Faulty equipment

[louizi]

My telescope develop a fault, the eyepiece tube got bad and I can't find it anywhere in my country (Nigeria). I need help.

am so sad that mars and urenus are in season, same as Jupiter and Saturn 🪐 and I can't get to see them in their glory. It breaks my heart, especially now that I just lost my uncle, he was my gaze buddy... he would have loved to hear me teach him about the planets as he looks at them through my telescope.

wow... I can't believe I can feel this level of sadness

[Mandy D]

6 minutes ago, louizi said:

My telescope develop a fault, the eyepiece tube got bad and I can't find it anywhere in my country (Nigeria). I need help.

am so sad that mars and urenus are in season, same as Jupiter and Saturn 🪐 and I can't get to see them in their glory. It breaks my heart, especially now that I just lost my uncle, he was my gaze buddy... he would have loved to hear me teach him about the planets as he looks at them through my telescope.

wow... I can't believe I can feel this level of sadness

It looks like there are broken or missing teeth on the rack part of the rack & pinion focuser. Is that right?

If the focuser is not moving out far enough to focus, you could try pulling the eyepiece out to compensate as a temporary fix.

Another thought would be to disassemble the focuser and turn the rack around if that is possible so that you are using a good part of the rack.

You can also buy lengths of rack gear in metal or nylon from engineering suppliers like RS Components, but you would need to measure the width, height and pitch to make sure you got the right thing.

Other than that, it looks like you need a new focuser. Let us know what telescope you have and someone may have suggestions for the correct one or alternatives that might fit.

[michael8554]

Hi Louizi

That's a tough break.

The part with the damage is called the focuser tube.

You could try only operating the focuser on the undamaged part of the rack, like Mandy suggested.

If necessary adding an extension tube of a suitable length to compensate.

Are the eyepieces you insert 1.25" in diameter?

Then an extension similar to this, but the right length:

https://campaign.aliexpress.com/wow/gcp/tesla-pc-new/index?UTABTest=aliabtest344316_486351&_randl_currency=GBP&_randl_shipto=GB&src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=494-037-6276&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=17859472720&albag=&trgt=&crea=en1005001805832707&netw=x&device=c&albpg=&albpd=en1005001805832707&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsoycBhC6ARIsAPPbeLs71B3hTbaVNgG5p4Jf8-7UyZ9nXk-B5mT1gmssUa8Xq0vcD9WVlHUaAnfIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&aff_fcid=64fba53c7d374ef994176a098cc77b9b-1669563733097-07812-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=64fba53c7d374ef994176a098cc77b9b-1669563733097-07812-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=d334a97ee9d64ebda8055986c6bcfe87&wh_weex=true&wx_navbar_hidden=true&wx_navbar_transparent=true&ignoreNavigationBar=true&wx_statusbar_hidden=true&bt_src=ppc_direct_lp&scenario=pcBridgePPC&productId=1005001805832707&OLP=1084300508_f_group2&o_s_id=1084300508

Michael

 

[allworlds]

Ooof.

You can make a helical focuser from plumbing parts, here's a post outlining how somebody made one, https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/53836-diy-helical-focuser/ Plastic or metal will work - it just needs one pipe that holds the eyepiece and screws into another pipe that's fixed to the telescope. Might take a bit of experimenting to get all the lengths right.

You can of course buy a focuser, but delivery times might be slow.

 

[saac]

@louizi I have a spare drawtube from an old dismantled refractor (Bresser Skylux) that you are more than welcome to have.  It has an external diameter of 35 mm and is just short of 200mm in length.  You would probably need to cut its length to suit but that should be easy enough.  Let me know if you would like it and I could get it posted out this week. 

Jim 

Edited November 27, 2022 by saac

[Mr Spock]

That's real bad luck. Hope you get sorted soon 👍

[louizi]

4 hours ago, saac said:

@louizi I have a spare drawtube from an old dismantled refractor (Bresser Skylux) that you are more than welcome to have.  It has an external diameter of 35 mm and is just short of 200mm in length.  You would probably need to cut its length to suit but that should be easy enough.  Let me know if you would like it and I could get it posted out this week. 

