A TELRAD story to TEL

[CharlesW]

No offense to those that have already drilled holes into their scopes to attach their Telrads but I wouldn't do that. Bring your scope inside so it can warm up, apply the double stick tape, and then apply a few spots of exterior grade silicon caulk/adhesive. Get a good one. Let it cure for a day and then take your scope back outside. The working temp range of the silicon is more than you need and will hold the Telrad on after the tape has failed. If you ever want to take it off, it will come off with some elbow grease and with no damage. Don't over do it, you don't need that much silicon.

[michaeldurban]

yep...drilling holes is the last resort..

and on a different note..

sitting outside..shorts and t-shirt..19:48 pm

about 28 degr. Celcius here...and 97% humidity..

See? It's getting chilly..but I'm still sweating

[michaeldurban]

oh forgot..

I didnt drill any holes in my scope, nor my guidescope holder..

the hole was already there..

just lined up perfectly with the hole in the Telrad base.

double

[Caldwell14]

Wow that's unusual isn't it? Telrads are notoriously difficult to remove once attached to a scope, usually threads of this kind are asking how you can get them of again

[michaeldurban]

To be perfectly honest...I do feel that Telrad is a leeetle bit overrated.

It does help in finding objects, no doubt about that...but the window you

look through obscures other stars around you, which can be a bit disorientating.

But I still use it to align for my setting circle...

Still leaning towards a 9x50 RACI though,,,hmmm..decisions decisions..

[stolenfeather]

I understand what you mean Michael but it's still quite indispensable to me.  I don't know if my extreme temperatures may have had a hand in the Telrad coming off Caldwell.  As for not drilling holes, I agree with you Charles but my situation is a little different than many others here.  -40 Celsius is not the ideal temperature for astronomy but...  my skies are pristine so I can't complain.  Of course, that's when the clouds are away.

Thank you to all the helpful information and clear skies!

Isabelle