Things for me are seeming to become more of a headache than an enjoyment.

[Rustang]

Firstly sorry for the long read, I'm going to further embarrass myself but here goes! I'm someone who struggles to understand some processes, especially if there are a lot of steps to it. There are times I just cant get my head around it even after hunting down info on the web as I'm far from lazy and enjoy finding out things myself. The reason for the help I'm seeking is due to collimation, the very fact I have to ask for help is really frustrating.

I brought a lazser collimator last year, a Baader MKIII, which as far as I was aware you just get on with it and it seemed to work fine, great I had got that sorted. I however noticed something recently that has just thrown everything out. While checking collimation, i tried rotating the laser tool in the 1.5 inch adaptor which then sent the dot of the beam to slightly different points around the centre of the primary mirror dot. I have drilled and tapped a 3rd hole in the draw tube so the 1.5 adaptor and the draw tube have 3 bolts 120 degrees apart that should hold everything central so why when turning the laser around does the point move?. So I researched this and I cannot believe that even the laser tool can be out itself and need basically collimating/adjusting, what a pile of crap! I tested the laser by putting it vertically in the 1.5 adaptor, secured up high, pointed it at a cross on the floor and indeed it slightly rotates around the dot, so its out!

I have borrowed a premium cheshire eye piece (I have one on its way to me!)  thinking right that will sort things out. I started reading up on how to use it and my god, even that seems like its massively complicated and I honestly just cant get it. I have really done my best. I started off by looking down the draw tube without anything in it, that's what the picture is of (its what i can see) and it appears that my secondary isant central. I decided to look through my visual scope, the 130p and that was the same. I thought I would give that ago first instead of throwing out my imaging scope out (the 130pds). Well after reading that it was the central screw that you turn to move the secondary mirror back and forth, i set about doing this and all it did was loosen the mirror and completely throw it out to the point I don't think I can correct it. So that's where I'm at and why I have jumped on here. It would be amazing if there is anyone local to Hemel Hempstead that knows what the are doing to try and show me but I understand with Covid extra some may not wish to do so but I'm really annoyed with it all at the moment and there is no way I'm touching my imaging scope till I know exactly what I need to do.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Rustang

[paul mc c]

Your sketch looks good to me and how it should look....the secondary should not be in the center,it should be off set,even more in a fast scope.

[Rustang]

I missed where it said that some scopes may be offset on this guide I was trying to follow: http://www.astro-baby.com/astrobaby/help/collimation-guide-newtonian-reflector/

[paul mc c]

That's a great guide,have you tried a star test.

[Rustang]

14 minutes ago, paul mc c said:

That's a great guide,have you tried a star test.

And it would help if I read it properly!!, things get missed when your frustrated, I'm guilty of that. I need to look at doing a star test so when I'm next out I will. It does appear after calming down a bit and realiseing that my scopes secondary doesnt have to be central, that my imaging scope appears in collimation. My photos with my little lack of knowledge have seemed ok in terms of how sharp they could be. It's the laser collimator that threw me into a tiss. Ive since read that they are not great to use but as a beginner your naive and rely on what you think will be simple tool to alleviate problems. Now I just need to try and rescue my visual scope!

Edited July 28, 2020 by Rustang

[paul mc c]

Nice one,I wouldn't trust some lasers either. 

[carastro]

Yes you have to collimate the laser collimator.  I tried to collimate mine and ended up breaking the end of the collimator turning on and off so many times as I couldn't find a good place to rotate it.

So decided to simply use a Cheshire and I had no problems with that.

I always found the 2ndry difficult to collimate on my 130PDS as as soon as I loosened one bolt the whole 2ndry would just flop, and then it was a job to get it back into position again.

Carole 

 

[Rustang]

8 minutes ago, carastro said:

Yes you have to collimate the laser collimator.  I tried to collimate mine and ended up breaking the end of the collimator turning on and off so many times as I couldn't find a good place to rotate it.

So decided to simply use a Cheshire and I had no problems with that.

I always found the 2ndry difficult to collimate on my 130PDS as as soon as I loosened one bolt the whole 2ndry would just flop, and then it was a job to get it back into position again.

Carole 

 

Thankfully my secondary in the 130pds seemed ok, it was round, off centre (just learnt that!) and clips all visual the same how they should be, I just needed to just tweak the primary ever so slightly to centre in the Cheshire Cross hairs and I'm leaving it alone now! 😂 But now I've got to rescue the 130p! I'm guessing being an f5 also that will probably have to be off centre as well. I should have got a refractor at the beginning!!! 

Edited July 28, 2020 by Rustang

[carastro]

Quote

. I should have got a refractor at the beginning!!! 

They are more straight forward, but generally slower unless you buy the very expensive ones.

Carole 

[Rustang]

True but I have just picked up a SW 72 ED DS Pro which I was able to afford and they seem well rated. It will be nice to a wide field along side the 130pds. And I'm hoping a little easy to care for. 

Edited July 28, 2020 by Rustang