Jim 

Wow!!!...this is so great...it Would solve my problem... I would really love to have this...

Am located in Nigeria, how would you be post it?

Please kindly request for information that you may need.

Am so grateful that you are trying to help me. Thank you so much, thank you.

[saac]

13 minutes ago, louizi said:

Wow!!!...this is so great...it Would solve my problem... I would really love to have this...

Am located in Nigeria, how would you be post it?

Please kindly request for information that you may need.

Am so grateful that you are trying to help me. Thank you so much, thank you.

Hi louizi just let me know the address you wish me to post it to - you can pm me using the message function in the menu bar at the top right. Not sure how long it will take from the UK but I can get it in the post to you for Tuesday this week. 

Jim 

[louizi]

11 hours ago, Mandy D said:

It looks like there are broken or missing teeth on the rack part of the rack & pinion focuser. Is that right?

If the focuser is not moving out far enough to focus, you could try pulling the eyepiece out to compensate as a temporary fix.

Another thought would be to disassemble the focuser and turn the rack around if that is possible so that you are using a good part of the rack.

You can also buy lengths of rack gear in metal or nylon from engineering suppliers like RS Components, but you would need to measure the width, height and pitch to make sure you got the right thing.

Other than that, it looks like you need a new focuser. Let us know what telescope you have and someone may have suggestions for the correct one or alternatives that might fit.

That's a great suggestion, I will try turning the rack around and see if it works.

Buying another one will be a problem here in Nigeria, this like this are very scarce to find.

[louizi]

11 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Louizi

That's a tough break.

The part with the damage is called the focuser tube.

You could try only operating the focuser on the undamaged part of the rack, like Mandy suggested.

If necessary adding an extension tube of a suitable length to compensate.

Are the eyepieces you insert 1.25" in diameter?

Then an extension similar to this, but the right length:

https://campaign.aliexpress.com/wow/gcp/tesla-pc-new/index?UTABTest=aliabtest344316_486351&_randl_currency=GBP&_randl_shipto=GB&src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=494-037-6276&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=17859472720&albag=&trgt=&crea=en1005001805832707&netw=x&device=c&albpg=&albpd=en1005001805832707&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsoycBhC6ARIsAPPbeLs71B3hTbaVNgG5p4Jf8-7UyZ9nXk-B5mT1gmssUa8Xq0vcD9WVlHUaAnfIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&aff_fcid=64fba53c7d374ef994176a098cc77b9b-1669563733097-07812-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=64fba53c7d374ef994176a098cc77b9b-1669563733097-07812-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=d334a97ee9d64ebda8055986c6bcfe87&wh_weex=true&wx_navbar_hidden=true&wx_navbar_transparent=true&ignoreNavigationBar=true&wx_statusbar_hidden=true&bt_src=ppc_direct_lp&scenario=pcBridgePPC&productId=1005001805832707&OLP=1084300508_f_group2&o_s_id=1084300508

Michael

 

I am a little scared of tampering with the device, so that I don't cause more damage. But if I have no other choice... What do I have to lose? It's already not working...

[louizi]

11 hours ago, allworlds said:

Ooof.

You can make a helical focuser from plumbing parts, here's a post outlining how somebody made one, https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/53836-diy-helical-focuser/ Plastic or metal will work - it just needs one pipe that holds the eyepiece and screws into another pipe that's fixed to the telescope. Might take a bit of experimenting to get all the lengths right.

You can of course buy a focuser, but delivery times might be slow.

 

Thank you so much, I will watch the tutorial and see if I can try it... Anything that works...

[Alan64]

Hi,

I have the same telescope, a 76mm f/9.2 Newtonian.  It's most portable, and eyepiece-friendly...

It is very difficult to get spare draw-tubes here, too.  I've gotten one, but in having to buy a whole telescope, just for the focusser.  I bought another off of AliExpress, shipped from China.

That damage occurred when the focusser's knobs were cranked forward, inwardly, past the stop; unfortunate.  Here's hoping it's up and running soon.

[louizi]

Thank you so much for the best wishes...

[Alan64]

Thank you.  I haven't had mine long.  I took an afocal shot of Mars through it one night...