Modded SkyWatcher Star Discovery 150p

[Guest]

Hi all,

As some of you may know i recently purchased a "get me back into it" scope. I wanted a goto as i like the tech so the 150p was the obvious choice for me.

Upon arrival i noticed on my first light that my friends 130p had sharper images so i guess collimation was my next issue and sure enough upon the purchase of

a laser collimator i found the scope to be miles out of kilter, a SkyWatcher mistake as the mirror in the SD is technically non collimatable and stuck in for good measure.

I released the glue and managed to collimate it with ease even though a little unorthodox as the mirror holder is held in with 4 screws around the tubes outer edge.

But i thought i had it pretty good although my ep cover with a hole in it was telling me the concentric circles i should see were also way out and not all centralized.

I then decided to upgrade the horrendous budget focuser as the play in the tube was obviously letting the rest of the optical train down so i purchased a GSO 1.25"

Crayford as all my ep's are this size and keeping this scope as low cost as poss i didnt want to double its price with a fancy one. Having said that the GSO is smooth as silk and

a snip at £73 ish delivered from the USA.

I then took the OTA apart to the bare bones and started measurements for the new focuser, here is where i found out another inaccuracy thanks to SkyWatcher.

The elliptical flat was 4mm too far forward but there was plenty of thread on all fixing to pull it back.

Once drilled out and reassembled i collimated again and used my cap with a hole and now the optical train is 99.9% spot on.....happy days.

So now for the mods, i read a lot about flocking but personally wasn't convinced it would be worth the effort but i popped to Wilkos for a role of black velour and commenced flocking.

HOLY SHMOLY !!!!! flocking is a must !! i never realized how shinny MAT BLACK is in the painted interior until i flocked it.....its PITCH black in there now like so dark you 

HAVE TO put white paper opposite the focuser just to see where the elliptical mirror edges are !! this is by far an incredible and must do job for your scope.

Cant wait to see the results. While i was at it i flocked the elliptical mirror edges and focuser draw tube interior.

While all the furniture was still off i also wanted to make mine black as i dont personally like the red paint as it makes it look a tad "toys-r-us" for me :/

So i got some carbon wrap and warped it, i then reassembled all the fittings, changed all the black anodized screws and bots for stainless.

Re collimated...bob on, job done.

Now i await my 'what i like to think as' true first light.

Love this scope, seeing the tenuous gas arms of M42 and cloud belts of Jupiter its hard not to ever get bored of visiting them time and time again. Cant wait for Saturn.

Thanks for reading all,

Clear skies.

Lee.

 

[nightfisher]

You have got a nice custom scope now that looks better and should be a lot better to look through, well done

[baldeliftman]

That looks good worth the time doing it but did you tell skywatcher about the problems you had to start with,if they don't know they cant fix it. 

[Ricochet]

Nice mods, is the carbon wrap part of the same Wilko's range as the interior flocking? Also, if you've changed the screws over, make sure you've blackened any part that protrudes into the interior. I hope you get your true first light soon.

[happy-kat]

Looks very impressive, the focuser looks very nice unit.

Did you remove the secondary to flock the tube?

[Guest]

Thanks for the great comments peeps. Yes I did blacken any protrusions but I cut them down to be flush also. 

I totally dismantled the OTA before flocking and the carbon wrap was from eBay. 

[markthg]

great job!

[Guest]

14 hours ago, baldeliftman said:

That looks good worth the time doing it but did you tell skywatcher about the problems you had to start with,if they don't know they cant fix it. 

Hi there, thanks for the compliment.

Yes i did email Skywatcher support and they said that their quality control is of the highest standard etc etc and i should return it to the supplier if i felt there is an issue.

I told them that i only discovered the inaccuracies because i totally stripped the OTA down to upgrade some budget parts, there response was i have voided my warranty

and shouldn't of done that basically  (not too fussed about the OTA warranty as the mirrors are spot on, its the GoTo mount that needs its full 12 months and i wont be tampering with that )

I then asked how i would of discovered that their quality control measures had obviously missed my scope...they have yet to answer ?

Also in the email i asked for some replacement decals for the tube but again they passed the buck to the main supplier (Optical Vision) but then stated that it was doubtful these

would be available for customers as they are done in the factory.

So instead i am having my own custom decals made up, it will be in chrome or bright silver but i will post a completed pic once done, i knocked this up in PS, a mish mash

of the Synta logo and skywatcher galaxy

To be honest and i suspect its not the norm and maybe only me on this occasion but i am not totally impressed with SkyWatcher thus far, firstly a poorly built OTA and secondly

a not that helpful support means........but i am sure its a one off.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Guest

[baldeliftman]

hi is the carbon wrap stickebacked

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, baldeliftman said:

hi is the carbon wrap stickebacked

Yes pal....i went for the smooth satin look rather then the high gloss or textured. 750mm x 1500mm £9.12 delivered. I only used half so i have half left to cover a shelf i intend to make for mid way on the tripod.

The flocking was £5 from Wilkos, same stuff as FLO sell but minus the delivery.

[happy-kat]

The important element is your mirror, and you say you have a good one.

Edited February 13, 2016 by happy-kat
Halfords don't look to sell it anymore the carbon film

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

The important element is your mirror, and you say you have a good one.

