Esprit 80 - How Best to Unscrew Nuts Within OTA

[Andyb90]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to remove the mounting foot from my Esprit 80. It is held in place with 2 screws secured by 2 nuts inside the OTA. I'd really appreciate some advice on how best to remove the nuts so I can get the foot off the scope. Is there a specific tool that would help me access the screws easily. Maybe some kind of right angled spanner that would fit over the nuts. Here's a picture, as you can see it is going to be tricky with just a normal spanner.

Andy.

[RayD]

4 minutes ago, Andyb90 said:

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to remove the mounting foot from my Esprit 80. It is held in place with 2 screws secured by 2 nuts inside the OTA. I'd really appreciate some advice on how best to remove the nuts so I can get the foot off the scope. Is there a specific tool that would help me access the screws easily. Maybe some kind of right angled spanner that would fit over the nuts. Here's a picture, as you can see it is going to be tricky with just a normal spanner.

Just a normal 10mm socket on a small ratchet would do I would think?

[johninderby]

Any small socket set like this will do. Of course you can pick up cheap sets off Amazon or eBay for a few quid as well if you don’t think you’ll be using it much. 

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-36-piece-socket-set-1-4

Or the cheapie stuff that won’t last but is cheap.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-36109-Socket-Set-Pieces/dp/B000WDTI1C/ref=sr_1_4?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1539893610&sr=1-4&keywords=Socket+set&refinements=p_36%3A118658031

Edited October 18, 2018 by johninderby

[JamesF]

5 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Or the cheapie stuff that won’t last but is cheap.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-36109-Socket-Set-Pieces/dp/B000WDTI1C/ref=sr_1_4?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1539893610&sr=1-4&keywords=Socket+set&refinements=p_36%3A118658031

£7.50 for a 40-piece socket set!  What is it made of?  Papier-mache?

James

[johninderby]

9 minutes ago, JamesF said:

£7.50 for a 40-piece socket set!  What is it made of?  Papier-mache?

James

I think it’s actually a type of cheese.  ?

Should  last long enough to undo two nuts though......I think.

The Halfords is a lovely little set though with a lifetime replacement guarantee. I keep one around for small tasks.. 

[LightBucket]

Well that’s not the best design I have ever seen for fastening a scope foot mount... good luck

what do you do about the holes once removed, as stray light would enter...??

Edited October 18, 2018 by LightBucket

[Andyb90]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

Any small socket set like this will do. Of course you can pick up cheap sets off Amazon or eBay for a few quid as well if you don’t think you’ll be using it much. 

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-36-piece-socket-set-1-4

Or the cheapie stuff that won’t last but is cheap.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-36109-Socket-Set-Pieces/dp/B000WDTI1C/ref=sr_1_4?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1539893610&sr=1-4&keywords=Socket+set&refinements=p_36%3A118658031

Thanks for the suggestion have ordered a socket set similar to the Halfords one. So hopefully will be relatively straight forward to get the nuts off.

Andy.

[Andyb90]

30 minutes ago, LightBucket said:

Well that’s not the best design I have ever seen for fastening a scope foot mount... good luck

what do you do about the holes once removed, as stray light would enter...??

I agree not what I was hoping to find. I'm also a little worried about the circular rim between the outer screw and inner screw. I don't want to strike it with the ratchet and cause any damage as I guess that could affect star shape. I may put some foam around the rim to protect it. I'll see how easily the outer screw comes loose first. It's gonna be a bit nerve wracking.

I was thinking either the holes will be covered by tube rings or if that doesn't work maybe some kind of rubber bung trimmed to size.

Andy.

[RayD]

27 minutes ago, Andyb90 said:

I was thinking either the holes will be covered by tube rings or if that doesn't work maybe some kind of rubber bung trimmed to size.

A few people have done this mod, Andy, and I did it on my old ES80.  A simple piece of black electrical insulating tape does the trick perfectly.

I think @Jkulin did this mod on his, so he may be able to share how he went about it.

[Jkulin]

Thanks Ray, Yes I removed my foot and used two willaims 101mm (i think) clamps to replace it on my Esprit 80 then used a Losmandy bar to mount my OTA, far better than to the original clamp.

I just carefully unscrewed the rear and removed the nuts and bolts, then covered with tape so that it could be reversed.

[Andyb90]

47 minutes ago, RayD said:

A few people have done this mod, Andy, and I did it on my old ES80.  A simple piece of black electrical insulating tape does the trick perfectly.

I think @Jkulin did this mod on his, so he may be able to share how he went about it.

7 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

Thanks Ray, Yes I removed my foot and used two willaims 101mm (i think) clamps to replace it on my Esprit 80 then used a Losmandy bar to mount my OTA, far better than to the original clamp.

I just carefully unscrewed the rear and removed the nuts and bolts, then covered with tape so that it could be reversed.

Thanks both for the info. I'll use some tape then. @Jkulin were the nuts easy enough to loosen?

Andy.

[Jkulin]

yep just nuts and bolts

[Andyb90]

I got the ratchet set today and loosened the nuts easily, but couldn't get them off the bolts. At this point I was getting a bit worried ! Then realised I could peel off the rubber on the bottom of the mounting foot. This revealed a base plate with 4 small screws. I removed them and the base plate. This allowed me to get an Allen key wrench into the hex screw head of the bolt. At the same time I had the ratchet on the nut in the ota. Then I just unscrewed the bolts. The freed nut stayed inside the ratchet socket so did'nt fall into the OTA. Phew ? I was able to do this without catching the inner rim inside the OTA too  ?.

