fed up with sw crayford focuser

[alacant]

Hi everyone.

Will the GSO focuser fit the SkyWatcher baseplate? Or any other solution without major drilling or sheet metalwork?

Cheers and TIA.

[wookie1965]

Have you tried this I did both my 150p and 200p really improved them. 

[alacant]

1 hour ago, wookie1965 said:

Have you tried this

Hi. Thanks.

Unfortunately, yes. My mechanism is slightly different but after smoothing the flat, upon reassembly it's not much better. It's either too loose to be moved by the focus knobs or else if it is tight enough, it requires ridiculous force to turn the knobs. Hopeless!

That's why I want to get a proper focuser which is reliable. Cheers.

[wookie1965]

Just a thought no problem

[Ricochet]

Moonlight sell a selection of base plates designed to fit their focusers to various SW models. 

[DeepSkyBagger]

I've got the Crayford focuser on my SkyWatcher, too.

Utter junk. Hate it.

[alacant]

Anyone any experience of this focuser? At least there's no Crayford nonsense!

Cheers

 

[AdeKing]

I've obviously got two good ones judging by the above.  I have the standard Crayford on my 200p and 150p and have carried out the mod to grind the flat using an oilstone on both of them which did improve matters and I added the Lacerta Dual Speed upgrade to give fine focus adjustment, which was cheaper than a new focuser.  Both focusers took a bit of effort to adjust to my taste, but I don't find them too bad.

Granted they're not nearly as refined as a Moonlite or Steeltrack, but serviceable nonetheless.

I did pick up an Original Baader Steeltrack relatively cheaply for the 200p Dob and have found the hole in the OTA for the focuser on my 200p Dob is too big to fit it.  I'll need to either find a base plate or get one 3d printed as the hole is wider than the stock base on the Steeltrack.

Ade

 

[alacant]

5 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

find a base plate

Maybe this one?

[JOC]

My SW Crayford focusser is also OK-ish.  I haven't done the mod above, but I was frustrated with the lack of fine control and considered the lacerta.  In the finish my Bro made me a larger focus wheel:

 

[tooth_dr]

I have to say I've have no bother with any of mine, one has the fine 10:1 adjuster, two don't.  They work ok with a DSLR, but I can imagine with a filter wheel and big CCD/CMOS then thinks could be very different!  However if I was ever to invest in such items I think an upgrade would be justified.

[shirva]

Hi ,I have just changed the focuser on my skywatcher evostar ed80 and fitted the OVL one,, I could not be happier,,I was never impressed by the Crayford on mine,, slipping with dslr and excessive movement on focus tube,, the ovl is rock solid , very nice feel adjusting focus.

They do one for the newt. If it's as good as refractor one,, it will be brilliant.

Link to one in flo

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-focusers/dual-speed-low-profile-1252-inch-crayford-focuser.html

[Merlin66]

Like Ade and some others I find the standard SW focuser on my ED80 (I have versions with the 10:1 drive and some without) quite acceptable for my usage - solar imaging with ASI 174 or with the grating spectroscope and DSLR.

I’ve fitted the SW motor to all my scopes to make focusing even easier.

 

[alacant]

Got something worthwhile. Surprisingly, the original. which I was about to throw away... Cleaned it and found adjustment screws I'd not seen before. Big fat barrel with proper rack and pinion and a lock screw that doesn't change focus. Holds the dslr with ease. Disadvantage: single speed. Still looking, but at least have something reliable...

[alacant]

Got the R&P from AliExpress. Much better:

[AndyH]

28 minutes ago, alacant said:

Got the R&P from AliExpress. Much better:

 

Excellent ! I think I've seen those focusers, it certainly looks very well made. Is it a rack & pinion type and was it a simple fit onto the original baseplate ?

 

Andy.

[alacant]

10 hours ago, AndyH said:

Is it a rack & pinion type and was it a simple fit onto the original baseplate ?

Hi. Yes, it's rack and pinion. The screw holes line up perfectly with the existing base plate. The swap is a 5 minute job. HTH.

[Geoff Lister]

On ‎02‎/‎05‎/‎2018 at 13:27, AdeKing said:

I added the Lacerta Dual Speed upgrade to give fine focus adjustment, which was cheaper than a new focuser.

I did the same on my 250PX, and am very pleased with the improvement in my ability to get a sharper focus.

Geoff

[niallk]

+1 Me too: the Lacerta dual speed upgrade for €69 was the next best accessory for my 250px after a Telrad and a N13T6.

I have a Feathertouch and a Moonlight on my other scopes, and the SW crayford w/ Lacerta upgrade does work very well in practice, considering it is a low cost solution.  Sounds like I may have lucked out with a good one.  Of course, the FT/ML are more refined - especially how they hold the EP truer on axis, and are simply beautifully engineered.