Separating Takahashi adapter from prism

[UKDiver]

I'm currently struggling to separate the 1.25" eyepiece adapter from the Tak prism. It is gripped so tightly that the prism nose piece undoes instead. My hands are now rather raw from trying to grip and turn knurled metal, with rubber grips etc.

Any idea how to grip and undo/separate these?

Adrian

[Andrew_B]

You could try heating it up which should expand the metal and allow you to separate them. Even sitting it on to of a radiator for a bit should get it hot enough. 

[UKDiver]

I did try a hair dryer, but may as well try the radiator for a while.

[Andrew_B]

If you can, try and heat the adaptor by itself and keep the prism as cool as possible 

[UKDiver]

13 hours ago, Andrew_B said:

If you can, try and heat the adaptor by itself and keep the prism as cool as possible 

A combination of heat and, I wince to say it, direct use of mole grips, did the trick. Some scuff to the silvered wheel though. No grip with something between. No idea how it got so tight.

[jock1958]

I had a similar problem with the eyepiece adapter ring on my Baader T2 diagonal (jammed solid) I used very cheap gloves from Homebase which have rubber spots on the palm, did the job instantly with no damage 

I would resist mechanical means if you can as it will inevitably end in tears 😭 

[UKDiver]

2 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

I had a similar problem with the eyepiece adapter ring on my Baader T2 diagonal (jammed solid) I used very cheap gloves from Homebase which have rubber spots on the palm, did the job instantly with no damage 

I would resist mechanical means if you can as it will inevitably end in tears 😭 

 

It's done now. No tears, but a little sad. Rubber grip gloves no help either in my case. Mechanical grip was a desperate last shot, my biggest concern was distorting something.

[Andrew_B]

28 minutes ago, UKDiver said:

A combination of heat and, I wince to say it, direct use of mole grips, did the trick. Some scuff to the silvered wheel though. No grip with something between. No idea how it got so tight.

It's weird how adapters can get so tightly stuck when you know for sure you didn't fix them that strongly but at least you got it sorted in the end and any damage was only cosmetic.

If you ever want an adapter to stay in place no matter what you can use the same trick. Heat the adapter so it expands then screw it onto whatever you're fixing it to and when it cools it will shrink tight onto the thread, a bit like how they attach metal tyres to train wheels.

[John]

I've had just the same problem a number of times. Eventually I've been able to get enough purchase on the twist ring to loosen it but it's a bit annoying. I'm not too keen on the Tak 1.25 inch adapter for this reason. Luckily I leave the prism on the scope more or less permanently rather than swap it between scopes. I may move to another design of 1.25" adapter or maybe put a 2 inch barrel on the prism and dispense with the Tak 1.25 inch adapter altogether.

On the eyepiece end of the prism I have a Baader T2-1.25 inch twist lock adapter which works like a dream on all my 1.25 inch eyepieces.

 

[UKDiver]

14 minutes ago, John said:

I've had just the same problem a number of times. Eventually I've been able to get enough purchase on the twist ring to loosen it but it's a bit annoying. I'm not too keen on the Tak 1.25 inch adapter for this reason. Luckily I leave the prism on the scope more or less permanently rather than swap it between scopes. I may move to another design of 1.25" adapter or maybe put a 2 inch barrel on the prism and dispense with the Tak 1.25 inch adapter altogether.

On the eyepiece end of the prism I have a Baader T2-1.25 inch twist lock adapter which works like a dream on all my 1.25 inch eyepieces.

 

I can't now recall what made me want to remove the prism. It's not as if there was anything to put in its place. It may as well have been permanent.

I have been considering the Baader route more in light of this hassle. I wondered how to join the Baader prism to the scope without using a 1.25" nosepiece as that would end up using the same Tak fitting.

Edited November 21, 2021 by UKDiver

[JeremyS]

42 minutes ago, John said:

I've had just the same problem a number of times. Eventually I've been able to get enough purchase on the twist ring to loosen it but it's a bit annoying. I'm not too keen on the Tak 1.25 inch adapter for this reason. Luckily I leave the prism on the scope more or less permanently rather than swap it between scopes. I may move to another design of 1.25" adapter or maybe put a 2 inch barrel on the prism and dispense with the Tak 1.25 inch adapter altogether.

On the eyepiece end of the prism I have a Baader T2-1.25 inch twist lock adapter which works like a dream on all my 1.25 inch eyepieces.

 

That’s interesting John. Do you mean you replaced the Tak twist lock eyepiece fitting with a Baader twist lock fitting!

[jock1958]

55 minutes ago, UKDiver said:

I can't now recall what made me want to remove the prism. It's not as if there was anything to put in its place. It may as well have been permanent.

I have been considering the Baader route more in light of this hassle. I wondered how to join the Baader prism to the scope without using a 1.25" nosepiece as that would end up using the same Tak fitting.

I have 2” visual backs on my Tak FC-100DL & FS-60 so use a 2” nosepiece on my T2 Baader diagonal, see photo

Edited November 21, 2021 by jock1958

[John]

26 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

That’s interesting John. Do you mean you replaced the Tak twist lock eyepiece fitting with a Baader twist lock fitting!

I use the Tak twist lock / visual back to hold the Baader Zeiss T2 prism but on the other side of the prism I have a Baader click lock T2-1.25 inch adapter. One of these:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-click-lock-125-inch-eyepiece-adapter-with-t-2-thread.html

The Tak silver ring clamp is where I have had issues. I guess having it sometimes hard to loosen is better than having uncertainly about it being tight enough though !

 

[UKDiver]

1 hour ago, John said:

I use the Tak twist lock / visual back to hold the Baader Zeiss T2 prism but on the other side of the prism I have a Baader click lock T2-1.25 inch adapter. One of these:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-click-lock-125-inch-eyepiece-adapter-with-t-2-thread.html

The Tak silver ring clamp is where I have had issues. I guess having it sometimes hard to loosen is better than having uncertainly about it being tight enough though !

 

That's the same place I had a problem John.

[Andrew_B]

10 hours ago, John said:

I use the Tak twist lock / visual back to hold the Baader Zeiss T2 prism but on the other side of the prism I have a Baader click lock T2-1.25 inch adapter. One of these:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-click-lock-125-inch-eyepiece-adapter-with-t-2-thread.html

The Tak silver ring clamp is where I have had issues. I guess having it sometimes hard to loosen is better than having uncertainly about it being tight enough though !

 

That's an odd problem to have. I normally use the Tak 1.25" twist lock visual back on my FS-60CB/Q, together with the basic 32mm Baader T2 prism in a similar arrangement to yours but I don't recall ever having issues with the diagonal nosepiece getting stuck in the clamp.

[John]

6 minutes ago, Andrew_B said:

That's an odd problem to have.....

Yes, I was surprised that it occurred myself. I wonder if it is because my T2 prism barrel is smooth - no undercut

[Andrew_B]

19 minutes ago, John said:

Yes, I was surprised that it occurred myself. I wonder if it is because my T2 prism barrel is smooth - no undercut

The 1.25" nosepiece I use with Baader 32mm prism is also smooth and hasn't caused problems so I'd be surprised if it was that. The only time I've been conscious of having to make an effort to undo the clamp is when I've attached a diagonal or eyepiece that's had an undercut or taper and in those cases it was't stuck, it just needed a lot more undoing.