Meade LXD55 AR5 rebuild / resurrection

[philj]

As some folks may know I like to take basket case scopes and refurbish and tweak them a little, so when I saw an ad for a basket case spares or repair Meade LXD55 AR5 on fleabay I couldnt resist another project

The scope was out of collimation due to finger trouble from previous owners and the basic focuser had parts of someones check shirt, in place of the felt, stuffed in it. Also the draw tube had been converted with a bit of ABS pipe so it could sort of take 2" eyepieces.

1st looks with the laser and cheshire showed the objective out of kilter and the focuser was slopping about way off the optical axis due to the duff focuser and the way the focuser "isn't" fixed to the tube, (Meade sandwhich the tube between parts of the focuser casting which eventually over the years gets slack and affects collimation).

I chopped 2" off the tube (so I can use binoviewers), fixed the focuser back properly to the tube by drilling and tapping the tube 4mm and fixing the focuser to the actual tube instead of itself.

Next I put some real felt in the focuser and re fitted some tension on the pinion. The objective was backwards so I pointed it forwards and repositioned it to the correct screws in the tube so I could get collimation again.

I fitted a SW finder shoe and a short DT bar.

I got rid of the ABS adapter from the draw tube and fitted an SCT adapter which I had hanging around and a proper 2" visual back so I can use 2" accessories as well as SCT accessories

There were a few scratches on the paintwork but most have polished out with T cut.

All collimated OK and I have had 2 good visual sessions with it under a clear night sky and I must say I was pleased at the performance, Lunar with the binoviewers was sock blowing off stuff, 3d almost, and Jupiter was particularly good with some crisp details coming through at times of steady seeing

So here is the finished article resplendant with 2" diagonal and single EP and 1 1/4" diagonal with binos. I was so impressed with the views through the binoviewers on this I may hack some off my 6" F8 tube to get that working with them

Cheers

Philj

[wookie1965]

Hi Philj I have just bought one of these the focuser is very sloppy. There is only a strip of Teflon opposite the gear in two pieces and 3 copper shims where the gear wheel goes. 

Any advice on how to fix this. I have used a laser and the red dot is over to the right I dont know whether its the focuser tube or it needs collimation but I have never collimated a Frac before any insights most welcome.

Paul 

[Gina]

No adjustment available?

[wookie1965]

No well can adjust 4 screws at back but just makes it worse.