Show us your Frac

[John]

Lovely to see a Tak FC100DL "down under"

I was reading on the IceinSpace forum that only 2 or 3 reached Australia !

We have similar taste in scopes - my 130 is just a bit longer and with a Russian objective !

Edited February 23, 2017 by John

[Stub Mandrel]

On 21/02/2017 at 21:38, Chris Lock said:

Is this the historical meaning as in Sextant? in which case do you have one? They have lenses so might pass as a frac 

Well I meant 'Mural Quadrant' actually...

[AtmosFearIC]

2 hours ago, DaveS said:

I think TS also sells those 130mm f/5 astrographs, but after my experiences with their 80mm f/4.4 went for a 130 f/7 and changeable flattener or reducer.

Agree with the DDM60 though, awesome mount.

What did you find you didn't like with the 80mm F/4.4? I had been considering one as a wide field setup.

 

2 hours ago, John said:

Lovely to see a Tak FC100DL "down under"

I was reading on the IceinSpace forum that only 2 or 3 reached Australia !

We have similar taste in scopes - my 130 is just a bit longer and with a Russian objective !

I believe three made it Down Under. Two of them met last April and should be meeting again this April  No one knows where the third one is hiding though, it's gone to ground!

[DaveS]

The one on the TS site shows a tilt adjuster, with the reducer spacing spec'd for that. However the one that I received (As did another member) had a rotator instead. many emails went back and forth to TS to get the correct spacing to little effect. Also the one I got has what looks like tilt and possibly collimation issues. I'd have sent it back, but what with our rubbish weather, and the delays with emails I ran out of the time limit for returns. I'd have had to arrange my own carriage to Germany too.

Upshot is I've still got the 'scope, but my last email exchange with TS did at last give me some data to work on, so I think I have the spacing right, just waiting for some warmer nights to fiddle with the tilt.

TBH I think they were pushing things a bit getting down to f/4.4.

[Tyson M]

It finally came in today!!!! Ordered in October.  Upgrade from a LSTHa50  B400 which I sold to fund this.  It exudes quality, it currently is the nicest piece of astro gear I own. 

IMG_20170224_190803 by SolarT RM, on Flickr

IMG_20170224_190658 by SolarT RM, on Flickr

IMG_20170224_115357 by SolarT RM, on Flickr

[deejay]

On ‎25‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 02:47, Tyson M said:

It finally came in today!!!! Ordered in October.  Upgrade from a LSTHa50  B400 which I sold to fund this.  It exudes quality, it currently is the nicest piece of astro gear I own. 

IMG_20170224_190803 by SolarT RM, on Flickr

IMG_20170224_190658 by SolarT RM, on Flickr

IMG_20170224_115357 by SolarT RM, on Flickr

I have one of these, I swapped a CPC 800 for it as it was getting too heavy for me, you are right about the quality and looks of it, It is a thing of beauty, I keep mine on display on a smoked glass shelf under the TV, I cant stop picking it up it is so nice, congratulations.

[Alien_Photons]

[John]

Very nice indeed !

The tube rings on the Tak FC100 are a nice alternative to the tube clamp - can I ask where you sourced them ?

 

[GavStar]

They look similar to my parallax 95mm rings which I sourced from the US. 

[Helen]

John, I bought the parallax tube rings from Ian King instead of the clam shell ?

Helen

[Stu]

48 minutes ago, Helen said:

John, I bought the parallax tube rings from Ian King instead of the clam shell ?

Helen

That's what I did too Helen, not sure why but somehow I feel they hold the scope a bit better than the clamshell. Might just be one of those illogical feelings though!

Glad you got the FT on yours, I think it really improves the scope, such precision focusing and a lovely feel to it. Your grab and go setup is very similar to mine now  

[John]

Thanks folks

I might have a think about some rings although the clam shell does a good job. Tak made it a bit longer for the DL version of the scope. Must have been costly to make just 100 bespoke clam shells

 

[Helen]

22 minutes ago, Stu said:

That's what I did too Helen, not sure why but somehow I feel they hold the scope a bit better than the clamshell. Might just be one of those illogical feelings though!

Glad you got the FT on yours, I think it really improves the scope, such precision focusing and a lovely feel to it. Your grab and go setup is very similar to mine now  

Yes, very similar Stu .  The Feathertouch is lovely, and as it makes the tube shorter the scope now fits very well into a William Optics case.  The Giro-WR arrived last week and my initial impressions are extremely favourable - smooth and lightweight.  I think I'll need an extension though for the Gitzo tripod, and to add some weight under the tripod to avoid it overbalancing if I don't use a counterweight.  I'm also considering one of the lighter weight Berlebach's - I think that would be a great combination, and much easier to handle than the Giro iii on the HEQ5 legs!

Helen

[Alien_Photons]

12 hours ago, John said:

Can I ask where you sourced them ?

 

Parallax rings. Ian King supplied them with the scope. To be honest they are not the best finish and the WO rings are a class above but they do the job well enough.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Alien_Photons

[Tyson M]

On 2/21/2017 at 15:02, John said:

Hastily grabbed group shot of my 4 fracs. Top to bottom, APM / TMB / LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet, Skywatcher ED120 ED doublet, Takahashi FC-100DL Fluorite doublet, Vixen ED102SS ED doublet. Perspective is slightly deceptive here but you get the general idea of respective sizes:

 

I love that APM. I think I am going to get an APM like that or the 140 doublet from them some day for strictly visual . 

