SW80ED focusser upgrade?

[Astroblagger]

Hello i have recently bought a SW80ED for use with my Atik 314L+, and im not so impressed by the focusser it seems to wobble abit and dont think i will trust it not to slip, what are the upgrade options for the focusser? Preferably cheaper than more expensive!?

[Steve Ward]

Cheapest option is to pop the focus tube out , fettle the flat that the roller bears on ( they are machined "hollow-ground" and the contact is just on the edges from the factory ) and then reassemble and adjust the tension to suit.

Video tute here . . . http://www.astronomyshed.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=579

[Astroblagger]

thanks for the info, do you think this will eliminate slippage?

[Steve Ward]

Should do as the roller will then come to bear across the whole flat area and when the tension is adjusted it's not just biting on the very edges.

Worked a treat on mine , never had a slippage with the 1000D and 2" x2 Barlow hanging out of it.

Well worth a try before getting headed off down the " Moonlite" road by everyone who will post later , I guess they're all having a rainy day lie-in ....

[dmahon]

Forget moonlite, get feathertouch

First step is just to really tighten up the adjustment.

[Herrman]

Hi,

I have the EQ80, not sure how different the focuser is on the ED, but if they're similar, then you should find a grub screw on the underside of the focuser. Screwing this in will increase the resistance on the draw tube, on the EQ80 there is also a locking screw to hold the draw tube in place once focused. I agree that MoonLite will offer a superior focuser, but the SW performance can be improved with a bit of tweaking.

Hope this helps.

Herrman

[astrokoma]

Be carefull!

I have see many SW ruined crayfords , because the owners used to tight the adjustment screw very much to avoid slipage...

The result of this action is to damage the "upper contact area" beetween the drawtube and the focuser mount(where the drawtube meets the little 4 rollers).

Try the Steve's suggestion.....it really works, and it is not so difficult....(and you will get the lifetime knowledge about crayfords also )

[astrokoma]

I forgot to tell you that you can use a metal/plastic suitable rectangle object, covered with sandpaper. I suggest you to pass the tool at 45 degrees (to the drawtube axis).

You will have less friction (friction is necesary to avoid slipage), but you will have better feeling, without roubling.Make some tries, and you will find the right procedure very fast.

Try to use a simple dynamometer also (one edge at the table, the other at the installed focuser) , to measure the slipage point of each of your tries.

[Gib007]

I was going to say MoonLite or FeatherTouch!