Dual speed upgrade to SW focuser

[Moox]

I would be interested to know if anyone has any experience of upgrading the standard Crayford focuser on the SW 200p dob using this dual speed kit?

http://www.365astronomy.com/dual-speed-110-microfocus-upgrade-kit-for-skywatcher-crayford-focusers-p-2484.html

Sounds on paper like a great way to upgrade cheaply but would like to know if it's worth it or is it a case of throwing good money after bad (not that the standard focuser is that bad).

[Astro Imp]

Can't comment on above but I can enthusiastically endorse this:- http://www.firstlightoptics.com/misc/skywatcher-auto-focuser.html

[lestergibson]

Seconded. I'm really happy with mine; much easier to get sharper focus since you're not touching the ota. Just remember to take the battery out when you're finished. A really simple installation too.

[jambouk]

Moox, my mate has that device and it does him well.

James

[coulthamst]

Very happy with my  Crayford upgrade from 365astronomy, and the service and after sales service is excellent.

[TractionMan]

I would be interested to know if anyone has any experience of upgrading the standard Crayford focuser on the SW 200p dob using this dual speed kit?

http://www.365astronomy.com/dual-speed-110-microfocus-upgrade-kit-for-skywatcher-crayford-focusers-p-2484.html

Sounds on paper like a great way to upgrade cheaply but would like to know if it's worth it or is it a case of throwing good money after bad (not that the standard focuser is that bad).

It is indeed a great upgrade. Very easy to install and adjust. Got one for my dob a while back. http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/202481-lacerta-110-dual-speed-upgrade-kit/

[Moox]

I've heard people saying the speed of the auto focuser is a bit of a pain, how do you find it Astro Imp and lestergibson?

[Moox]

Thanks for that thread link TractionMan, I did do a search before posting this question but somehow seemed to completely miss your thread! Looks a nice and easy instal.

[Wetsparks]

In much the same vain, theres also This unit available. Just orderd one.

[brantuk]

I have the Lacerta 10:1 and it's a fabulous upgrade for less than half the cost of a full focuser.

It's very easy to fit, works exactly as you'd expect, looks good (though I wish there was a matching left thumb wheel), and it suits a lot of budgets. Hth

[Moox]

Cheers Wetsparks

[Astro Imp]

I've heard people saying the speed of the auto focuser is a bit of a pain, how do you find it Astro Imp and lestergibson?

Yes the focuser is a bit slow but to me that is more than made up for by the precision it provides. 

[lestergibson]

I've heard people saying the speed of the auto focuser is a bit of a pain, how do you find it Astro Imp and lestergibson?

It's no bother to me at all, Moox. I just leave it at its fastest and it takes just a few seconds to get it where it needs to be.  I considered the manual dual-speed but decided on a motor since it meant that I wouldn't have to touch the OTA. My only minor PITA with it is the fact that you have remove the battery but I can certainly live with it.

[Rob63]

I have the Lacetra upgrade from 365Astronomy and am very happy with it. Simple to install and has made a big improvement over the stock focuser.

[thunderchild]

it is indeed a superb upgrade, i put one on my 300 flextube and never looked back.

[Astro Imp]

 My only minor PITA with it is the fact that you have remove the battery but I can certainly live with it.

Could you explain why you need to remove the battery, I have never done this and have no problems.

[lestergibson]

Could you explain why you need to remove the battery, I have never done this and have no problems.

I bought two of them Alan, for myself and a mate and we both found that if we left the batteries in the controller, it drained.  I thought at first that it was happening because the foam under the lid of my case was pressing down on the buttons but when I put the second battery in, I reckoned that I had made sure that I had enough clearance and it still drained.  I'll tell you what; I'll leave the battery in but not store the controller in the flight case to see what gives. 

[Moox]

Out of interest, when not randomly draining, how long on average does a set of batteries last and what size/quantity does it take?

[bambuko]

It is amusing to me how bad design in the first place is "improved" by selling you another piece of kit to solve it

If cheap mass manufactured Crayford copies were properly engineered in the first place, the need for two speed contraption would be seriously diminished.

By "properly engineered" I mean for example eyepiece tube made from stainless steel rather than aluminium, decent diameter bearings etc, etc, ...

Aluminium galling, particularly when running on those tint bearings makes precise focusing a real PITA.

The other thing that could be designed better is the hand wheels used for adjustment - they are always far too small diameter to make precise control possible.

Tension adjustment that works like a brake, stiffening the adjustment wheel as you increase the tension is another poor feature

So the business model looks like follows:

- sell them piece of junk, majority of buyers know no better and will accept it (not to mention the fact that majority of astro stuff sold ends up gathering dust, never used again after the first spurt of enthusiasm)

- for the few who persevere, market and sell the "improvement kit"

Trouble is that double speed kit although definitely an improvement, doesn't address basic design

Don't get me wrong - two speed is a nice feature to have on a decent focuser, but adding it to SW is throwing good money after bad.

