Which 4" frac? - New development!!

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, nightfisher said:

Mike, that last bit is interesting, i bought a used Antares 105 from Richard, it had a clamshell chip in the lens and a skywatcher dual speed focuser fitted, lovely scope but way to long

Hi Jules,

It could well be the same scope, though when I sold it the lens was in perfect condition. I suppose Richard may have chipped it if he'd tried to remove it from its cell, to fit it to one of his own tubes?! It was a nice scope but I'm not as bendy as I used to be! I like my comfort these days!!☺

[parallaxerr]

3 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Online & paper photos of refractors can be deceiving for size. 

Both width & length often appear smaller than is true. Not many same-scale photos of different models. SCT & Mak buyers can & are also caught off guard. 

Putting focal length in millimeters, a small unit, rather than meters does not help. 1.4 meters is long for a refractor to keep at home, unless it doubles as a lamp stand!

A very good point, whatever I end up with I'll have to arrange a suitable storage solution

[25585]

3 minutes ago, parallaxerr said:

A very good point, whatever I end up with I'll have to arrange a suitable storage solution

Mine in their cases live under my bed. Only fracs can be accommodated thus. 

[parallaxerr]

Well, I've posted a wanted ad for a 100ED! If one can be had for the cost of a new Starwave 102 or less, then I'll most likely go for it.

Having re-researched focusers I realised the Feather Touch and Baaders don't have finder shoes, which is a bummer. There's always the option of robbing my twin finder shoe red Moonlite off the ST120 and replacing it with a TS crayford or something similar I suppose, seeing as it pretty much stays locked for imaging......or maybe just get another Moonlite, I fancy the 100ED all in black?

[Alfian]

I wouldn't be too hard on the standard focuser, it may not be irredeemably bad! When I bought my 100ED the previous owner said that the focuser had been worked on by a professional engineer. I don't know what he did to it and I have no experience of Moonlights etc to comare it to but I find it very smooth and heavy EPs and diagonals do not go anywhere when hanging at the bottom of the OTA. Nice scope the 100ED.

[parallaxerr]

Oh I know it's not that bad. I'm an egineer too and apparently a professional haha, I reworked the same focuser on my 80ED and it was fine in isolation.

But, being the main point of interaction with a scope, I like the focuser to be buttery and floaty light. I couldn't quite get there with the stock SW focuser, it was either light but slipped under load or held firm but felt a touch rough.

[25585]

Just now, parallaxerr said:

Oh I know it's not that bad. I'm an egineer too and apparently a professional haha, I reworked the same focuser on my 80ED and it was fine in isolation.

But, being the main point of interaction with a scope, I like the focuser to be buttery and floaty light. I couldn't quite get there with the stock SW focuser, it was either light but slipped under load or held firm but felt a touch rough.

Know what you mean. Fitting a Moonlite to my 120 Equinox, though the SW twin speed it came with seems OK. I have a heavy diagonal & eps & the Moonlite is solidly engineered. 

[Alfian]

1 hour ago, parallaxerr said:

But, being the main point of interaction with a scope, I like the focuser to be buttery and floaty light

There's a man who knows what he likes! Good luck with your search Jon, I hope it works out.

[Anderscn]

Hi,

Also have a look at FrT100, based on the Istar 100-12 lens. You can have it with a Moonlite focuser or a cheaper option.

frtelescopes.com

Solidly built, and Frank is always there to assist you.

This is my grab’n go scope on an Ayodigi mount and Berlebach tripod. 

Best Regards,

Anders

[parallaxerr]

8 hours ago, Anderscn said:

Hi,

Also have a look at FrT100, based on the Istar 100-12 lens. You can have it with a Moonlite focuser or a cheaper option.

frtelescopes.com

Solidly built, and Frank is always there to assist you.

This is my grab’n go scope on an Ayodigi mount and Berlebach tripod. 

Best Regards,

Anders

 

Hi Anders, thanks for he pointer. Those look like some really nice scopes, I especially like the F12.5 120ED

It's interesting to read the "why achromats" section, he makes some really strong arguments for sticking with long achros, it's got me re-thinking a little bit!

 

[parallaxerr]

A little update.....

I've made an enquiry about the C100ED on UKABS and am awiting some photos. It's a long way to collect the scope so it will need to be mint.

Also found a 1yr old SW ED100 on eBay just 10 minutes away, but the seller is asking £699!!! I've made an offer of £450 which I think is reasonable given the selling prices I've seen of £300-400.

[John]

Good luck !

[parallaxerr]

Offer declined. Apparently the seller believes the addition of a solar filter and a focus mask are enough to sell the scope at the new price. No, thanks

[parallaxerr]

And now the email trail on the C100ED has gone cold and the ad has been pulled. Pretty much sums up my experience with UKABS, never once successfully bought anything off there, despite lots of attempts.

