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Scope Handles... 'Andles for Scopes! :D


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Heheh. Couldn't resist a Two Ronnies "Four Candles" reference! 😸

Recently I've been re-vamping a wide-field ST120 / Sky-Tee setup.
To make the setup more *attractive* to use I decided to make the
mounting / demounting of the scope (in the dark) less fraught? 😮

Sometimes I make a scope handle by using (inverted) Vixen Bars 
on the top of the rings... This can double to mount a camera etc.
But this time I decided to make the handle simple/easy to use! 😛

IMG_1000.JPG.988c9e03f0c3cde5636fdecab27ba350.JPG

The Brown "dowel" is cut from an Argos(!) curtain rail & slides
through largish (hole saw!) holes in the two wood blocks. The
M6 Bolts  (+30mm washers) hold rings+blocks+handle firmly. 

The TOP scope ring / Vixen Bar has a "hook" made from scrap
MDF and a piece Aluminium flat bar. This allows me to "hang"
the scope *within* the saddle jaws (Handle in ONE hand for
total security) tightening the saddle knobs with the other! 🙂

IMG_1003.JPG.d955a24996af5b41dd8b67844b6b62f9.JPG 

Quite a fan of "Push To", so the Sky-Tee has a printed
PDF Azimuth degrees scale and new (posher) "Wixey"
Angle Gauge (LED lighting + auto-sleep!) for Altitude.  😉

IMG_1004.JPG.88084fa91cdc8e51ccf28df7b88ba695.JPG  IMG_1005.JPG.223af37352dbee423946cb1ba99af45d.JPG

Quite a while since I did any Visual Astro! But I had a
"good night" (rather easily!) finding Globular Clusters
using "Stellarium" coords from a 7" Android tablet. 😎

Edited by Macavity
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Scope handles are a very useful feature usually omitted by the manufacturers on budget scope designs.

When I acquired a 200mm Newtonian OTA the very first thing I did with it was to fix a grab bar across the tube rings via the spare screw points.

My C8 now has an equipment mounting dovetail/grab bar mounted on the opposite side of the tube to the main dovetail bar.  Very useful when mounting up a fat OTA.

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One of my chief complaints about new scopes is the usual lack of a carry handle. They should at least offer them as an option. So I fit them myself. So much easier to fit an OTA to a mount when you can hold it with one hand leaving the other free to tighten the saddle clamp. 

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082857C8-35C1-4FBB-91B2-6F092FA2C718.jpeg

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AGREE with the above! The lack of *handles* is something of a personal gripe. 😛
I did "bounce" a MAK127 on a wooden obsy floor (latter dented) ... it survived!
But I'm getting older... less strong... reflexive? Re-considering Electric Winches? 😸

Oh, and... Nice Handles... by the way! 😎

Edited by Macavity
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4 minutes ago, Macavity said:

AGREE with the above! The lack of *handles* is something of a personal gripe. 😛
I did "bounce" a MAK127 on a wooden obsy floor (latter dented) ... it survived!
But I'm getting older... less strong... reflexive? Re-considering Electric Winches? 😸

Oh, and... Nice Handles... by the way! 😎

Hmm perhaps one of these could be adapted. 😇

D89D1880-3019-4C7E-9690-911CD23E61F6.png

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What you need is one of those new fangled anti gravity widgets to stick to the OTA. Makes it float exactly where you want it.

An alternative is to cap the open end of a Newt, or install a valve into the tube of a refractor, Schmidtt etc and fill it with helium.........

I'll grab my coat on the way out.

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Mine is a three euro kitchen cupboard handle from Leroy Merlin. Turns out the rings are exactly the right distance apart for kitchen handles as a standard.

It has been commented that, that nice piece of brushed stainless rod is the best bit of my set up! People can be cruel.

Marv

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Re: Scope handles are a very useful feature usually omitted by the manufacturers on budget scope designs.

So True, Geoff.

One of my telescopes has a built in handle. The finder  'scope doubles as a carry handle and is placed so that there is almost "prefect balance :

Re: Hmm perhaps one of these could be adapted.

Looks like a pretty, if not expensive, engine crane. I have one of these in my shed but it is all manual.

Jeremy.

 

Mewlon_handle.jpg

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Nice job on the handle, that will be very useful. Perhaps a lick of black paint to finish it off?

Same as Jeremy, my Mewlon uses its very solid finder as a handle and it works very well. I also picked up a cheap plastic handle off Astroboot I think which I fitted to my FC100, makes it much easier to handle.

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On 14/05/2019 at 10:14, johninderby said:

One of my chief complaints about new scopes is the usual lack of a carry handle. They should at least offer them as an option. So I fit them myself. So much easier to fit an OTA to a mount when you can hold it with one hand leaving the other free to tighten the saddle clamp. 

 

082857C8-35C1-4FBB-91B2-6F092FA2C718.jpeg

Is the handle on the red OTA another WDS item @johninderby as I can't seem to find it and could do with a lower profile one than the tubular WDS handles. 

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3 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Thanks John, the replacement looks.....functional but not nearly as pretty.  I think I'll keep looking. 

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37 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Remember it was made by GSO but notice that the same handle is on some of the Altair Astro refractors.

Yes same one on the Tecnosky version of the Altair 152mm.

PS: you need matching spaced holes in the dovetail.

Dave

Edited by Davey-T
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  • 1 year later...
On 14/05/2019 at 10:14, johninderby said:

One of my chief complaints about new scopes is the usual lack of a carry handle. They should at least offer them as an option. So I fit them myself. So much easier to fit an OTA to a mount when you can hold it with one hand leaving the other free to tighten the saddle clamp. 

5286C35C-5BBD-475F-B2F9-D8F18460D690.jpeg

082857C8-35C1-4FBB-91B2-6F092FA2C718.jpeg

Hello @johninderby

I like the bridge handle on your black Mak - can you please let me know where you got it from ?

 

** found it - WDS components **

Edited by dweller25
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9 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

Hello @johninderby

I like the bridge handle on your black Mak - can you please let me know where you got it from ?

Here you go. Like this handle as it can be shortened if needed by removing one end a cutting down the tube.

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/tubed-handle-front-mounted-black-wds-8517/c-404/p-920

Edited by johninderby
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Hi I have been wanting a handle on my Orion Optics for a while but can't find one long enough the rings centre to centre are 18cm , can't seem to find a handle to fit , the rings are smooth no camera mount like some have 

IMG_20200610_123443_hdr.jpg

IMG_20200610_123433_hdr.jpg

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8 minutes ago, Neil H said:

Hi I have been wanting a handle on my Orion Optics for a while but can't find one long enough the rings centre to centre are 18cm , can't seem to find a handle to fit , the rings are smooth no camera mount like some have 

IMG_20200610_123443_hdr.jpg

IMG_20200610_123433_hdr.jpg

The WDS LTD handle I linked to is available in up to 24 inches. Used one on my old OO dob.

 

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Edited by johninderby
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