Focuser problems Meade 4400

[StarJohnny]

Hi, All,

Thank you for reading my question.  I am new to telescopes.  I found a Meade 4" reflector (114mm x 900mm) a few weeks ago that had everything except the lenses.  I ordered new 1-1/4 lenses but then discovered that the original lenses are 0.963" or something like that.  So I ordered an adapter.  My problem is that the image is not in focus until the focuser is at the bottom limit.  I can see objects about a block away and the focuser is just above bottom.  When I tried to look at objects in the sky, they are blurry and I can't move the focuser inward enough to focus.  I think I need about another 1/4" of travel.  There is room inside the scope for a little more travel but I don't see any way to adjust the rack of the focuser.  Anybody got any ideas?  The focuser comes out like 3" but nothing is in focus until it's just about all the way into the tube.  Thanks

[michael8554]

Newer versions of the 4400 have a 1.25" focuser.

Maybe the 0.965" part of your focuser unscrews, to reveal a 1.25" fitting ?

An image would help.

Michael

[StarJohnny]

Thanks, Mike.  I unscrewed that thing where the eyepiece goes in and the hole is too large for the 1.25 lenses.  last night I tried to look at some things.  the only lense that would work was the 32mm and the focuser was bottomed out.  I found some 0.965 lenses on amazon i'm going to try.  I wonder if the 1.25 adapter is changing the geometry or something and that's why it can't focus.  

[Andrew_B]

I found this manual for the telescope which talks about replacing the 0.965" eyepiece holder with a 1.25" version.

From what you've described it sounds like your adapter is adding to the length of the existing 0.965" eyepiece holder which results in there being too little in-focus distance to be able to bring objects at infinity into focus. You'd need to remove the existing eyepiece holder as you tried already and then replace it with the 1.25" version.

Is the outside diameter of the drawtube 38mm? If so I saw an item mentioned on this forum thread in post #9 that might do the job.

[StarJohnny]

great, thank you