Collimation for a newbie

[Dannomiss]

So after a few posts and comments on another thread (what did the postman bring) thought I would get some advice here. I know there's lots in this forum about this already, but thought best to post how my scope looks presently before attempting collimation. 

The image below shows what it looks like looking through the collimation cap. Now what is out of line... The primary or secondary mirror? 🤔

[wookie1965]

Looking at that your primary needs tweaking to align the spot inside that little ring then you should be spot on. 

[Dannomiss]

22 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

Looking at that your primary needs tweaking

That was so scary.... Aghhhhh

[wookie1965]

That's spot on now. You will not have to touch your secondary unless you take it apart or drop the scope all you need to do is check the primary and tweak it. 

[Dannomiss]

4 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

That's spot on now.

This has been the thing that Has freaked me out, but so much simpler than I thought 😊 phew... 

Now The darn red dot finder - so far off and won't go Left or up anymore 

[Pixies]

Looking good! Wish my secondary was that spot-on to start with!

[Dannomiss]

6 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Looking good! Wish my secondary was that spot-on to start with!

Oh I just made adjustment, it wasn't spot on and my heart rate rose quite alot adjusting it lol

[haitch]

13 minutes ago, Dannomiss said:

This has been the thing that Has freaked me out, but so much simpler than I thought 😊 phew... 

Now The darn red dot finder - so far off and won't go Left or up anymore 

Maybe try loosening and moving the finder shoe a little

[Dannomiss]

22 minutes ago, haitch said:

Maybe try loosening and moving the finder shoe a little

Doesn't seem to work at all. Pretty off regardless. I'll have another play at some point but it's a pain in the behind lol

[wookie1965]

It's like riding a bike once you have done it once it will become second nature 

[Davey-T]

30 minutes ago, Dannomiss said:

Doesn't seem to work at all. Pretty off regardless. I'll have another play at some point but it's a pain in the behind lol

I had to file out the fixing holes with a small rat tail file to line mine up but was pretty ********** to start with.

Dave

 

 

 

 

[haitch]

2 hours ago, Dannomiss said:

Doesn't seem to work at all. Pretty off regardless. I'll have another play at some point but it's a pain in the behind lol

I'm on about loosening the screw(s) that attach the shoe to the tube itself. So if you undo the 2 thumbscrews and take off the finder there'll be 1 or 2 screws fixing the base to the tube - I think that's your only option for getting it straight enough. Generally speaking that type are half decent RDFs.

[Dannomiss]

1 hour ago, haitch said:

take off the finder there'll be 1 or 2 screws fixing the base to the tube

No screws underneath on this one 🤔

[John]

Looks like the finder is skewed as far as it will go in the azimuth axis. Is it jammed there ?

 

[Dannomiss]

2 minutes ago, John said:

Looks like the finder is skewed as far as it will go in the azimuth axis. Is it jammed there ?

No I've turned the azimuth axis as far as it will go and up as much as it will go and still not centred in the image 

[Pixies]

Can you get a pic of the mounting plate / shoe on the scope?

[Dannomiss]

39 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Can you get a pic of the mounting plate / shoe on the scope?

It's just a small bit of plastic... 

[John]

53 minutes ago, Dannomiss said:

No I've turned the azimuth axis as far as it will go and up as much as it will go and still not centred in the image 

How far away was your target ?

 

[Dannomiss]

11 minutes ago, John said:

How far away was your target ?

 

About this far 🎯

[John]

Thats fine.

So the range of movement of the finder just isn't enough by the sound of it. On a different scope the next step would be to adjust the position of the finder bracket on the scope but it does not look like that is possible with the design used on the Heritage 150 - it's a simple rail that the finder clamps onto by the look of it ?

[Dannomiss]

3 minutes ago, John said:

it's a simple rail that the finder clamps onto

Exactly that 👍

[haitch]

Also, sorry - I was looking at Dave's RDF but in principle I was talking the same issue that John is trying to resolve for you. It looks like the holes in your tube are too far out to be able get it lined up. 

[Pixies]

22 hours ago, Dannomiss said:

Exactly that 👍

Is that little dovetail moulded into the main part, or bolted on?

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Pixies

[Dannomiss]

2 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Is that little dovetail moulded into the main part, or bolted on?

 

Moulded into scope. Contacted FLO and they are going to look into this for me 

[John]

4 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Is that little dovetail moulded into the main part, or bolted on?

 

I was thinking just that !