Premium Cheshire and skyliner 250px

[Dreadz]

Has anyone else had issues with the premium cheshire from FLO and the skyliner? I checked the collimation when I setup my scope with my eye directly up to the focusser as advised in the instructions and it all seemed spot on. Popped in the cheshire to double check and could only see 3 of the 6 mirror clips!? No matter what I did with the Cheshire only able to see 3 clips.

Has anyone else experienced this issue or am I just doing it wrong?

I've been informed that a collimation cap may be the solution to the secondary mirror alignment issue but was under the impression that the Cheshire was meant to do it all??

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[wolfpaw]

I think the reason the collimation cap is preferred for some parts of collimation is because it can be quite hard to see all the mirror clips using a Cheshire. When I've set up my secondary I've usually used the collimation cap for this very reason. Have you tried moving the focuser right in?

[Eastridge]

Use both a cap  (old 35mm photo film DIY version) and the premium Cheshire.  When you say 'the instructions' have you looked at

http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro%20babys%20collimation%20guide.htm

we found it very helpful when starting.

[todd8137]

Might be driver error ?is your secondary ok ?

Pat

[Dreadz]

I'll try making a collimation cap tonight and see how it goes.

Wolfpaw, yes I tried every possible adjustment on the focusser.

Eastridge, astrobaby's guide is bookmarked on my phone and will be following it once I've overcome the secondary sighting issue.

Todd, I can only assume the secondary is ok as a star test shows that the mirrors appear to be collimated pretty well.

Just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something stupid before I started tweaking screws and making it worse. Thanks all

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[wolfpaw]

I'll try making a collimation cap tonight and see how it goes.

Wolfpaw, yes I tried every possible adjustment on the focusser.

Eastridge, astrobaby's guide is bookmarked on my phone and will be following it once I've overcome the secondary sighting issue.

Todd, I can only assume the secondary is ok as a star test shows that the mirrors appear to be collimated pretty well.

Just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something stupid before I started tweaking screws and making it worse. Thanks all

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

I'll have a look down the tube later on using the Cheshire I've got and report back. I find it a bit weird that you can see three mirror clips but not all of them.

[Dreadz]

Thanks all. Have made a collimation cap and used that for the secondary. It appeared to be spot on. Primary however did appear to be a little off but with a little patience, lots of apprehension and loads of small easily reversible adjustments I have I believe (and hope!!) just collimated my scope for the first time. Will have to wait for the weather to break to get outside to star test it.

Fingers crossed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[wolfpaw]

Thanks all. Have made a collimation cap and used that for the secondary. It appeared to be spot on. Primary however did appear to be a little off but with a little patience, lots of apprehension and loads of small easily reversible adjustments I have I believe (and hope!!) just collimated my scope for the first time. Will have to wait for the weather to break to get outside to star test it.

Fingers crossed

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

I checked my 250PX using the Cheshire and, as suspected, I couldn't see any mirror clips at all! Definitely only visible through the collimating eyepiece. I think this is pretty normal. I've read articles on collimation that don't use the mirror clips but I always find them a handy way of getting the secondary in the right position.

Good luck with the star test

[wolfpaw]

Edit: 'collimation cap' not 'collimating eyepiece'

[Dreadz]

If I insert the whole length of the cheshire into the focusser I cant see any either. Only by withdrawing it some way can I spot 3. Think I may buy a cap just for peace of mind. As accurate as I tried to be my effort was rather crude so for the sake of a fiver think I'll just buy a manufactured one.

Thanks again for the help

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[Charic]

Dreadz.........put a 1mm hole in the focuser dust cap. You then have a collimation cap. I white reflector on the inside of the cap (white paper or card with similar hole punched through). When your finished collimating, tape the hole over in the cap!. I use the 35mm film case method, works perfectly.

[AndyWB]

Hi Dreadz - Mine was the same way when it arrived, I could see 3 clips, not all 6 (well... 5. The focusser tube can get in the way too). For me, it was 'cos the secondary way slightly off - a little rotation and I could see all 6 clips - but only with the collimation cap. As wolfpaw says, with the Cheshire I couldn't see any clips!

I'm now satisfied that it's collimated correctly - but I still don't see any clips with the Cheshire in! So I think this is normal.

Congrats on your first collimation, it's a pretty fraught experience - but I'm starting to find it a bit easier (not least 'cos the secondary doesn't need touched much)