Altair Astro 66ED-R finderscope query

[Knighty2112]

Hi all. As a proud new owner (new to me at least) of an Altair Astro 66ED-R refractor, I would like to mount a light red dot finder on the scope tube (possibly a Celestron Starpointer Pro or some such), yet curious as to which screws on the focuser allow me to attach a finderscope shoe at all? Previously had an Starwave 102mm f11 ‘frac and it was pretty obvious where the two securing screws where for the finderscope shoe, but the similar looking screws used on the new scope seem to far round on either the left or right hand side of the scope for any shoe mounting. Any one with this scope with a finderscope shoe fitted please?

Pictures below so the screws on the top, left and right hand side of the focuser. The silver Allen key screws seem the most likely candidates, but seem too far out of position really?

 

[Dragon_Astro]

Hmm not the black countersunk screws further up no?

[Macavity]

I have one. It is indeed the short black plastic Grub Screws... Or at least,
these are simple "stoppers" that have no obvious other functionality! ?
The (pukka?) finder was "unavailable", when I bought mine...

[Knighty2112]

33 minutes ago, Macavity said:

I have one. It is indeed the short black plastic Grub Screws... Or at least,
these are simple "stoppers" that have no obvious other functionality! ?
The (pukka?) finder was "unavailable", when I bought mine...

Thanks Chris. Didn’t want to start taking any screws out in case I messed up the operation of the focuser. Cheers!  

[Knighty2112]

No wait! Now I’m confused! When you say grub screw are you talking screw B here with requires an Allen key to undo it, and not screw A which is the countersunk screw right?

[Macavity]

Certainly talking about the (slotted) "A" ones above! Not sure about the
"B" ones. I undid mine on the carpet under a good light - Having scored
a "hole in one" in a SINK during previous operations! The thread of the
"A" grub screws is (whatever) metric M5... ?

[AdeKing]

I dont have one myself, but looks similar arrangement to my WO ZS66 which required A to be removed to fit a finder. If you need a suitable finder base, Opticstar do them cheaply.

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Telescopes-Ascension.asp?p=0_10_5_1_1_56

Ade

[Knighty2112]

Cheers Chris for the clarification. Thanks!

Ade, I may just get one of those finder shoes ordered up. Ta!  

[AdeKing]

Not 100% sure that a standard plastic RDF will fit Gus as I got one to attach a Televue SolSearcher to, but it looks like a similar fitting.

I got a multi reticule RDF from 365Astronomy and only later found the ones at Opticstar for less cash 

Ade

[Knighty2112]

Managed to raid my fathers old shed (sadly he passed away a few years back) for his store of screws and bolts and found the correct size imperial screw that would fit in hole ‘A’. Put on as a tempory shoe my Baader finder scope shoe that allows just a single screw fixing in the centre of the shoe if required. Had to pad the Starpointer Pro out in the shoe to get correct alignment with the finder. Hope the new finder shoe for Optics star will work better though as you can seen on the images below the finder shoe doesn’t sit well on the focuser well, but will do for now until the new shoe arrives.

 

[Cjg]

Thanks @Knighty2112 for the advice on the other thread!

Chris

[Knighty2112]

1 hour ago, Cjg said:

Thanks @Knighty2112 for the advice on the other thread!

Chris

My pleasure!  

[Knighty2112]

OK, update on the finder shoe base I got from Opticstar today. 2 problems; 1) as Ade rightly warned the Celestron Starpointer Pro I want to use on the shoe stalk part won’t fit. 2) the hole for the screw in the base will not line up with the hole in the focuser tube due to the lip of the front edge of the focuser.  

I didn’t realise the other day when I fitted my ‘temporary’ Baader finderscope shoe that it was actually sat on the front edge of this lip on the focuser and sat at a slight angle upwards, which is why I then had to pad out the finder with a small amount of padding to enable correct finderscope alingment to happen. I am now using the Baader shoe after filing away the front part of the Baader shoe where it touches this focuser lip sothat it sits fully flat on the main part of the focuser, and allow the screw hole to line up correctly too.

I may eventually get another correct red dot finder that will fit the shoe I got from Opticstar in future, but as these seem to cost around £50 or so for now that is well on the back burner (I would also have to modify the front edge on the Opticstar finder shoe so that the screw hole would line up to enable the shoe to sit correctly and flatly on the focuser tube) as the Baader shoe is well secured enough on the scope focuser now to pass muster for now. I also placed a thin amount of foam pad underneath the finderbase to protect focuser tube from been scratched at all if the Baader shoe does twist or shift for any reason.