Oh well... it's raining (actually pouring/chucking it down here) and having a grumble made me feel better for few seconds

[AlexB67]

Personally I don't think the focuser the SW is that bad ?, If you want you can say if you don't know any different I am just ignorant feel free   .

There is one little mod I did do the focuser in mine and it helps to solidify it a bit.

I don't find the fairly rapid motion on it a problem, though I must admit if an upgrade would be worth it has been in the back of my head, but not as high priority I feel. I can feel a positive snap to focus, but it does need a delicate touch, in a way I like that. I appreciate it is not top line I suspect for many things and having top heavy equipment in it, but it gets the job done.

[bambuko]

...If you want you can say if you don't know any different I am just ignorant feel free   ....

That would be really bad manners   and I would not attack you just because you have different view!

You know this quote I guess?:

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

Trouble with the mod shown in the youtube vid is that while in principle it is a good idea (i.e. getting it flat to improve contact area and friction) longer term it actually makes it worse by removing anodising. You just about get away with aluminium tube while it is anodised. Once you get to the aluminium the galling really gets bad.

The only solution is to have the focuser tube made from something like steel so that it can run smoothly on the steel bearing outers.

OK it will still be wearing but nowhere near as fast and not as bad as the galling that happens when aluminium runs on steel

[wookie1965]

Personally I don't think the focuser the SW is that bad ?, If you want you can say if you don't know any different I am just ignorant feel free   .

There is one little mod I did do the focuser in mine and it helps to solidify it a bit.

I don't find the fairly rapid motion on it a problem, though I must admit if an upgrade would be worth it has been in the back of my head, but not as high priority I feel. I can feel a positive snap to focus, but it does need a delicate touch, in a way I like that. I appreciate it is not top line I suspect for many things and having top heavy equipment in it, but it gets the job done.

Did this with mine and made a big difference mine was only catching on one side now its all the way across.

[AlexB67]

Now you tell me  . I've ruined my SW focuser, serves me right, the only mod I did so far, since I had the tools handy to do it. Ah well, if it degrades, something can replace it at some point.  May be recoating it with something would help, I'll have a search. It certainly feels the better for this mod ( for now ).

Next is my shroud.  Just dabbling with the idea of the astrozap this month, but the neat camping mat sliding in solution seems an attractive alternative as shown here.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/171204-diy-12-flextube-truss-shroud-mk-ii/

If I am about to ruin something tell me now :0)

[mitchelln]

The Lacerta upgrade is certainly worth it if you haven't got £230+ to spend on a new focuser. It provides a definite improvement for not much money IMHO.

If you are going to do things like hang on a heavy camera or massive TeleVue eyepieces, then a new focuser should be considered. Mind you, if you can afford massive TeleVue's then another £230 shouldn't be a problem But if you are just using the scope for visual work then the Lacerta is a pretty good bet.

[AlexB67]

The Lacerta upgrade is certainly worth it if you haven't got £230+ to spend on a new focuser. It provides a definite improvement for not much money IMHO.

If you are going to do things like hang on a heavy camera or massive TeleVue eyepieces, then a new focuser should be considered. Mind you, if you can afford massive TeleVue's then another £230 shouldn't be a problem But if you are just using the scope for visual work then the Lacerta is a pretty good bet.

I had that thought from another angle, if I did go down to route of coma correctors where tilt errors will be critical as well the whole focuser may need re-thinking, having read around quite a bit about them. I'll not be hanging camera on my scope anyway not being an imager It is not a concern, but all that stuff would a long way down the line.

To be honest, with the cost of a paracorr and all that quality eyewear, when you add it all up  and I want to splash out that far, the thought of an alternative upgrade would be a 10 or 12 inch OO optics with a more civlised focal ratio as an alternative in the future, the VX10L seems lovely ideal spec. 

Even if I ever did end u having a really much bigger aperture scope in the future. My feeling is that 10 - 12 inch type scope is goldilocks zone for getting out quickly, and perhaps a lifetime instrument for me. I doubt I will ever be without one,  and it may be worth investing in top of the line in that aperture range at some point in the future, time will tell.

In the end of the day. I am very happy with the equipment in the sky-watcher scope, it is a lovely scope. Apart from some eyepieces upgrades I don't feel a need to upgrade or splashing out on it extensively for the time being apart from some minor mods that can be done cheaply. I have much more  a desire for darker skies and clear weather and save some holiday money. The flexi gives me that option to get out to dark skies, that is most important to me

I keep telling myself.  Expensive scopes and upgrades provide marginal improvements,  A portable scope and a tank of fuel get me to dark skies, out of the two I know what I prefer.