Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

Making guidescope rings

beamer3.6m

By beamer3.6m
in Discussions - Mounts

Recommended Posts

beamer3.6m

beamer3.6m

Posted
Posted

I am thinking of using a Bresser Skylux as a guidescope and need rings to attach it to the scope.

I have seen others home made guidescope rings and it appears that they are just 90mm tube rings, drilled and tapped and the appropriate screws fitted into them.

Is this all there is to it.

Also, how do you tap a screw hole - totally thick at this kinda stuff and does tapping it mean that it is then threaded for a screw.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ant

Ant

Posted
Posted

You will need to buy the right tap and die set.

Then drill the hole slightly smalled that the thread size and then tap the hole.

You can buy nylon tipped bolts - so all you have to do is make sure you get the right size tap.

Ant

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ash

ash

Posted
Posted

Just go to the hardware store and buy the one you want and maybe a drill bit approx 1mm smaller than the bolt size i.e. 7mm for M8 bolt. There is a special tool that you use with the tap to tap the hole but if your careful a small socket or adjustable spanner around the square bit on the tap will suffice, then just take it nice and easy screw it in a little then back it off and keep doing that till your through. Make sure you wear safety glasses, even though they are very hard they are brittle and these things can snap/shatter.

Good luck

ASH

Link to comment
Share on other sites
anthony

anthony

Posted
Posted

Hi Beamer,

I had a go myself without much of an idea and all of the above is just right! Practice on a bit of scrap first to get an idea of the procedure before doing it for real! Dont force it either.

Ant - do you know where you can get the nylon tipped bolts. I have often looked but never found any!

Anthony

Link to comment
Share on other sites
anthony

anthony

Posted
Posted

Cheers Ant

I was just searching again and the best I could find was a US based company that did them as a grub screw.

Just going to have a browse including ATM in the source. Apparantly "spar end caps" that are used in kites can do the job

Anthony

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thing

thing

Posted
Posted

Interesting thread. The back plate on my Newt has hung on by one screw since about a week after I bought it, they are the tiniest, crappiest, easiest to strip threads in the world so I was wondering about drilling and tapping the holes to take some meaty man sized screws. I know a lot of people leave the backplate off but I keep my scope in the garden shed so want to keep the primary clear of rampant mice etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
anthony

anthony

Posted
Posted

Saw that US link Ant.

The component force one looks pretty interesting. My previous meade guide scope rings had a clear silicone/rubber tip and they did the job really well. In fact i felt more comfortable with them than the delrin tipped ones.

i have left component force a message and hopefully I can find out more.

Anthony

Link to comment
Share on other sites
saturn5

saturn5

Posted
Posted

These are aluminium rings i made at work.The inside diameter is 100mm,the screws are made of black nylon(black nylon has its uses) so as not to scratch the scope when you tighten the screws onto it.

As you can see in the second picture they were made for a homemade "dovetail" which screws from underneath to tighten the rings onto it.

If you you know someone or are willing to do it yourself you can drill a dovetail with a clearance hole for 6mm thread(7mm will do) then you can have these rings free gratis.Ive no need for them anymore.

post-13543-133877341099_thumb.jpg

post-13543-133877341105_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Andrew*

Andrew*

Posted
Posted

From experience trying to make my own rings:

1. I used M8 white nylon bolts and I wouldn't recommend them. They are bendy and give a much less solid support and are prone to flexure. Trying to align my scopes together the other night using my nylon bolts, it was obvious that the scope wasn't moving precisely due to the give in the bolts. This made a difficult (for me!) process nigh on impossible.

2. If you can't find a solution for metal bolts and must use nylon, you should really make sure your tapped holes are bang on perpendicular.

3. Also, don't use nylon bolts smaller than M8. I saw some rings made using 4xM6 nylon bolts and there was a lot of "give" in them.

4. Finally, consider some way of making ordinary bolts into thumbscrews because turning a round bolt head in the dark with numb fingers spells frustration. I used some M8 steel wing nuts screwed and glued right up against the head. This makes adjusting (particularly tightening) much easier with gloved fingers.

It wasn't a very difficult process, but there's a lot to consider, and in the end I should probably have simply opted for some proper guide rings - more expensive, but made for the job and they don't take as long!

HTH

Andrew

Link to comment
Share on other sites
saturn5

saturn5

Posted
Posted

Andrew,dont agree with your dont use less than 8mm nylon bolts theory.The acetal nylon bolts on the rings i made are 6mm with a knurled end for easy tightening,used them on a meade spotting scope attached to my Skywatcher 250 and adjusted and tightened them no probs,must have been ok,it didn't fall of :angry: if your bolts were flexing they must have been way to long in the first place.

Also 3 equispaced bolts are easier to adjust than 4 at right angles to each other.Your scope sits on the 2 bottom screws and the top one does the tightening,almost the same as adjusting a finderscope.

I'm sure you could bend them if you wanted to but just how tight do you need to tighten them(veins popping on forehead tight?)

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.