Telescope end caps.

[FarSide]

Hi guys,

I'm not sure if you have the same problems but the end cap that i have, and with all of my sky watchers actually have end caps that are extremely flimsy, and fall out easily. I was wondering if anyone knew a supplier that sold more rigid end cap?

Ta very much.

Mike.

[brucen]

The end cap on my 200P is a firm fit and the 130P was so tight I broke one of the clips trying to bend it back to make the cap easier to get on and off. Both scopes are quite new so not sure if they have changed the designs if yours are flimsy?

[FarSide]

Hi brucen, mine are very loose. I only have to slightly nudge them and they fall out, maybe it's a personal preference, i'm not sure, but they seem very loose to me. I've concidered modding them myself but i could mess them up far too easily!

[Capricorn]

Cannot think of anyone that may make end caps for scopes as I suspect that there are small differences in the actual diameters of the various makes, maybe only half a millimeter but that would make one either too loose or too tight.

Best option, possibly only option, may be to contact OVL and ask if they do replacements, a bit of a risk as the only option would be to buy one or however many and hope they were a better fit - they may not be.

I know that glassiers sell a felt/cloth like strip that is used for double glazed units, pretty thin but slightly compressable, it may be feasible to add that to the inside of the cap, either all the way round or as small additions at refular intervals and see how that goes.

[FarSide]

That's a good idea, Cap, thanks. I was also thinking of having two small levers (the type you have on bottles) to keep the caps on while in transit or in my astro-room (yes i have an astro room), but that design would need some planning.

[brucen]

Hi brucen, mine are very loose. I only have to slightly nudge them and they fall out, maybe it's a personal preference, i'm not sure, but they seem very loose to me. I've concidered modding them myself but i could mess them up far too easily!

You could try some electrical tape around the clips until you find replacements to see if that helps?? Mine would certainly never fall off and I would have to give them quite a clout to knock them off. Perhaps OVL could get you new ones - they do seem very willing to source parts. If you tell them what is wrong they may be able to suggest something.

Just read Capricorns post - Snap!

[knobby]

Ugly but you could put a shower cap over the end cap to keep it in place or even instead of the end cap ?

Might look quite nice

[gooseholla]

My Celestron 8inch newt one is okay, not too tight or too loose. However, my Vixen scope... that won't come off. For my 12 inch scope, someone has just cut a bit of thin wood, padded the outside with what looks like insulation for pipes, and screwed it all together. Seems to stay on nicely.

I will say, however, from what I remember of my Celstron cap, it does change in looseness or tightness depending on how it is spun once in. I don't know why, but it does!

[moriniboy]

I use a spare piece of flocking on 1 or 2 clips, should do the trick

[Rig3l]

I used some adhesive felts, just like these, on the cap:

and it stopped coming off. I had this problem on my 10" SW dobson

[jam1e1]

alternately use velcro either the soft edge or the wirey edge on the rim to 'cushion/compress' into the scope so holds

[FarSide]

I have sticky back velcro on the legs of my mount so i can stick all of my power units and control boxes to the legs, i'm sure i have some somewhere.

[66mikeg]

I agree with Brucen, the end cap on the main scope is quite a snug fit and that on the finder scope is, if anything, too tight