100% Secondary off-set in Newtonians

[albedo0.39]

If this is true of all the larger scopes, then there's no need to worry about this aspect of the collimation. Sighting with a Cheshire/ Collicap will confirm the axial alignment and that's it done!

I have spoken today with the previous owner of my LB 16 - he confirmed that when he re-fitted the mirror to the secondary holder (just been re-coated) he added the offset there. And this is (as has been mentioned) how the offset is achieved in the Meade LB 16".

When I was at his house prior to me buying his scope, it took very little time to collimate it in the daylight. He has years of experience so I suppose I was expecting something like that.

I then asked him to put it completely out of collimation and let me have a go.

In about 3 - 5 mins I said "have a look"

He checked and said:- "better than me - you're good to go - all you need to do is tweak on a star test"

Trouble is, I've been reading heaps and heaps on this subject now - posts here, there and everywhere. It's sounding like I need a degree in optical science. How on earth can I, a beginner, have found it simple ? - unless it wasn't and I got it horribly wrong !

All I had was a collicap - Surely, that cannot be enough for an F4.5 ?

Thanks for guidance !