Trouble with TS Optics 9mm OAG - Any better than this?

[Gib007]

I'm having a bit of trouble with my TS Optics 9mm OAG. I've been using it for nearly a year now but it is starting to fail on me. My entire optical train has T2 threads, including the imaging camera, the filter drawer and all the spacer rings. Unfortunately the TS Optics 9mm OAG comes with an M48 (2") thread on the telescope side, requiring those ultra-thin M48 to T2 adapter rings. I ordered two of those, just in case. Now I'm noticing that no matter which I use, even one that I've not used at all, its connection to the OAG is very loose and the optical train appears to rotate in place and hang off a bit. This not only makes it very unsafe to hang my optical train off it, but it also pulls on one side and the result is focused images in the centre but unfocused to either side (as one side is a bit in and the other side is a bit out). 

In short, the M48 to T2 adapter rings (about 3.5mm thick) don't seem to thread well into the OAG and I'm unable to use this system. I must admit, I hate the idea of having such tiny rings having to be put into place as they are neither secure or very durable (they can also get stuck to the threads VERY easily). I would love an OAG that is not too thick (in optical path terms) and has T2 threads on both sides, without needing stupidly thin adapter rings that will just cause problems. Is there anything out there I can use?

For a while it seemed Skywatcher's OAG was the answer but it appears that too has an M48 thread on the telescope side, requiring another of these ultra-thin adapter rings that will cause further heartache. Is there anything I could use that's more reliable?

Thank you in advance! I'm discontinuing imaging until I sort this out as I can't trust my optical train to focus well, or worse, to stay intact and not collapse under gravity. 

[steppenwolf]

What filter wheel are you using? Sounds off the wall but if it is the popular Atik EFW2, you could consider the mod that I made when I grafted a Starlight Xpress OAG onto the faceplate.

[Tinker1947]

If your light cone has to travel through all T2 size holes, would it not get restricted in size by the time it gets to the sensor......???

[Gib007]

I'm not currently using a filter wheel. To the reducer, I put relevant T2 spacer rings, the OAG, a filter drawer (literally a drawer that holds threaded filters) and then another spacer ring and the imaging camera. Everything is T2.

In any case, just last night I decided on the Starlight Xpress USB Filter Wheel and their OAG addon. Kill two birds with one stone! Ordered from Ian King Imaging.

[orion69]

If I'm not mistaken that reducer has M48 thread. Why do you use T2?

Can you show us a picture of your optical train?

[Gib007]

The Borg reducer has an M57 thread that is much larger than M48 (2").