Finder scope safety harness

[Spile]

The findersope bracket and mount on the Skywatcher 200P has been (presumably) designed so that if the OTA is lifted using it, there is no danger of the finder and bracket becoming detached.

The problem is that unless the knurled screw is very tight, there is a danger that in the vertical position, the finder and bracket may fall from the OTA.

Once workaround I have read, is to drill a recess into the mount so that the screw sits into that. I did not want to risk voiding the warrantee by damaging my new telecope.

One suggestion I read was to turn the bracket 180 degrees and while that will stop the finder from dropping, it means that the finder coud come off the OTA if it was lifted. The finder and bracket will be safe in your hand but your OTA will be supported by justr your other hand!!!

My workaround is a safety harness using three plastic cable ties...

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by Spile

[DaveL59]

hmmm, I'd never lift an OTA by the finder as there's surely a risk of deforming the thin metal tube and then losing the finder alignment?

My TAL's are solid ally tube but I'd consider those far too heavy to risk doing that anyway. Surely the better solution would be to succumb to @johninderby's method and fit a handle?

Edited January 25, 2021 by DaveL59

[JeremyS]

Did somebody mention handle?
🙂

[johninderby]

6 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Did somebody mention handle?
🙂

Get a grip.😁😁😁

[Tiny Clanger]

2 hours ago, Spile said:

The findersope bracket and mount on the Skywatcher 200P has been designed so that if the OTA is lifted using it, there is no danger of the finder and bracket becoming detached.

Is that statement from an actual official skywatcher document ?

Heather

[John]

I would also never lift an optical tube using the finder / finder bracket.

The only scopes that I know of where where this is designed to be a feature are the Takahashi Mewlons.

 

[banjaxed]

I wouldn't even lift my 8" dob with the side handles.

[Ceramus]

The finder harness is a very wise precaution...once, when removing a large cover off my 300p flex tube in the dark the finder slipped off and nearly fell into the fully extended OTA, which would undoubtably have caused grave consequences to the primary...I've secured it with wire to the bracket but cable ties are more neat.

[John]

41 minutes ago, Ceramus said:

The finder harness is a very wise precaution...once, when removing a large cover off my 300p flex tube in the dark the finder slipped off and nearly fell into the fully extended OTA, which would undoubtably have caused grave consequences to the primary...I've secured it with wire to the bracket but cable ties are more neat.

I agree that the safety harness could prove useful.

I pop my finder on and off my dob quite often though so it would probably get in the way for me.

 

[johninderby]

One thing that has always seemed odd about most finder brackets is that they have a lttle block on the back of the bracket to stop the finder from going too far forward when it should be on the front to stop a finder from sliding backwards out of the shoe which would be more useful. 🤔

[Tiny Clanger]

18 minutes ago, johninderby said:

One thing that has always seemed odd about most finder brackets is that they have a lttle block on the back of the bracket to stop the finder from going too far forward when it should be on the front to stop a finder from sliding backwards out of the shoe which would be more useful. 🤔

I'd wondered about that too ... seems daft to have the 'stop' at the back when a telescope is going to be angled up ... in the end I decided it might be there because if they did have it at the front, folk might just use the stop and not tighten the screw(s) , which would leave the finder not only loose and less accurate, but also likely to fall off when the assembly was packed away.

Heather

Edited January 25, 2021 by Tiny Clanger
typing finger slip

[johninderby]

With the low profile finder brackets I use with most of my finders I simply fit a thumbscrew at the front of the dovetail so the finder can’t slide out of the bottom of the finder shoe. Simple but effective. 👍🏻

[Spile]

On 25/01/2021 at 14:06, Tiny Clanger said:

Is that statement from an actual official skywatcher document ?

No it wasn't - good call.

 I have edited the post accordingly. However I still conclude that the reason that the finder base was deigned with the stop at the top rather than the bottom was to minimise the risk of the OTA falling if it was lifted from the finder bracket*

* bracket rather than actual finder

[Spile]

On 25/01/2021 at 14:28, banjaxed said:

I wouldn't even lift my 8" dob with the side handles.

If that is all that holds the OTA when on the base, can I ask why not?

Edited January 26, 2021 by Spile

[Tiny Clanger]

2 minutes ago, Spile said:

No it wasn't - good call.

 I have edited the post accordingly. However I still conclude that the reason that the finder base was deigned with the stop at the top rather than the bottom was to minimise the risk of the OTA falling if it was lifted from the finder bracket*

* bracket rather than actual finder

Thanks for checking . I did wonder if it was someone 'on the internet'  somewhere taking a review or an official statement like 'it is so strong you could lift the telescope by it' and reading it as 'you can lift the telescope by it'  ... or even worse,  you should  !

It's a dangerous place, the internet 🙂 Except here, obv.s 🙂

Heather

[banjaxed]

7 minutes ago, Spile said:

If that is all that holds the OTA when on the base, can I ask why not?

Because to remove the OTA from the base then you have to remove the handles. Also the handles don’t look that strong to me.

[johninderby]

No problem with a Bresser dob. Alt bearings make great carry handles. 👍🏻

[Spile]

4 hours ago, banjaxed said:

Because to remove the OTA from the base then you have to remove the handles. Also the handles don’t look that strong to me.

I am sorry but I don’t understand you. The handles are designed to support the load of the ota. Therefore they are perfectly capable, and are also ideally located (centre of gravity) for lifting and moving it.

[banjaxed]

12 hours ago, Spile said:

I am sorry but I don’t understand you. The handles are designed to support the load of the ota. Therefore they are perfectly capable, and are also ideally located (centre of gravity) for lifting and moving it.

This is the reason I don’t use the handles to lift my OTA 🙁

[johninderby]

Just fit a carry handle to the OTA. The best solution. 👍🏻

[Spile]

10 minutes ago, banjaxed said:

This is the reason I don’t use the handles to lift my OTA 🙁

Fair enough and thank you.

Could the damage have been the result of uneven stress placed on a single handle rather than both handles?

Did you report this to Skywatcher and if so what was their response? 

I am pleased with the build quality of the Skywatcher 200P but I think there is a room for improvement when it comes to basic carrying guidance and points where the manual could be clearer. I've checked the FAQ but I cannot find reference to these so I have emailed Opticalvision who are the UK agents for the brand.

[Spile]

39 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Just fit a carry handle to the OTA. The best solution. 👍🏻

Nice but drilling the OTA does not appeal to me while it is in warrantee 

[banjaxed]

46 minutes ago, Spile said:

Fair enough and thank you.

Could the damage have been the result of uneven stress placed on a single handle rather than both handles?

Did you report this to Skywatcher and if so what was their response? 

I am pleased with the build quality of the Skywatcher 200P but I think there is a room for improvement when it comes to basic carrying guidance and points where the manual could be clearer. I've checked the FAQ but I cannot find reference to these so I have emailed Opticalvision who are the UK agents for the brand.

I may have been unlucky to have had a faulty handle as I only used it once to move the OTA but since then I bought a pair of Rolson carry handles which fit around the OTA which makes it MUCH more manageable IMO. I never thought of reporting it to Skywatcher as I have never seen it recommended to use the handles to carry the scope, also  it is no longer under warranty.

[Ian McCallum]

I've never had any problems with my finderscope holder shoe on the OTA, though I've read of people tightening the thumbscrew with pliers! 😯

[Spile]