My First Tak!!!!!!!!

[Sunshine]

9 hours ago, dweller25 said:

Excellent choice, very robust and superb optics, it will last a lifetime.

Welcome to the club.......

Thanks! I notice you also have yours on a Vixen GP, I love that mount as it is built like a tank and, it is smooth as silk.

[Sunshine]

11 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Now that definitely looks the part. Especially with the green TSA serial number plate 👍
A timeless classic if ever there was one 

Yes! I was wondering if there is a way to snug up the dew shield cap, it seems to fit on fairly loose and, I feel that if the scope was tilted down a bit it will fall off. Maybe adding some thicker felt around the perimeter would help? or maybe

someone has a different idea.

[mikeDnight]

10 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Yes! I was wondering if there is a way to snug up the dew shield cap, it seems to fit on fairly loose and, I feel that if the scope was tilted down a bit it will fall off. Maybe adding some thicker felt around the perimeter would help? or maybe

someone has a different idea.

Just a little thicker felt would do it, but it might not need much.

[Paz]

Oooh that looks good. I wouldn't mind a Tak one day. Look forward to some reports!

[F15Rules]

Sunshine, many Congratulations on your beautiful Tak!

You have a wonderful refractor mounted on a wonderful Vixen mount, a marriage made in heaven👍☺️.

I have had a couple of Moonlite focusers, and upgraded a big 5" F15 D&G USA scope with a polished aluminium one from Moonraker  about 5 years ago (see photo). They are great focusers but the bearings can wear and will be pricey to repair or replace if they do break down.

I do have to say I prefer the precision of a good rack and pinion, they don't tend to slip under load and just have "feel" that the Moonlites lack a bit, good though they are.

I've had my Tak FS128 for almost 4 years now and have never felt the need to change the original R&P focuser: I did buy a Tak MEF3 microfocuser to turn it into a dual speed unit, and  which gives me a 7x reduction for high power fine focusing, and it works very well. Not cheap new, but I found an excellent used one for £150. I'm not sure if this one would fit a TSA though, Jeremy would probably know, he has a good handle on these things..

I honestly think you're TSA looks just "complete" with its original focuser. Congratulations again, enjoy!

Dave 

EDIT:

Just checked FLO website, and the MEF3 microfocuser DOES fit the TSA102👍..see here:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/takahashi-other-accessories/tak_tka00733.html#about_this_product

Edited January 24, 2021 by F15Rules
Additional text info

[Sunshine]

6 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Sunshine, many Congratulations on your beautiful Tak!

You have a wonderful refractor mounted on a wonderful Vixen mount, a marriage made in heaven👍☺️.

I have had a couple of Moonlite focusers, and upgraded a big 5" F15 D&G USA scope with a polished aluminium one from Moonraker  about 5 years ago (see photo). They are great focusers but the bearings can wear and will be pricey to repair or replace if they do break down.

I do have to say I prefer the precision of a good rack and pinion, they don't tend to slip under load and just have "feel" that the Moonlites lack a bit, good though they are.

I've had my Tak FS128 for almost 4 years now and have never felt the need to change the original R&P focuser: I did buy a Tak MEF3 microfocuser to turn it into a dual speed unit, and  which gives me a 7x reduction for high power fine focusing, and it works very well. Not cheap new, but I found an excellent used one for £150. I'm not sure if this one would fit a TSA though, Jeremy would probably know, he has a good handle on these things..

I honestly think you're TSA looks just "complete" with its original focuser. Congratulations again, enjoy!

Dave 

Thank you! you have a beautiful focuser on that amazing scope, it looks to have a focal length of 1km, it must be a planet killer!

[AstroPhil]

1 hour ago, John said:

After a little initial tweaking I rather like the Tak R&P that my FC100-DL has. It's F/9 though so perhaps dual speed is less essential, at least for the purely visual observer like myself ?

I have a Moonlite on my ED120 and a Feathertouch on my LZOS 130 which are also very nice though. If I was to change the focuser on the Tak it would be to a Feathertouch. It makes even the Moonlite seem a little ordinary.

 

Yeap, the focusser discussion regrding Taks has some history, for sure! I put a feathertouch microfocusser on my FC100DL, but often think about putting the origional back. Then again, I'm sure I'd miss the fine focus... definitely a condundrum!

[Sunshine]

Is it ever pretty on my Vixen GP, now I’ll be counting minutes for a clear night!. This OTA has a color scheme that reminds me of equipment one might see in a hospital, surgical equipment. This is fine with me as I think of it as a precision surgical tool for dissecting the heavens.

Edited January 24, 2021 by Sunshine

[JeremyS]

13 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Is it ever pretty on my Vixen GP, now I’ll be counting minutes for a clear night!. This OTA has a color scheme that reminds me of equipment one might see in a hospital, surgical equipment. This is fine with me as I think of it as a precision surgical tool for dissecting the heavens.

