Vixen screw on eyepiece...

[Mr Jones]

I seem to have found a vintage (old as me, I think) Vixen 40mm eyepiece.

Trouble (for me) is that it was designed to screw directly to a focuser. So has a 36.4mm thread at the end instead of a 1.25 nosepiece.

My search powers must be weakening, as I can't seem to find a 1.25 nosepiece with the right thread.

Anyone know who I should be speaking to?

[John]

You used to be able to get both 1.25 inch and 2 inch barrel adapters for the Vixen 40mm screw fit eyepieces but they are so long out of production I think you will need to try a "wanted" advert and see if anything comes up.

The 2 inch adapter looks like this:

Edited April 7, 2021 by John

[mikeDnight]

That's a blast from the past! I had a 40mm Vixen Kellner back in the mid 80's which came with my secondhand 102mm F13 Vixen Pulsar achromat. A fantastic refractor and a terrific eyepiece, or at least it was back in the day. I think it was Peter Drew who made me a 1.25" adapter that screwed onto my eyepiece so I could use it as a push fit. I know that memory can be a touch unreliable,  but in my mind that scope and that eyepiece gave me the finest view of M81  & M82 I've ever had. Possibly due to its minimal glass design, that eyepiece was as clear as crystal. Again in my memory.

Edited April 7, 2021 by mikeDnight

[Mr Jones]

Here she is...

As all the other eyepieces I have are orthos, the lens on this thing looks HUGE.

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

‘Don’t panic!’ - sorry I could not resist it @Mr Jones

I am being serious now. Depending where you are, it maybe worth enquiring with a local engineering workshop and ask if they may make up an adapter/nosepiece for it. Several years ago my ETX105 had an accident and damaged two of three mounting points on the rear ABS cell. I enquired with a few local engineering workshop and had one made. (image below).

With the appropriate hardware I can now use SCT accessories and 2” e/p’s to the rear port.

[Mr Jones]

Just found out that the Adapter is VIXEN part number #3728.

If you see one...

[RT65CB-SWL]

I have just looked here: http://www.vixenoptics.co.uk/Pages/service_repair.htm and here: https://global.vixen.co.jp/en/?s=part+number+%233728 without success.

It maybe worth getting in contact [via email] with Vixen direct here in GB/UK or Japan and attaching a copy of the image of your e/p or placing an advert in the ‘wanted’ section here on SGL or UKAB&S if you have not already done so.

[pete_gamby]

We never saw the 3728 adapter in the nine years we had the Vixen range which suggests it is very, very ancient history!

A rather convoluted solution would be use these three in combination:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-1-25-inch-t-mount-camera-nosepiece-adapter.html

https://www.bresser.de/Astronomie/Vixen-R200SS-20mm-Verlaengerungshuelse.html

https://www.bresser.de/Astronomie/Zubehoer/Vixen-DC-43-36-4-mm-Reduzierring.html

The R200SS extension tube attaches to the T2 thread on the FLO adapter to give a 43mm female thread which the DC reducer then screws into to give a 36.4mm female thread for the eyepiece.

HTH

Cheers, Pete

[Mr Jones]

Omg... I actually found a NOS Vixen #3728 adapter in Singapore! Now just have to wait a few weeks and see if it actually arrives...

 

 

[lguise]

An excellent eyepiece. I had one with a Peter Drew made adapter that I sold recently with a vintage Astrosystems scope. I still gave a second one! it threads into a Vixen diagonal so it lives in that.

Hope your adapter arrives, I’m sure you will enjoy the view.

Best wishes,

Linton

[Mr Jones]

So... its not the holy grail, but a smart find all the same.

All I need now is clear skies. Not looked through my Takahashi in over 6 weeks. 😪

[Highburymark]

Loving this thread - can’t wait for the next instalment.....

[Louis D]

Isn't the internet great!  Can you imagine trying to track down one of these things without it?

[RT65CB-SWL]

4 hours ago, Mr Jones said:

So... its not the holy grail, but a smart find all the same.

All I need now is clear skies. Not looked through my Takahashi in over 6 weeks. 😪

Well done that man!