[Tyson M]

On 2/17/2017 at 18:43, Nigel G said:

Here's my new setup 

Been a reflector and Alt-Az man until recently.  Now an EQ 3 guided Equinox 80 ed pro with an Orion star shoot and Orion 50mm mini guide scope.

Only trouble is the blooming clouds.

Nige.

Partly due to reviews on SGL I purchased one of these 80 Equinox's myself. It's purpose is for alt az grab and go and future imaging. Nature, WL solar and DSO stuff eventually. I want the versatility and usage that my large SCT and EQ mount just don't, like impromptu observing on partly cloudy days.  

 

Just waiting for completely clear skies for hours on end is limiting my time outside. 

[Tyson M]

On 12/13/2016 at 02:00, Rainmaker said:

My "Final" setup, after years of testing various Taks, is pictured here:

 

TOA130NFB with Baader BBHS 2" Sitall Mirror Diagonal and Baader SkySurferV Finder and TSA102S with Baader Zeiss T2 Prism, Televue Binovue and a few eyepieces on AZ-EQ6 GT

This is giving me ideas and simultaneously making my bank account tremble with fear lol

[Nigel G]

14 hours ago, Tyson M said:

Partly due to reviews on SGL I purchased one of these 80 Equinox's myself. It's purpose is for alt az grab and go and future imaging. Nature, WL solar and DSO stuff eventually. I want the versatility and usage that my large SCT and EQ mount just don't, like impromptu observing on partly cloudy days.  

 

Just waiting for completely clear skies for hours on end is limiting my time outside. 

Its a great lightweight scope, I have had to buy a flattener for it but I'm very impressed, perfect for the EQ3 pro. I also got this because of SGL and other reviews.

I know what you mean about waiting for clear sky's, UK county of Essex has not had a completely clear night for a few months now, only an odd hour or 2 now and again  

Nige.

[John]

14 hours ago, Tyson M said:

I love that APM. I think I am going to get an APM like that or the 140 doublet from them some day for strictly visual . 

Thanks. I did consider the APM 140mm FPL-53 doublet but I managed to get the 130mm F/9.2 triplet at a very attractive price and relatively local to me. I was intrigued by the respect that it seems to be held in so I could not resist.

 

 

[Tyson M]

The new to me Equinox just came in yesterday, and literally the first night I got it I went out under very cloudy skies and tested multiple equipment out.  It is a beautiful scope kept in great condition from previous owner.

The views were very nice! The moon was very pleasant, detected a tiny bit of yellow CA using both my 13mm nagler and 14 meade hd60. Could have been the cloudiness that I was looking through as there was thin cloud over luna.

This scope can take high magnifications on the moon, which is really nice, and surprisingly easy to track with the porta II. Last night, for the first time ever, I have ever found a use for my 5x TV powermate!

I am glad I kept it because it works awesome with my 13mm nagler on the moon. Didnt break down, still very sharp- just a tad dimmer.

 5 degree FOV with the 31 nagler was pretty sweet, although I was in town amidst light pollution.  It will be amazing at a dark site. Cant quite focus the entire FOV , a bit of field curvature. 

The Equinox's main mount is  my new to me Vixen Porta II with custom wooden adapter to mount the EQ6 tripod legs to it.

I bought everything preowned. The Porta II was in rough shape and rusted, required a lot of work including a chemical bath, retapped threads and screws and tear down/cleaning regreasing-  but I finally have a system that works well. 

I can see myself getting a lot of use from this scope, especially once I pick up a lunt diagonal and solar continuum filter.

 

[Uplooker]

Hi Tyson,

Further to your post above, Naglers suffer from fringing on the moon. I suspect that was where you were getting the CA from, rather than the scope

[mikeDnight]

Here's a few frac pics for your amusement. The Sky 90 belongs to Derek who's stood along side it. Derek was I suppose, my mentor nearly 40 years ago now. That's scary! I've walked miles around that pier, following his direction and learning my way around the sky while observing through large binoculars to begin with. Then as time progresses refractors both achromats and apochromats from 3" to 6". He's in his 70's now and is as happy as can be with his 90mm Tak fluorite. There's a lot of  contentment in a simple little frac! 

Derek and his frac.

 

[paulastro]

Doesn't it look nice, and blue skies too in Lancashire! 

[mikeDnight]

2 hours ago, paulastro said:

Doesn't it look nice, and blue skies too in Lancashire! 

It does! See! Even Lancashire has skies now and then. ⛅?????????

[deejay]

Here's my vintage £58 GBP ebay buy TOWA 80mm, stripped of its scratched worn paint job and the red vinyl covering I put on it as a temporary measure. I have taken it down to the metal on the tube and polished it, as I did with my Tasco 550 featured earlier in this thread. I may have it professionally Chromed on the main tube and finder tube and possibly brass finished on the Dew shield and finder dew shield. It looks great in the corner of my living room as it is  even my wife approves!!