Right Angle TAL-1 focuser

[bambuko]

I can't cope with straight through finders, so 6x30 supplied with my Skywatcher went straight into the (spare bits) bin, but I was so impressed with the one supplied with my TAL-1, that I felt it deserved second chance.

Kind donation of star diagonal in response to my wanted add here (thank you! Philip ) resulted in this:

Of course it's not RACI, with the image being right way up, but reversed left to right, but I hope I will get used to it.

Otherwise it is very fine finderscope with 8° FOV and very good optics, perfectly suited to the smaller telescope like TAL-1

[mister_wavey]

I was looking for a similar solution. Looks very nice indeed

[nightfisher]

Looks a good thing, can you post more details how you put it together and what was used for it

[AndyH]

Nicccce

Many moons ago on a Russian forum a similar technique was done to a Tal 30mm finder, albeit a more modern version. Here's the link, just stick it through a webpage translator, but hopefully the pics help to tell the story......  http://www.astronomy.ru/forum/index.php/topic,75086.0.html

Excellent work bambuko !

[bambuko]

Well... it went together so quickly that I forgot to take any photos   but I will try to describe what I did:

I have used "...Celestron 1.25" star diagonal. 99.9% plastic..." donated by Philip

Diagonal is one piece moulding with separate plastic (looking like bright metal) 1.25" nosepiece screwed in.

Backplate securing the mirror is clip in.

1.

The end (into wich normally goes an eyepiece - black bit at the top of photo above) was turned down to fit very tightly into the finderscope tube.
If it ever goes "loose" I can always add grubscrews but I doubt it will be necessary.

2.

TAL diagonal focuser was turned to fit.

3.

Nose piece end (shiny metal like piece in bottom left of photo above - threaded to screw into diagonal body) was used as an intermediate fitting between TAL focuser and diagonal.

TAL focuser is press fit into intemediate plastic threaded piece.

Finished with black matt paint inside, where necessary.

[bambuko]

Andy, that's great link - thank you!

Bit late for this job, but I've got another one to do so it will be very useful to read.

I would like to do next one as a proper RACI using some prisms I have from old binoculars - but need to do some reading up on the subject.

[Andy-di-Notte]

Thanks guys for posting this.

Thanks to this discussion I also got inspired to hack away at my 8x50 finder!

Finally no more neck acrobatics with high objects

Read more about my budget DIY right angle finder at :

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/566321-diy-budget-right-angle-finder/

 

Andy