Show us your Frac

[Roy Challen]

Excellent choice of telescope sir! 

[F15Rules]

Lovely looking scope Chris! Have a go at Delta Cygni, it should split nicely at x150 or so:-).

A "proper" looking  scope!!:-)

Dave

[Chris]

Thanks guys, and will do Dave  I just need to get a .965 to 1.25"diagonal so I can use my Plossls. Anyone know where I can buy one from? They are all 45 degree on ebay.

[Stu]

Astroboot sometimes have them, but not currently. It's weird, I've bought one before but can't see them anywhere now. Try 365 Astronomy too.

[Chris]

Thanks Stu, yes Astroboot was my first stop as I always normally see them there, also surprised ebay didn't have them. Cheers, I'll try 365 next. If no joy I'll put a shout out in the ads  

[Roy Challen]

Hi Chris, iirc your scope is identical to my Skylight 660(Prinz 660) and I used one of the adapters in the link below, it should just screw into the focuser tube. Much better than a hybrid diagonal, or the original adapter that screws into the tube (I think it's about 15mm shorter - takes up less in focus).

http://www.tringastro.co.uk/vixen-adapter-364mm-male-thread-to-317mm-push-fit-5647-p.asp

When the Prinz got Skylighted, I had the tube shortened to allow the new focuser to reach focus with all my eyepieces and a lunt wedge without the need for adapters. It might even reach focus with binoviewers without the need for a GPC.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Roy Challen

[deejay]

Heres my £30.00 Prinz Astral 500 I got last week, more or less restored. I removed all the scratched paintwork from the tube and stripped, sanded and oil finished the tripod. Its not great quality wood but it looks a lot better now without the brown paint job. I may spray it or leave it bare metal, I don't know yet.

[Roy Challen]

Looks good in bare metal, I say leave it as it is

[deejay]

6 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Looks good in bare metal, I say leave it as it is

Thanks Roy I think I will

Cheers

Dave

[Stub Mandrel]

Lacquer it and keep t shiny with little effort :-)

[Chris]

6 hours ago, Roy Challen said:

Hi Chris, iirc your scope is identical to my Skylight 660(Prinz 660) and I used one of the adapters in the link below, it should just screw into the focuser tube. Much better than a hybrid diagonal, or the original adapter that screws into the tube (I think it's about 15mm shorter - takes up less in focus).

http://www.tringastro.co.uk/vixen-adapter-364mm-male-thread-to-317mm-push-fit-5647-p.asp

When the Prinz got Skylighted, I had the tube shortened to allow the new focuser to reach focus with all my eyepieces and a lunt wedge without the need for adapters. It might even reach focus with binoviewers without the need for a GPC.

Thanks Roy  I think Derek is kindly going to sort me out with an hybrid diagonal. I've checked and tring astro are out of stock on those adaptors, but I'll keep an eye out for when they get more in stock as it does look a better long term solution

Good idea to get Richard to fettle the tube length, I bet it would reach focus with BV's. Dave had a shortened 76mm f/16 for BV's, so he would probably have a good idea about how much shorter it would need to be to work without the glass path corrector.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Chris Lock

[Chris]

3 hours ago, deejay said:

Heres my £30.00 Prinz Astral 500 I got last week, more or less restored. I removed all the scratched paintwork from the tube and stripped, sanded and oil finished the tripod. Its not great quality wood but it looks a lot better now without the brown paint job. I may spray it or leave it bare metal, I don't know yet.

Looks really great! How did you remove the scratched paint work if you don't mind me asking?

[deejay]

14 hours ago, Chris Lock said:

Looks really great! How did you remove the scratched paint work if you don't mind me asking?

Hi Chris no I don't mind you asking. My steps where as follows:

1. paint stripper, left to soak in for an hour then rubbed with wire wool and more paint stripper.

2. various grades of wet and dry finishing off at 2000 grit

3. polishing wheel on the end of a drill 3 different wheels from coarse down to soft and 3 types of polishing compound.

4. Finishing off with liquid metal polish and buffed by hand.

I know that you are supposed to leave the original finish, for the sake of future value, but I don't see these going for an awful lot of money these days, judging by the price I paid for a boxed one.

[Chris]

Thanks deejay, that's a lot of work but it really shows in the end result! I think you have definitely added value if anything

Have you checked out the Moonraker and Skylight telescopes websites, I think you'd approve. 

