Second Scope Advice

[Stardaze]

4 hours ago, johninderby said:

Just replaced the finder bracket with a low profile one (as I had a spare one) and found a 1.25” eyepiece extenstion in the spares box gto replace the big extension provided with the scope.

I use an adjustable height drummers throne (stool) for most of my observing.

Doesn't look like the SW finder scope?

[johninderby]

5 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Doesn't look like the SW finder scope?

It is a standard Skywatcher 9x50 RACI finder which is black but comes with a white finder bracket. Finder does look a bit different “naked.”. 😁

[Stardaze]

6 minutes ago, johninderby said:

It is a standard Skywatcher 9x50 RACI finder which is black but comes with a white finder bracket. Finder does look a bit different “naked.”. 😁

So you happened to have a spare finder kicking around too. What am I getting myself into? 

I need to earn gear from here. Not falling into the have gear with no... 😉

Edited May 2, 2020 by Stardaze

[johninderby]

As they say....l.l...😁😁😁

[Stardaze]

8 minutes ago, johninderby said:

As they say....l.l...😁😁😁

I've got to do a full winter yet.... then we'll see how keen I still am..

Besides, the photography and cycling keep my pennies tied up. But I've always fancied getting my head around this..

Edited May 2, 2020 by Stardaze

[Stardaze]

6 hours ago, johninderby said:

Have started a poll in the Astro Lounge to see how many if any would want a “Show us your Bresser dob” thread.

Just you and I then John. Probably a general dob owners club.

Just taken a few pics of my starter scop to sell. Feel like I’ve got my learners badge and moved onto level 2 space cadet (never a more apt time to use that phrase!)

[John]

14 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Just you and I then John. Probably a general dob owners club.....

 

John started this general "show us your dob" thread back in January - feel free to post pics of your dob there:

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/347610-show-us-your-dobs/

It's nice to see the variety of designs and makes that are around and in use including some great "homebrew" ones

 

 

[Stardaze]

23 minutes ago, John said:

John started this general "show us your dob" thread back in January - feel free to post pics of your dob there:

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/347610-show-us-your-dobs/

It's nice to see the variety of designs and makes that are around and in use including some great "homebrew" ones

 

 

You’ve seen mine now ha. I’ll have to do some creative shot of it at night. Need a decent clear night and will want to venture out at some point too. I have zero view of the east from my garden.

[John]

36 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

.... I have zero view of the east from my garden.

Me too. I can see east from our bedroom window but I might get into trouble if I take the dob up there !

 

[Stardaze]

1 hour ago, John said:

Me too. I can see east from our bedroom window but I might get into trouble if I take the dob up there !

 

I’ve got two big oak trees spoiling my ‘east’ 

[Stardaze]

Not great of course with the moon last night, and eventually the cloud rolled in, but gave me a couple of hours to get used to swinging the new toy around the sky. The telrad works a treat, used to that given my little Celestron finder I had on my first scope. Need to add a grab handle I think. @johninderby you’ll have to let me know where you bought yours from. Used the little stool too and that’s perfect, though the castors aren’t great on slabs so I’ll look into a drummers throne. 

[johninderby]

Glad you are enjoying getting to know the scope. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I bought the handle from Screwfix but needed some  new flanged button head bolts to fasten it on with.

https://www.screwfix.com/search?search=smith+and+locke+d+pull+handle

Best selection of handles is WDS Ltd though.

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/machine-hardware/handles/bridge-bow-pull-handles/c-404

Another solution though is just to fit a ball knob.

[Stardaze]

28 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Glad you are enjoying getting to know the scope. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I bought the handle from Screwfix but needed some  new flanged button head bolts to fasten it on with.

https://www.screwfix.com/search?search=smith+and+locke+d+pull+handle

Best selection of handles is WDS Ltd though.

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/machine-hardware/handles/bridge-bow-pull-handles/c-404

Another solution though is just to fit a ball knob.

So tell me, drilling.... rag behind to catch the debris? Think I'll treat myself to a new drillbit for that!

Another silly question, which might be obvious, but....

Id like to think that the base of the tube is strengthened, but having had to collimate again last night (both times but initial one was exactly that) thought that maybe when I move the base into place, I should lie the tube on the floor, and not gently on its bottom end? Maybe it is a no-no? 

[Stardaze]

I also need to work out moving it around and where to put it afterwards. It was only 7c last night, so took it back indoors and the cap did condensate. Might have to pop it in the garage overnight to slowly warm back up. 

I don't think castors on the base would help anything much either. Been thinking too That taking her for a drive somewhere will be interesting, think a padded bag will be a must for that!

[johninderby]

Put a plastic bag over the secondary, stuff a towel into the tube and I use a painting tack cloth to catch the bits. Also best done with the tube on rhe base and pointing a bit downwards.

