Restoring Old Explorer-130

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Hi,

I decided to have a look at the options for getting my old Explorer 130 working again. It would be nice to have a second scope for viewing while the main setup is imaging. There are several issues though:

1. It had spiders living in it for a short while in the winter, so I'll need to dust it out. This isn't really too much of an issue, but the scope doesn't have a removable secondary vane-set.
2. The focuser, a little plastic one (this is a starter scope from SkyWatcher, the OTA cant be bought on its own. I think its somewhere around F7) has broken apart. I need a new focuser that wont require cutting away at the tube. (Drilling is fine, though ofc)
3. The collimation is messed up bigtime, although this can be resolved.
4. The primary doesn't have 130P style thumb bolts for primary collimation. I need to find some which will fit the pre-drilled holes, or redesign the mirror cell.
5. I've taken off the finder shoe for mounting a guidescope on my P-DS, so I'll need a new one.
6. The mount is a very wobbly EQ2, which coupled with being over weighted (as is usual with SkyWatcher ).

I'm wondering if there are any good (and cheap ) choices to solve these issues? For a mount, I'm looking for steadiness over tracking or EQ, perhaps a cheap but sturdy Alt-Az? Essentially the requirements of a starter setup, I guess.

Suggestions very welcome

John

[Littleguy80]

Have a look on Astroboot. They normally have lots of spares for that scope

[JohnSadlerAstro]

That's great, I've found a replacement focuser for just £10 Hopefully it wont break anytime soon, I think it was my early DSLR tests that killed the poor thing!  

John