Back to the drawing board.....

[parallaxerr]

OK, bit of a development. Just found an Equinox 100 AND an Equinox 120 for sale by a member of the local astronomical society.

Asking offers between £500-600 each or the pair for £950. What do you think of the pricing?

Which one would you go for? I suspect the 120 will win favour, but I must admit I really like the proportions of the 100 plus the weight consideration and longer FL.

 

[Timebandit]

 

That sounds a great price for an Equinox 120ed , £500 to £600 for one of these if it's in great condition would be a very good buy IMO

If you can handle the size and weight then I would grab the 120ed equinox, the people who purchase these rarely have a bad word to say about them. And if the chap on eBay wanted £699 for a Sw 100ed I think that shows what a great buy a equinox 120ed at around £500 to £600 would be. 

I would go and have a look at the equinox 120ed and if the condition is great then buy it IMO.

 

Good luck ? ?

 

 

[25585]

24 minutes ago, parallaxerr said:

OK, bit of a development. Just found an Equinox 100 AND an Equinox 120 for sale by a member of the local astronomical society.

Asking offers between £500-600 each or the pair for £950. What do you think of the pricing?

Which one would you go for? I suspect the 120 will win favour, but I must admit I really like the proportions of the 100 plus the weight consideration and longer FL.

There may be an option here for a split purchase with another forum member at £450 and £500 respectively.

The Equinox 100 is a rarey, the 120 will be soon! 

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, parallaxerr said:

OK, bit of a development. Just found an Equinox 100 AND an Equinox 120 for sale by a member of the local astronomical society.

Asking offers between £500-600 each or the pair for £950. What do you think of the pricing?

Which one would you go for? I suspect the 120 will win favour, but I must admit I really like the proportions of the 100 plus the weight consideration and longer FL.

 

The price is very appealing!

The 120 is a superb scope, and don't forget the sliding dew shield, making it very portable. However, if your heart is leaning towards the 4", then go for it. But remember the 4" is still F9 compared to the 120's F7.5, so length wise you'll see no difference. Personally I'd go for the 120 Equinox. It's a really great performer!

 

[25585]

4 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

The price is very appealing!

The 120 is a superb scope, and don't forget the sliding dew shield, making it very portable. However, if your heart is leaning towards the 4", then go for it. But remember the 4" is still F9 compared to the 120's F7.5, so length wise you'll see no difference. Personally I'd go for the 120 Equinox. It's a really great performer!

 

Is that a home made mount?

[mikeDnight]

5 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Is that a home made mount?

No! It's a SW steel tripod with a Hercules Helix altazimuth fork. The only thing that's been adapted by me is the half pier, which used to be part of a gyro mount made for me by Peter Drew.

[parallaxerr]

9 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

The price is very appealing!

The 120 is a superb scope, and don't forget the sliding dew shield, making it very portable. However, if your heart is leaning towards the 4", then go for it. But remember the 4" is still F9 compared to the 120's F7.5, so length wise you'll see no difference. Personally I'd go for the 120 Equinox. It's a really great performer!

 

Looks great Mike. Ive got the 2" tripod and pier extension too but with HEQ5, seems solid with my imaging gear at 7kg, so should be OK with the 120.

[25585]

5 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

No! It's a SW steel tripod with a Hercules Helix altazimuth fork. The only thing that's been adapted by me is the half pier, which used to be part of a gyro mount made for me by Peter Drew.

Never heard of the Hercules Helix fork before. Looks the business!

[mikeDnight]

11 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Never heard of the Hercules Helix fork before. Looks the business!

They are superb! Rock solid but lightweight and buttery smooth. Mine had an 8" separation between the fork arms, but there used to be much larger ones available. The company stopped production a few years ago which is a shame. There are similar looking forks on the market, useful for binoculars but poor for carrying a scope like the 120ED. The design of the Hercules Helix was simplicity itself. Other fork mounts try to get clever and complex, and lose rigidity in the process. The Gibraltar is an example of a poor fork mount as it is anything but solid. And way too expensive! 

[mikeDnight]

23 minutes ago, parallaxerr said:

Looks great Mike. Ive got the 2" tripod and pier extension too but with HEQ5, seems solid with my imaging gear at 7kg, so should be OK with the 120.

Youll be fine with your mount. The Equinox is also easily carried by a Vixen GP. 

[Alan White]

Jon, I would go for thw 120 Equinox, the build quality is nicer than the Ds Pros,
if I had had the money and an 80 equinox had been available when I bought my 80 it would have won easily.