I just place the tube on it’s end and place it on a doormat so the tube has a soft landing.

[johninderby]

If bringing it into a warm house leave the end cap off for a couple of hours. 

Old duvet works great to wrap the tube in while in the car..

Edited May 3, 2020 by johninderby

[Ricochet]

16 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

So tell me, drilling.... rag behind to catch the debris? Think I'll treat myself to a new drillbit for that!

Mirrors out, somewhere safe where they can't get damaged.

I just removed the finder plate under the focuser, and used one of the holes to fit a drawer pull knob. 

21 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Id like to think that the base of the tube is strengthened, but having had to collimate again last night (both times but initial one was exactly that) thought that maybe when I move the base into place, I should lie the tube on the floor, and not gently on its bottom end? Maybe it is a no-no? 

If the surface you are putting it on protrudes up into the base so that it is actually resting on the collimation knobs then it is possible that will affect the collimation. I lay mine down if I have to move the parts separately, but I have the smaller 8", so I can carry scope and base as one unit. Alternatively, if you aren't tightening up the collimation knobs quite tightly enough perhaps there is some movement just from you altering the position of the telescope. If the primary is losing collimation, perhaps a whole turn on all three knobs will pull it tighter against the springs so that it holds better. The third possibility is that things aren't consistent on removing and reinserting the cheshire. Try collimating, removing the cheshire and then reinserting it and checking whether the collimation still looks ok. 

[Stardaze]

19 minutes ago, Ricochet said:

Mirrors out, somewhere safe where they can't get damaged.

I just removed the finder plate under the focuser, and used one of the holes to fit a drawer pull knob. 

If the surface you are putting it on protrudes up into the base so that it is actually resting on the collimation knobs then it is possible that will affect the collimation. I lay mine down if I have to move the parts separately, but I have the smaller 8", so I can carry scope and base as one unit. Alternatively, if you aren't tightening up the collimation knobs quite tightly enough perhaps there is some movement just from you altering the position of the telescope. If the primary is losing collimation, perhaps a whole turn on all three knobs will pull it tighter against the springs so that it holds better. The third possibility is that things aren't consistent on removing and reinserting the cheshire. Try collimating, removing the cheshire and then reinserting it and checking whether the collimation still looks ok. 

Thanks for that. I've just been placing it carefully on the carpeted dining room floor, so nothing underneath. You could be right about the tightening screws. The first time tightening those up ,knocked the collimation out a touch, so was cautious to tighten them gradually by moving around them one-by-one until fairly tight. Equally, the Cheshire can move a touch with the tightening screw, I've noted that. Good option with the secondary shoe, but I do think a longer handle might work best?? 

[Stardaze]

Is it worth putting my starter gear up here? Presume that beginners kit might not be suited here?? 

[Ricochet]

7 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Good option with the secondary shoe, but I do think a longer handle might work best?? 

Probably, but given the choice between keeping the 10 year warranty and having a slightly better handle, I would suggest keeping the warranty (speaking from experience).

 

4 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Is it worth putting my starter gear up here? Presume that beginners kit might not be suited here??

Put a proper ad in the for sale section. Someone will probably buy it (once we're out of lockdown and collection is a possibility).

[johninderby]

There are loads of beginners signing up to SGL and asking advice on what beginners scope to get so could be a good idea to list it. 👍🏻

Have seen ads where they offer distance collection. IE put the scope outside when the buyer comes to collect so no need to get too close. 

Edited May 3, 2020 by johninderby

[John]

A very decent scope !

If you are looking to part with it, please post the details, photos and asking price on the SGL classifieds section:

https://stargazerslounge.com/forum/217-for-sale-swap/

There are some notes in that section on how to advertise things.

Thanks

[Stardaze]

Keep my little thread going... must say that the OVL Nirvana 16mm I'm really impressed with, love the wider FVL. Good recommendation @johninderby 

I've managed to pick up an ES 24mm (82deg) secondhand off the classifieds here and so those two alone should cover 99% of the DSO observations I want to focus on for a good while. I'll probably add the nirvana 7mm to the mix too and an ES 11mm lastly which should cover it. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by Stardaze

[Stardaze]

On 03/05/2020 at 11:39, Ricochet said:

Probably, but given the choice between keeping the 10 year warranty and having a slightly better handle, I would suggest keeping the warranty (speaking from experience).

I never did ask... was that a warranty shunned by Bresser or other? 

[johninderby]

On a dob I’ve never worried about the warrantee and have happily modified them by adding handles etc. It’s not like there are any electronics to go wrong. And if you did have a claim it wouldn’t involve the whole scope but would just be a part that might fail so the manufactuer would never know about any mods like adding handles to the tube as you wouldn’t send the whole scope back to them.

For example if the focuser needed replacing or servicing you’d just send the focuser back to them..