Nexstar 127 SLT first DIY Modifications

[Andrew stuart]

Hello from a crisp early evening in West Sussex. Im new to this forum but have been using it for information for a while and love the topical conversations. So I have a 200p and EQ5 mount but wanted something more portable on a small budget. hence the Celestron nester 127 SLT, however its not perfect as many of you will know and I don't mean the OTA which I think is very good. So here's what Ive done to resolve some of the known issues. 

1, Reduce tripod wobble and instability with a natty system using old bungy hooks, polypropylene rope and dumbbell weights and bar, total suspended weight 4 KG

2, Added pipe insulation to the focus knob, resulting in very little wobble when focusing and can adjust in smaller increments.

3, Added vibration suppression pads to the tripod feet, heres the best bit! I looked at a friends Meade ones and to be honest thought the price was crazy so with my thinking head on I did a little bit of digging and realised that I can get a better suppression cup and pad from those used on washing machines!! so at only £10 for 4 my tripod now wears then and they work beautifully.

4, A homemade dew shield, Thinsulate bubble wrap covered both sides with black fine velvet and cutout for the arm.

Photos attached and I hope people find this helpful.

Heres hoping for Clear Skies tonight, Thanks All.

 

 

[wormix]

Welcome aboard Andrew - looks good. I’ve  been mulling over how to improve the focuser on my ETX125 as it’s virtually frictionless to the point that even the weight of a peg (as a low end feather touch focuser) causes it to shift. 
 

 

[Andrew stuart]

Thank you Wormix for the comment.  It sure what you can do with your focuser. Will have a think. 

[happy-kat]

Welcome

The tripod feet look great idea.

I've also seen peanut butter jar lid (other lids available) used to improve the focuser knob by making the bit held bigger. There's a post about how somewhere.

Enjoy your improved setup

 

 

[globular]

Welcome and good tips - might look into getting washing machine feet.

I've put a cable tie on my focuser.  Run your finger up or down to get vibration free and fine adjustment of focus.

[happy-kat]

Found ithttps://stargazerslounge.com/topic/77168-peanut-butter-lid-fine-focus-knob-for-sct/

 

[Andrew stuart]

Thanks Globular, that’s a brilliant idea on the focus Knob. I am now hunting out cable ties in the garage 👍

[JamesF]

Prior to fitting a motorised focuser I used a clothes peg on my 127 Mak.  Clipped over the focuser knob it made almost vibration-free changing of focus very easy -- just push the peg in the appropriate direction with one finger.

James

[Andrew stuart]

Happy Kat, Thanks for the link to the peanut butter focuser !!!

[boulderbelly]

Try the peanut butter lids filled with silicone glue  fill them and level them off and leave them for three days   you'll find they add good absorbtion to the  feet of the tripod.  still use the weights of course and a skywatcher focusmotor (with cogs and toothed belt from amazon) to add even better vibration free focusing.  I used crystal clear araldite rapid to cement the  bracket onto the OTA  just above and  behind the dovetail bracket and fixed the cog onto the focuser brass bush taking care not to tip the OTA onto its front as the shaft would drop into the inside of the OTA ,the  motor was screwed onto the bracket with the supplied bolts   I marked the rear cog of the focuser with a bar of  luminous paint so i could see during the  main set up  in the dark hours the minute movement of the distance travelled by the focuser on the slow setting  getting the scope focused with a 40 mm eyepiece first  the attach the camera and refocus.  then a few turns in either direction at slow speed from the house via my laptop I already had my tripod bolted to the slabs in the garden before, but found i still had bad vibration form the heavy vintners trucks supplying the Busy hotel at the rear of my house at all hours.