Looking for a sensibly priced handle - do they exist?

[upahill]

I had a few funny titles for this post in my head - but dont want to test the mods patience 🤣

My TS65 has bolt holes in the top of the rings which will now be available since I have ditched the top mounted guide scope afair. I have around 100mm between centres.

Im looking for a handle that will bolt to these from the top and give a nice grip. I love the round ones but have only ever seen large ones from AR152's and the like

Basically looking for a smaller version of this handle - anyone know a place?

[heliumstar]

Something like this: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/william-optics/william-optics-120mm-saddle-handle-bar.html

 

[Davey-T]

www.wdsltd.co.uk/

Dave

[johninderby]

Telescope Express does one with a 175mm hole spacing.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10280_TS-Optics-Tube-Handle-and-Carrying-Handle-for-your-Telescope.html

Altair do a 180mm one.

https://www.altairastro.com/altair-telescope-carry-handle.html

Lots of handles though at WDS from reasonably priced to silly prices.  Years ago I discovered WDS as a source for handles and posted on SGL about them. Seems to have caught on. 😁

Edited August 3, 2019 by johninderby

[Davey-T]

8 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Lots of handles though at WDS from reasonably priced to silly prices.  Years ago I discovered WDS as a source for handles and posted on SGL about them. Seems to have caught on.

 😂

Dave

[Davey-T]

If you can find the Altair one and have access to a lathe it's easily shortened.

Dave

[johninderby]

Or if ypu really want to be different. Should be easy to shorten. 😁

https://ensoptical.co.uk/index.php?_route_=berlebach-handle&search=Handle

[upahill]

17 minutes ago, heliumstar said:

Something like this: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/william-optics/william-optics-120mm-saddle-handle-bar.html

 

Doesnt say what centres those are, just the overal length I assume - nice though and multi-function. Could maybe piggyback using that.

16 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

www.wdsltd.co.uk/

Dave

Will check this out, thanks.

9 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Telescope Express does one with a 175mm hole spacing.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10280_TS-Optics-Tube-Handle-and-Carrying-Handle-for-your-Telescope.html

Altair do a 180mm one.

https://www.altairastro.com/altair-telescope-carry-handle.html

Lots of handles though at WDS from reasonably priced to silly prices.  Years ago I discovered WDS as a source for handles and posted on SGL about them. Seems to have caught on. 😁

I think the max hole spacing I could get to is 135mm.

1 minute ago, Davey-T said:

If you can find the Altair one and have access to a lathe it's easily shortened.

Dave

I don't have access to a lathe, I promised I wouldnt buy one until we move. A promise I have now regretted for many years.

I keep hoping some long lost relative will give me one, but I think thats out of the question - would make a nice addition to the workshop.

Darn, I digress

3 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Or if ypu really want to be different. Should be easy to shorten. 😁

https://ensoptical.co.uk/index.php?_route_=berlebach-handle&search=Handle

I like it, easy to shorten (and lengthen i guess) - may be a bit overkill

 

I might need to take off the rings and see what my options are for bolting from underneath if any - if I could do that its problem solved for £1.95 - https://www.handleking.co.uk/d-shaped-kitchen-door-handles-polished-stainless-steel-100mm-centres-p01114p 🤣

[upahill]

Wow WDS is a gold-mine.

Maybe ill go for something like this - http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/product/5073/polyamide-bridge-handle-with-stainless-steel-fittings-wds-8505/

It's not round, but should look the part.

 

[upahill]

Or print something......

[Astro-Geek]

I'm a self-confessed tight-wad, so even £30 or so seems a tad expensive to me, so I always just make mine, out of flat aluminum bar.

5mm thick bar is quite cheap via Ebay and is quite easily bent, cut, and drilled.

Here's my Skymax 180 which I converted to rings from the original bolted on Vixen. (Amazingly, the standard vixen is bolted on to the thin OTA tube with just two tiny 5mm bolts and non-captive nuts, without even large washers to spread the load !! 😲 )

The aluminium handle is practically weightless but very rigid, and makes handling this fairly heavy scope much safer.

Edited August 3, 2019 by Astro-Geek

[JamesF]

24 minutes ago, Astro-Geek said:

I'm a self-confessed tight-wad

That you may be, but it's very neatly done nonetheless.  Nice brushed effect on the aluminium, too :)

James

[JamesF]

Having seen the OP's skills at building an observing platform and dome in another thread, I'd have thought a DIY solution quite cheap and achievable.  I'd imagine a couple of right angle brackets or offcuts of aluminium right angle section with a length of 15mm copper tube or similar between them would do the job nicely.  Handles on OTAs do look very neat and I'm sure they're very practical, but many commercially produced ones seem eye-wateringly expensive for what they are.

James

[johninderby]

How about one of these handles? They seem to have gone a bit overboard in their desription though. 🤭

Industrial Urban Farmhouse Steampunk Style Door Handles 

[upahill]

55 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Having seen the OP's skills at building an observing platform and dome in another thread, I'd have thought a DIY solution quite cheap and achievable.  I'd imagine a couple of right angle brackets or offcuts of aluminium right angle section with a length of 15mm copper tube or similar between them would do the job nicely.  Handles on OTAs do look very neat and I'm sure they're very practical, but many commercially produced ones seem eye-wateringly expensive for what they are.

James

I considered it, could print one, or if i ever fix the cnc i could make one on that. But for the sake of a fiver for the one above with a nice moulded grip I might just do that and save myself a job

35 minutes ago, johninderby said:

How about one of these handles? They seem to have gone a bit overboard in their desription though. 🤭

Industrial Urban Farmhouse Steampunk Style Door Handles 

Right sort of style, maybe a bit too bulky around the edges, hard to explain but the area with the bolt holes is quite small and these would protrude around them. Thanks for looking though.

 

 

I think the end result is this:

£5.30 + vat + post, might need reaming for a larger bolt though, need to measure the ones that were in there before, if I go for the 120mm handle then it takes M6 bolts, the 100mm handle takes M5 which would be too small.

[upahill]

Strike that - resetting the rings to the 'proper' position on the bar gives me a choice of 100mm or 130mm centres - there is no configuration for 120mm, I would prefer 130 over 100 as theres more to grip, back to WDS or SolidWorks I think.

The good thing about printing one is I can match the profile on the top of the rings.

 

Could print something like this, if I got some stronger material than PLA, although whenever I carry it will be held underneath too - its just for convenience really.

That way it would mate up with the 40x18 tops of the rings, take an M6 socket cap bolt and could be painted to match.

I really didn't need another job lol.

Edited August 3, 2019 by upahill

[upahill]

Finally got round to setting the 3D printer back up in the barn and printed a quick handle that will do the job...

 

 

Now onto printing saturn V.

[upahill]

Bolts arrived today so got the handle attached, its pretty sturdy - wouldnt want to depend on it for life but the occasional manouvere should be fine. Also got the bolts for the finder shoe so the new guide scope is installed and ready for testing.