Help! What Collimater do i need?

[Danny83uk]

So ive recently took delivery of a shiny new SW200p. It was a return from FLO (previous owner thought it was too big) Cant fault FLO but DHL on the otherhand have sent it here there and everywhere for nearly 3 weeks. So now i have a niggling that it could be out of collimation and i dont want my first use of it to be a disappointment and unpleasent experiance. Problem is can i tell without getting a laser collimator? Should i get one anyway as its a piece of kit ill need anyway ( how often do you check it?) and which one/type should i get?

Many thanks

Daniel.

[laudropb]

Personally I prefer a Cheshire collimator. I have never got on with lasers, but that is just me. You will probably have to collimated the laser before using it for your scope, unless you buy one of the more expensive ones.

[Danny83uk]

1 minute ago, laudropb said:

Personally I prefer a Cheshire collimator. I have never got on with lasers, but that is just me. You will probably have to collimated the laser before using it for your scope, unless you buy one of the more expensive ones.

I'd calibrate it as a matter of course. Im a builder of F1 cars by trade it WILL be accurate. Im looking at  Next Generation Laser Collimator

[Charic]

......the dust-cap from the focuser with a 1-2mm hole in it works well for collimation purposes. next and more accurate is a Cheshire combination tool, I have the long version, affords a tighter more accurate view?  lastly, if the Laser is properly collimated and you know the basics then a laser can work too, but I prefer to Barlow my laser to do a quick check on the primary mirror alone, I don't use a laser for a full collimation setup.

 

So the dust cap or a 35mm film canister with its base chopped of  and a small hole 1-2mm in the lid, next a Cheshire, last, if you need one a laser, I too own a Next Gen laser!

Your SW 200 be it the Explorer or Skyliner, the collimation setup is the same.

[Danny83uk]

I've found a spare dust cap and its in my bag to drill off later at work(I'm not rushing it at 5am,might as well be paid while I do it) but the general concencus is that with a Cheshire your not using a tool that itself could be out of tolerance. Are all cheshires essentially the same? Looking at FLO you have a 'standard' and 'premium' No good/bad suppliers because there is no laser to have to correct?

[Dave In Vermont]

Your choice of a laser-collimator is a good one. I like that it has 7-settings of intensity to the beam. Sometimes they can be just too bright for my taste. I don't like going blind while collimating a scope in the dark. And these also have the 3-screws under some hardened putty and the label, so you can get at them to collimate the laser pretty easily.

I've had several lasers for the job, and this is one I kept. Good price, too.

Dave

[Linda]

Please read this:

http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro babys collimation guide.htm

And then decide what to buy.

[Danny83uk]

1 hour ago, Linda said:

Please read this:

http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro babys collimation guide.htm

And then decide what to buy.

Thanks, I'll do just that. 

[John]

I have a laser collimator and it is well collimated, because I tested and adjusted it over a distance of around 25 feet to be spot on. I still find the cheshire eyepiece a more reliable and quicker tool to use. A quick peek and a tweak at the start of a session and it's done. Often the tweak is not really needed !

My dob is a 12" F/5.3.

[Timebandit]

Hello. I heard so many horror stories about people with laser collimator adjusting the hell out of the primary and secondary mirror thinking it was off, only then to find it was the laser that was not accurate. To then collimation of the laser before collimation of the scope just seemed a bit silly. I understand there are some good ones on the market at a price.                                                                                                                                                           So all I do is get my scope out in daylight. Get a home made collimation cap(made out of a 35mm film canister with a 1mm hole drilled dead center) and check and adjust the scope within a small a tolerance as possible. Usually when it's been adjusted ,mine very rarely needs any more adjusting, maybe a little tweaking every few months. My thinking of this is as the old saying goes"keep it simple stupid" and this way of collimation has worked for me. I hope this helps☺

[gls]

Even if you use a laser, cheshire, cap, etc, you still want to do a star test afterwards. 

I can't fault my howie glatter btw.

[Ceramus]

I bought a laser collimator (the type that has a label covering one of the self-collimating holes) to use on a SW300p f/5. I check that it was self-collimated in a V vice.

I also used a collimating cap made from a 35mm film canister lid. I found that the cap produced a much better collimation of the secondary mirror. The laser always pointed off the central doughnut of the primary after collimating the secondary.

The laser has now stopped working! Won't turn on in spite of new battery...I'm ordering an Cheshire from FLO!

[Gazabone]

My personal preference is very much laser, I have a Cheshire and still haven't fathomed out how to use it (to be fair, haven't really tried) but laser collimation is so easy. Whether you're adjusting the primary or secondary mirrors you can see exactly the effect each tweak of the screw. 

Guess it's another of those Astro issues, each type has its advocates. 

For me, the only real advantage of Cheshire is that you'll never have a problem with a dead battery. 

Either way, happy viewing, you have got a great scope there. ??

[John]

I agree about checking with a quick star test. Doing this regularly has given me more confidence in the results I get with a cheshire eyepiece than the results I get with my laser, even though the laser collimator is itself in good collimation.

Gazabone is right though, it's all about finding a method that you feel OK with and have some confidence in.

[Danny83uk]

So ive made my collimating cap and it was a little out. went to adjust the one screw to bring it in. Turns out the adjusting bolts on the secondary where not tight and the locking pins where not touching the mirror.  Adjusted the one to bring it in and nipped up the locking pins. Being as its cloudy yet again i think ill invest in a Cheshire collimator. Im too new to this to introduce a laser that could complicate things.