]

to fit a finder, you might have to drill 2x 4mm holes and mount a finder shoe on the tube, its very easy to do and works well, ..........try logging in with your old username

[Hex]

Drilling holes scary stuff.

I'll try my old handle again.

[Hex]

Nope, still no good, looks like I'm Hex.

[jonathan]

Couldn't you attach a finder using very strong sticky pads or velcro? Providing it is checked each session for alignment, it should surely work sufficiently well?

If your case is custom cut to fit the original spec then you may need to lose some padding, I don't know how much spare there is at either end. Check the measurements of the Steeltrack.

[Hex]

Telrads are massive, the lid wouldn't shut if I had one of those stuck on!

[John]

A Rigel Quikfinder is nearly as good as a Telrad and has a much smaller footprint. I've used those a few times on refractors. The finder unclips from the base quickly and the base is very small on the scope tube - around the size of a standard finderscope shoe but lower profile.

On the William Optics focuser (which fits Skywatcher scopes) you can add a standard Skywatcher finder shoe by drilling a single additional hole in the finder shoe and screwing it into a threaded hole provided by WO in the finder body. Don't know if the Baader Steeltrack has this feature ?

[Hex]

Cheers John, I'll look into it.

[johninderby]

The Steeltrack doesn't have a threaded hole for mounting a findershoe. While it's easy to drill and tap an M5 hole in the focuser body I realise that many will not want to do this or they may not have the tap to make the screw thread. Don't know why Baader doesn't do this in the first place.

Here's a pic of a focuser that has had the mounting hole drilled and a WO type base fitted.

John