Sw 50mm finder to guide scope cheap hack

[powerlord]

For info - didn't fancy paying 29 quid + postage for the astro essentials m51 adapter to use my sw finder as a guide scope.

Cheap unthreaded 2" to 1.25" adapter, rubber mallet and voila -  works a treat.

Shown with a similar though not identical adapter below to one battered in. Has added advantage of easier quick focus.

[Pixies]

I wonder if the same technique will work for Orion filter threads?

[powerlord]

should do - if they are M51 aka 50.6mm or so.

I filed/grinded a wee bit off the outside of the adapter, then the trickiest bit is hammering the first bit in straight. once you've got it in a bit all the way around, a block of wood on top and a rubber mallet - and tapping, checking if level and if not, next tap on that bit, etc - and slowly stretches the ali tube out a tiny bit to fit.

Reason for this is that I thought for a while the reason I was getting rubbish dark stars with my Svbony 50mm was the colour asi120 I was using, but last night I was using identical 120mm mini cameras pointed at the same place - the one with a SW 50mm guider (this one I'd knocked up a 3d printed adapter for) had lovely sharp bright stars - and the svbony, same camera settings had rubbish washed out stars I could hardly see.

Maybe I've just got a rubbish svbony scope, but anyway - had another SW50mm sititng in a box unused so figured it makes sense to use what I know works.

stu