Vixen AX103S refractor: Any users on here?

[lguise]

I need to remove the dew shield from my Vixen AX103s  to gain access to the lens cell. This scope has a threaded dew shield that slides. It can then be rotated to lock either fully extended or retracted. Other Vixen scopes may have the same design, but my ED102 is just a push on.

If anyone has been able to remove their dew shield I would love to hear how. It’s possible the dew shield tube can separate from the bevelled ring at its base?

Many thanks,

Linton

 

[Franklin]

I would imagine that it screws to the beveled ring but you'll need some rubber gloves to grip both sides to unscrew.

[lguise]

Thank you, I will try again. I have used some grippy cloth and two people but no movement!

[Franklin]

Warm it with a hairdryer first, may help loosen the threads and keep it slid down away from the lens. 

Doesn't look like it on the AX103 but some of these sliding dew shields (WO for example) have a stop ring threaded to the front end of the dew shield which needs to be unscrewed before the whole thing slides further down the tube to allow access to the cell.

[Franklin]

55 minutes ago, lguise said:

I have used some grippy cloth and two people but no movement!

Because the beveled ring has a tightening collet mechanism within, every time you lock the dew shield in position you are in effect tightening the threads that hold the shield to the beveled collet as well. I think this is the reason it is proving difficult to unthread. A little heat from a hair dryer will make the threads expand a touch and hopefully loosen them up. I doubt there is any kind of Threadlock on there.

[Alan White]

Well you live and learn don’t you, I had no idea Vixen even made a scope with a retractable dew shield.

Nice scope Linton.

If you search the scope and go to the Vixen Japan website you can download the instruction manual.
Oddly it reads that tightening and loosening is both clockwise….depends upon extended or not.
Makes no sense, but hey ho.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Alan White

[Franklin]

Looking at this image of the AX103, it could well have a threaded stop ring at the front end, if removed the dew shield will slide further down the tube to allow access to the cell.

 

[StevieDvd]

Having removed the cell assembly (to get the objectives cleaned) on my Lyra - it was the front of the dew shield that needed to come off.  If you think of the design logic it is probably the lens cell holder that stops the dew shield from coming all the way off the main tube. On my scope the lens holder simply unscrewed.

Hope the same logic holds true to the Vixen scope for you too.

 

[lguise]

Thanks to all for the various suggestions. There is a rubber guard over the outer end of the dew shield and an internal thread just below to lock the dew shield in its shortest position. But this seems to all be part of the dew shield rather than a separate threaded piece. So I don’t think the shield is designed to go down past the cell.

I’m going to try some gentle heat to the back end and have another go. I’m sure part of the problem is the threads that lock the shield in the two positions are very fine so jam easily. If there is one between the shield and the bezel it will probably be similar.

I will report any progress!

Linton

[lguise]

Well it’s off! But not by me. Es Reid kindly took on the challenge and with extra hands managed to remove the dew shield from the lower bezel so that it would come off forwards over the lens cell. I gather it took quite an effort. The front end ring was impossible to shift.

He is going to clean and check the optics for me. These have a triplet objective and a flattener built into the focuser.

All the Best,

Linton

[Alan White]

Great outcome Linton.