[geordie85]

Finally got the imaging rig I wanted.

Neq6, WO Star 71, atik 383l, SX filter wheel, Baader LRGB, HA, O111 S11 filters, qhy5-ll, 9x50 guide scope and polemaster. 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

how big is a big refractor? Just for a laugher really here are my  6" F9 Vixen Atlux ED together with 7" Meade F9 ED. Only 1" aperture increase ,but look at the share size increase. Vixen from ground up is 1mtr 40cm where Meade is 1mtr 80cm. Also a lot more tube to handle and slightly more weight.Still Skywatcher Az-EQ 6GT handles Meade perfectly fine in Az mode. Meade has been kindly provided for testing purpose (so far) and comparison to Vixen.More info to come later.

 

[Chris]

Thought you were going to say 8" not 7", what a size difference indeed!

[Dude_with_the_tube]

i guess i have to be more precise.Lens on Meade is 7" where OTA itself is 8" or 200mm in diameter.

[Stub Mandrel]

All you need to do now is put a command module on top and paint USA on the side :-)

[John]

Those are "big ones"

Is that Tom Yate's 7" Meade ED by any chance ?

 

[Anderscn]

Hi,

An old friend finds a new home.

The Istar 150mm F/12.

Here on the fully extended Berlebach Planet, SW EQ5 Pillar extension and Sabre Mount. I´m only 178 cm, so I need this step ladder in order to safely hoist it up to 185cm and fix it.

Obviously the Sabre Mount is stretched, yet mounted on the short arm leaving the longer arm for the counter weights, it actually works with tolerable vibrations. Very smooth movements actually.

What I have seen so far on Saturn and the various doublestars in the Lyra, I actually like the views. I did expect more CA, but at 200-300x it is not too bad. Positively surpriced.

So if I decide to keep it, I may go for an Ayomaster.

Best Regards,

Anders 

 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

31 minutes ago, Anderscn said:

Hi,

An old friend finds a new home.

The Istar 150mm F/12.

Here on the fully extended Berlebach Planet, SW EQ5 Pillar extension and Sabre Mount. I´m only 178 cm, so I need this step ladder in order to safely hoist it up to 185cm and fix it.

Obviously the Sabre Mount is stretched, yet mounted on the short arm leaving the longer arm for the counter weights, it actually works with tolerable vibrations. Very smooth movements actually.

What I have seen so far on Saturn and the various doublestars in the Lyra, I actually like the views. I did expect more CA, but at 200-300x it is not too bad. Positively surpriced.

So if I decide to keep it, I may go for an Ayomaster.

Best Regards,

Anders 

 

i do recognise this scope.Is that not yours John? I do like anything above F10 he he.You have to agree that a simple acrho in F12 or F15 or bless the mount in F18 just looks MAJESTIC!

[Dude_with_the_tube]

57 minutes ago, John said:

Those are "big ones"

Is that Tom Yate's 7" Meade ED by any chance ?

 

Nope John,its not Tom`s one. Not sure who got his one.All i can say that Tom`s one had second run lens+cell (colimatable with push pull and sideral) same as my specimen and his one was in pristine condition inside out with perfect star test.(spoke to Tom a few days ago after he tested it )

 

 

[John]

2 hours ago, Dude_with_the_tube said:

i do recognise this scope.Is that not yours John? I do like anything above F10 he he.You have to agree that a simple acrho in F12 or F15 or bless the mount in F18 just looks MAJESTIC!

Looks like my old Istar but they do all look alike !

The mount looks decent - I could not find something which held mine steady enough for my liking. Even the EQ6 / 3" steel tubed Meade Giant tripod was not up to it.

I've just sold a Sabre as it happens. Nice mount but did the same job as the Giro II that I already have.

 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

for visual Az mount is hard to beat,specially on those long fracs.I think Stu followed my advise for his Vixen Atlux (befre he sold it sadly) and got Skywatcher Az-EQ6GT and was happy with it.I have been using mine now for 2 years and have no complains(bought it second hand).Az-EQ6gt mount actually holds meade 178 with a laugh in Az mode.Had meade on my mount whole day today as i was adjusting baffles and few other things before i can star test that beast.

I assume you still havent made up your mind on how to mount your TMB?