Now I've put the tube rings on the OTA. The only thing is they seem a bit small. Below is a picture. I'm not sure if it matters that the rings don't close fully. They're Primalucelab 100mm rings. I've just realised Primalucelab also do 102mm rings and have managed to order a pair to compare.

If the 102mm rings are too big should these rings be okay? I guess anything mounted on top of the rings will be at a bit of an angle, but does that really matter?

Andy.

[RayD]

Good job.  Glad it went without a hitch.

If those rings are tight then they do look a tiny bit small if you look where the OTA meets the felt liner at the bottom and top, it doesn't look snug and appears to be a small gap?  Try the 102mm as they may be better.

As noted by John he used 101mm so you may need these, but can't do any harm to try the others first.

[Jkulin]

Yep mine were a perfect fit, someone was selling a set of Williams ones on here, just remember to check whether the hole spacing is metric or imperial, the Williams was metric so I needed a metric spaced Losmandy bar.

On the top I had a SW Guide Mount setup, but took it off as I had planned to use my Moravian OAG on all three setups, but may revert back and just use the OAG on the RC.

I cannot for the life of me see why SW made such a poor setup, after all its fitted with a really good R&P focuser, quality optics but crap attachment to your mount.?

[Andyb90]

3 hours ago, RayD said:

Good job.  Glad it went without a hitch.

If those rings are tight then they do look a tiny bit small if you look where the OTA meets the felt liner at the bottom and top, it doesn't look snug and appears to be a small gap?  Try the 102mm as they may be better.

As noted by John he used 101mm so you may need these, but can't do any harm to try the others first.

Thanks, I'm relieved it worked ok. The felt on the Primalucelab rings is quite thick, which is working against me with the 100mm ones. I'm hoping it will work in my favour with the 102 rings.

3 hours ago, Jkulin said:

Yep mine were a perfect fit, someone was selling a set of Williams ones on here, just remember to check whether the hole spacing is metric or imperial, the Williams was metric so I needed a metric spaced Losmandy bar.

On the top I had a SW Guide Mount setup, but took it off as I had planned to use my Moravian OAG on all three setups, but may revert back and just use the OAG on the RC.

I cannot for the life of me see why SW made such a poor setup, after all its fitted with a really good R&P focuser, quality optics but crap attachment to your mount.?

It's frustrating as I did have the 101mm rings, but sold them before I decided to get the Esprit 80. ? I see WO have discontinued them and before that had them on clearance for $29 !

I really should have done this in the Summer, but it's a lesson learnt for me.

Andy.

[warwa]

Hi.

Have you been able to test the 102mm rings yet.    I'm thinking about doing this with my esprit 80.

[Davey-T]

I bought some of those really expensive Primaluce rings and was a bit disappointed as the screws that they hinge on tend to rotate an lock up in various positions, I would have hoped for a better design for the price.

Dave

[Andyb90]

3 hours ago, warwa said:

Hi.

Have you been able to test the 102mm rings yet.    I'm thinking about doing this with my esprit 80.

I got the rings the other day. They are slightly too big out of the box so I got a piece of felt, cut some strips to size and put them in the rings. Now they fit fine and OTA doesn't budge.

The other thing is that the Esprit dew shield is slightly wider than the rings. So I've ordered some Primalucelab spacers for mounting them on my Losmandy plate and also for mounting stuff on top of the rings.

Andy.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Andyb90

[LightBucket]

20 minutes ago, Andyb90 said:

I got the rings the other day. They are slightly too big out of the box so I got a piece of felt, cut some strips to size and put them in the rings. Now they fit fine and OTA doesn't budge.

The other thing is that the Esprit dew shield is slightly wider than the rings. So I've ordered some Primalucelab spacers for mounting them on my Losmandy plate and also for mounting stuff on top of the rings.

Andy.

What is the spacing on the scope dovetail, between the mounting holes, is it 60mm, as mine are and the Primalucelab ones are only 55mm or do you only use one bolt in the centre..? i use two bolts but need some spacers with a 60mm spacing... 

[RayD]

2 hours ago, Davey-T said:

I bought some of those really expensive Primaluce rings and was a bit disappointed as the screws that they hinge on tend to rotate an lock up in various positions, I would have hoped for a better design for the price.

Dave

And the glue on the felt is rubbish so after a while you'll find the glue fails and the OTA starts sliding out of the rings.....felt and all!

[Davey-T]

I've got some William Optic ones that look identical apart from the colour and the screws are fixed on them, can't see why Primaluce can't be the same 

Dave

[Andyb90]

9 hours ago, RayD said:

And the glue on the felt is rubbish so after a while you'll find the glue fails and the OTA starts sliding out of the rings.....felt and all!

Good to know. I've stripped the original felt off and will re-felt the rings. Just wondering what would be the best glue to use.

Andy.

[RayD]

8 hours ago, Andyb90 said:

Good to know. I've stripped the original felt off and will re-felt the rings. Just wondering what would be the best glue to use.

Andy.

Best I've found recently is Gorilla glue. 

[Jkulin]

This is mine now and its rock solid