Looks stunning and, as you say, surgical -  well, everything except the Telrad which must be the ugliest bit of Astro kit known to man 🤣

As Dave @F15Rules indicated, maybe a carry handle attached to those tube rings could prevent a disaster when carrying that beauty around?

[F15Rules]

25 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Thank you! you have a beautiful focuser on that amazing scope, it looks to have a focal length of 1km, it must be a planet killer!

Thanks, sadly I don't have the scope now (she's called Andromeda 😊), but she is owned by another SGL member now and mounted better on a suitable heavy duty mount. Focal length is 1905mm, aperture 127mm and so there is almost zero chromatic aberration (she is an achromat, not an apochromat like our Taks). 

Would give my FS128 a very, very close run for its money, but of course the Tak is so much easier to handle and mount.

Dave

[dweller25]

2 hours ago, Sunshine said:

I have decided to put the Tak focuser on, I rather like the look of it, it seems as god intended it to be.

That looks MUCH better 😁👍

[Sunshine]

28 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Looks stunning and, as you say, surgical -  well, everything except the Telrad which must be the ugliest bit of Astro kit known to man 🤣

The Tetrad is ugly, but it has been my fav piece of astro kit for decades, i can put that target on any invisible object and its dead centre on my eyepiece.

[mikeDnight]

I agree that the telrad's are ugly, but they are excellent finders. I could quite happily rough it owning a TSA with a Telrad attached. You never know, a Tak finder may slip under the radar sometime in the future. 

[Sunshine]

51 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

As Dave @F15Rules indicated, maybe a carry handle attached to those tube rings could prevent a disaster when carrying that beauty around?

Luckily I am a bit of a nutter when taking my scopes off mounts. Nothing is done without careful posture and positioning my hands having a good grip, dropping a scope always frightened me.

 

 

[Sunshine]

4 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I agree that the telrad's are ugly, but they are excellent finders. I could quite happily rough it owning a TSA with a Telrad attached. You never know, a Tak finder may slip under the radar sometime in the future. 

Yes, i have the bracket for the finder but, not the finder itself, i looked up a new Tak finder just to complete the scope but, had a minor heart attack looking at the price.

[mikeDnight]

1 minute ago, Sunshine said:

Yes, i have the bracket for the finder but, not the finder itself, i looked up a new Tak finder just to complete the scope but, had a minor heart attack looking at the price.

What size bracket do you have, a 30mm or 50mm?

[Sunshine]

15 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

What size bracket do you have, a 30mm or 50mm?

On the smaller end it measures 65mm across (outer to outer edge) on the wider side it measures 75mm across, i assume this would be for a 50mm, correct?

[Sunshine]

Now i know what else i can buy to really make my setup look amazing, a wood tripod in a darker stain, a nice one like a berlebach but, used because those destroy wallets.

Edited January 24, 2021 by Sunshine

[F15Rules]

2 hours ago, Sunshine said:

On the smaller end it measures 65mm across (outer to outer edge) on the wider side it measures 75mm across, i assume this would be for a 50mm, correct?

Yep, that's a 50mm Tak bracket. I have one on my FS 128 but had a Skywatcher 50mm RACI finder in it. I just find straight through finderscopes a pain in the neck... literally! But the bracket is excellent, and unlike the Skywatcher brackets, the Tak bracket holds the RACI finder really firmly and I don't often have to adjust its alignment.

Dave

Edited January 25, 2021 by F15Rules

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Sunshine said:

On the smaller end it measures 65mm across (outer to outer edge) on the wider side it measures 75mm across, i assume this would be for a 50mm, correct?

You’ll probably get a few people on here suggesting you get a RACI or even a skywatcher finder. You have one of the finest instruments Takahashi has produced. Only a Tak finder can accompany it. And since you have the holder, that would be Tak’s sublime 50 mm finder. Nothing less will do.

🙂

 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Sunshine said:

Now i know what else i can buy to really make my setup look amazing, a wood tripod in a darker stain, a nice one like a berlebach but, used because those destroy wallets.

Yes, you definitely need a Berlebach tripod. You can select the stain. Not only will it look super web, it will smell lovely too. 

[Sunshine]

I'm getting the feeling men in trench coats and dark glasses will show up at my door if i don't remove the tetrad, I am searching out a Tak finder but, I have never liked straight through finders. 

Having the finder would be nice to complete the scope, i will find the correct 50mm finder.

[dweller25]

The 30 and 50mm Tak finders are nice but uncomfortable to use as they are straight through.

For me a RACI is the way to go for best comfort.

[dweller25]

7 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Yes, you definitely need a Berlebach tripod. You can select the stain. Not only will it look super web, it will smell lovely too. 

Yup......

[dweller25]

12 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Yes, you definitely need a Berlebach tripod. You can select the stain. Not only will it look super web, it will smell lovely too. 

A tripod sniffer 🥴🤪😂