shim for RDF.

[TK421]

I was setting up my new Heritage 130p and the RDF was a pain to so I shimmed it a one end, is this normal thing to have to do?

[ronin]

It shouldn't but in reality many people have to shim their RDF and finders.

I would guess that most RDF's are bought in and supplied but they also tend to be "general" in that they will go on several scopes. So it will fit one scope well but not others so well.

Even if it is a Skywatcher RDF they will have bought from someone and it may just not be right for some of the Skywatcher scopes. Many RDF's are modelled on the WO one, it seems to be fairly good.

One retailer I visited a few years back kept an assortment of different base plates in, so you bought an RDF, then bought a base plate for the scope. Meant they tended to fit better.

So from experience yes I would expect that you would have to shim the thing.

[Digger1895]

I was going to as the altitude would not go down far enough. I took it off and then thought to myself that I knew how much the spot was higher than the target so I put it back on and when I did I was able to hit the target. I'm not sure but I think the adjusting wheels need to be 'worn in' as when I put it back on the wheels turned a little easier.

You should do a quick check of the alignment before each session as sometimes it goes off alignment.

[AndyWB]

With mine, and my friend's, we both thought about shims - but then I moved the RDF backwards on it's mount, and curiously that helped with the left-right adjustment (I don't get why! It must be slightly twisted at the base). The same thing worked for my friend, too.

[TK421]

 As you look at through the RDF is was out  by about 1/2 way between the center and the top.  I was looking at objects on about 8 miles away, is this going to make any difference to when I start pointing it at stars?

[AndyWB]

That's quite a long way out - but 8 miles is definitely far enough to align. I did mine on a hotel about 2 miles distant.

[TK421]

Cheers for that, I'm sort of happy with it for now. It works great now and I have some adjustment up and down. I will have to see how long the pins stay in the clamp, i might have make a plastic wedge and glue it in at some point.

I have not even looked at a star yet and I have modifing my scope.....

I have also put some ptfe tape around the focuser and that is also now much nicer to use.

Just want to polish/ lubricate the base plate now to make the movement a bit smoother.

Yes I like tinkering, best to get the scope all set up so I'm happy with it before pointing it up in the night sky.

Cheers Brian.