Halfords also do carbon sticky back wrap, made by Foliatec. I have used the clear stuff on a exterior exposed item and it is still stuck and is fine.

Cant fault the Synta optics for the price i also had some wrapping done on a car i had last, put on right its good for 5yrs + or so, but on my scope it will be a lifetime as its not out 24/7 like the car was.

[Guest]

Hi all,just an update on the completion of my mods,

The flocking is complete even down to focuser draw tube and washers covered plus all nuts are mat blacked.

Close up of my super smooth GSO focuser upgrade.

Lastly my custom made decals that i created in Paint shop came with thanks from a graphics company i found, and personally i love them.

Now all i need is some clear skies here is East Yorkshire lol

Thanks for looking in.

 

[Dave In Vermont]

Congratulations on a job very well done!

And you've found out what I've been telling all who'll listen about these GSO-focusers. They're better than one's costing twice as much - or better still. A true bargain.

Nicely done,

Dave

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Congratulations on a job very well done!

And you've found out what I've been telling all who'll listen about these GSO-focusers. They're better than one's costing twice as much - or better still. A true bargain.

Nicely done,

Dave

Thanks Dave. Love my GSO, it's so smooth I can't justify the extra cost on the dual speed ones although I assume they are just incredible considering how silky my single speed is. Appreciate your kind words mate. ?

[Dave In Vermont]

You're quite welcome!

I just put a GSO, branded ScopeStuff, on my new 150mm F/12 Maksutov. This plus a larger wheel for the 10:1 makes it a pure silk micro-focuser.

Dave

[happy-kat]

In the photo further up is that your focuser poking through, you weren't tempted to cut it off?

[astronymonkey]

Hi Lee,

I love the carbon wrap it really makes the scope look loads more stylish.  Can you post a link to the ebay supplier you used. Cheers

 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, astronymonkey said:

Hi Lee,

I love the carbon wrap it really makes the scope look loads more stylish.  Can you post a link to the ebay supplier you used. Cheers

 

Thanks Asto yer, i think it makes it look pretty cool, i like my custom decal too....i have the guys address is anyone wants it, very reasonable and will make you anything.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191023537345?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&var=490238940765&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Guest]

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

In the photo further up is that your focuser poking through, you weren't tempted to cut it off?

lol thankfully all my eps focus far enough out that the draw-tube is never in the optical train

[CraigT82]

Nice job! That's a really professional looking finish you've managed there 

Any half decent scope really deserves a good focuser, it's such a critical part of the scope and so many new scopes ship with sub-par focusers its criminal really. But hey-ho... At least it leaves those of us who like to fettle, something to fettle with! (And synta scopes are ripe for a bit of self improvement as they usually are a bit shoddy but have good quality optics, which is what counts at the end of the day). 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Nice job! That's a really professional looking finish you've managed there 

Any half decent scope really deserves a good focuser, it's such a critical part of the scope and so many new scopes ship with sub-par focusers its criminal really. But hey-ho... At least it leaves those of us who like to fettle, something to fettle with! (And synta scopes are ripe for a bit of self improvement as they usually are a bit shoddy but have good quality optics, which is what counts at the end of the day). 

I love a good fettle lol thanks Craig.

[SilverAstro]

On 12/02/2016 at 23:09, LeeRich said:

I released the glue and managed to collimate it with ease even though a little unorthodox as the mirror holder is held in with 4 screws around the tubes outer edge.

Hi Lee, brill topic, nice mods. looks good now, Black is Good at night.

as you know I am contemplating the Discovery ( not yet made up my mind !, it takes a while !! ) but I am curious about 'releasing the glue' operation,,, was this solvent or brute force with a chisel ?

And : "4 screws round the edge", does this mean that they are shifting the mirror laterally or are there wee levers inside to tilt the mirror ? Normally one would expect screws round the base ?

Just idly curious is all, at this stage ! Thanks.

 

Edited March 2, 2016 by SilverAstro

[Guest]

Hi pal, the mirror cell/holder is stuck inside the tube with 4 blobs of a non flexible type of glue, once the screws are removed while holding the tube you can pull the cell out with a little brute force...at first nothing moves but then...."click" the clue lets go and the cell releases.

Nothing major and certainly nothing to worry about but i figure SkyWatcher glue it thinking the collimation will stay set...trouble is mine was set wrong before the glue dried.

See pic, the 4 screws around the outside of the tube screw through an elongated hole directly into the side of the mirror holder, once the glue is released the cell can move freely around the elongated holes for collimation.

Remember to just collimate in a 4 axis way instead of a 3 i find it actually really easy to move the cell this way. Literally up / down then left / right.

Once all collimated up, take your barlow and inset it in the focuser then put your laser in the barlow, now fine tune the cell by looking at the now projected doughnut marker reflecting in the collimation side window.

[SilverAstro]

7 minutes ago, LeeRich said:

 i figure SkyWatcher glue it thinking the collimation will stay set...trouble is mine was set wrong before the glue dried.

once the glue is released the cell can move freely around the elongated holes for collimation.

 

Yes I think you are right, that is what they expected !

Good explanation, thanks Lee, I was hung up on expecting the screw ( and the pitch of its thread) to be doing the micro-adjust in the classical manner before glueing , and had missed the implications of the elongated holes and tightening the screws up against them ! All is clear now. Thanks