Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

Steel track or Moonlite?

Spoon

Recommended Posts

Spoon

Spoon

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

I have a baader Steeltrack fitted to my 8"GSO F4 imaging newt, but I really like the look and feel of moonlites. Was just wondering. If it's worth upgrading? It will be holding a HX916 and eventually FW and Filters

Cheers

Cam

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 30
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Luke

Luke

Posted
Posted

Cam, I have two Baader Steeltracks (refractors), one Moonlite (dob) and one Feathertouch (refractor Rack & Pinion). They are all ace. In terms of focusing there is very little in it. I feel the Baader is a no-nonsense workhorse, the Moonlite does it effortlessly and with some flair, and the Feathertouch is a marvel of engineering that will still be going strong when I am gone. If I had any one of those three, I would stick, personally. My Moonlite doesn't have a ruler on it, I find that handy on the Baader and Feathertouch, I know that for solar h-alpha on my 120mm scope, it's around 4.3cm for focus. Give or take 0.5mm!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Spoon

Spoon

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Cam, I have two Baader Steeltracks (refractors), one Moonlite (dob) and one Feathertouch (refractor Rack & Pinion). They are all ace. In terms of focusing there is very little in it. I feel the Baader is a no-nonsense workhorse, the Moonlite does it effortlessly and with some flair, and the Feathertouch is a marvel of engineering that will still be going strong when I am gone. If I had any one of those three, I would stick, personally. My Moonlite doesn't have a ruler on it, I find that handy on the Baader and Feathertouch, I know that for solar h-alpha on my 120mm scope, it's around 4.3cm for focus. Give or take 0.5mm!

Thanks for the advice, don't get he wrong I love the baader, was just wondering :p

Thanks again

Cam

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steppenwolf

steppenwolf

Posted
Posted

I can't see any advantage in 'upgrading' from a Steeltrack to a Moonlite - both are excellent Crayfords. I'm with Olly, if you really want to upgrade for astrophotography then you need to go down the Starlight Instruments route and a Feathertouch R & P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bender

Bender

Posted
Posted

Hope it is ok to join in with a question. Since the Baader steel track are not available anymore, has anyone experience with the TS acu clone (looks the same as my OO UK aco focuser on my vx10) I would like to upgrade the focuser on my 100ed and its either the new baader clones or a moonlite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alan potts

alan potts

Posted
Posted

I tend to agree with Olly here, I have the two best makes on the market and have had a TS one on my SC, all crayfords and there really is not that much in it apart from price tags. Maybe things would notice more if I were into AP, I imagine Olly is talking from this area having used his scopes for AP more so than visual. For me purely down to focusing for visual, there is not much in it, the quality of biuld is better on the Feather and Moonlite but should be for the cost.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Spoon

Spoon

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We used a Steeltrack on Yves' 14 inch ODK/Full frame mono CCD/ filterwheel for two years and it was OK. Coming from a notorious Crayford hater you could even call that high praise!

Olly

See I'm not a massive fan of R+P's!

Cam

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HD-AP

HD-AP

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the advice, don't get he wrong I love the baader, was just wondering :p Thanks again Cam

I'm quite happy with my asrophysics's focusser on my 180 EDT ,nice smooth motion / action ,all these years later ........... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
perfrej

perfrej

Posted
Posted

I bought a Moonlite for my 190MN a year or two ago and am not impressed. So today, while visiting Baader on my way to Provence, I placed an order for the new version of the Steeltrack, called the "Diamant". This is totally different and uses some kind of diamond coating of the axis that has so high a friction that the thing lifts 6 kg without slipping. It is essentially equivalent to a rack and pinion but without the backlash and the cogging. I actually tried it with a 6 kg counter-weight on top of it and it didn't slip. Maybe it should be dubbed "Baaderford" or something, because it doesn't have any of the drawbacks of the standard Crayford, but all its advantages. I also tried to move the tube sideways and it didn't really bulge. Not a TEC large focuser, but certainly in the same neighborhood as the Feathertouch,which is more than I have to say about the Monlite that I have on the 190MN now.

Apart from an all new design of the housing, they changed the ball bearings to roller bearings, and the old embedded steel tracks that meet the bearings are now gone in favour of hardened milled off tracks. The diamond coated bar still meets a steel track, so the name appears to remain "Steeltrack". From what I understand, the old motor still fits and the 10:1 knob with belt coggs is the same as before.

These puppies are apparently being launched in a few weeks so my pre-order was accepted and I wil probably get one of the first production examples. Looking forward towards a straight and flat field from the 190 for the first time! I'll try to write a review as soon as I get it, but unfortunately the skies are bright as day until end of August :(

/per

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
Earl

Earl

Posted
Posted

Per any update on this beastie in use?

Im very much in the FT Camp but this does look like a viable alternative, I read many reports (and in my experience) of other brands been tried and eventually ditched as they are not up to par for the job for various reasons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bender

Bender

Posted
Posted

Will be interesting, I nearly ordered a TS clone of the steeltrack as the baader version is no longer available. After reading this thread I decided to hold off and hope the new baader version is out soon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.