Can anyone help install a new secondary spider please?

[BrendanC]

Hi all,

I recently got me one of these, hopefully to cure issues with collimation and diff spikes on my 130PDS (see https://www.firstlightoptics.com/misc/backyard-universe-secondary-mirror-spider-for-sky-watcher-130mm-newtonian-telescopes.html)

HOWEVER... I'm really not good with practical stuff. I was the kind of kid who would buy an Airfix model, promise himself he'd do his very best to make it look as good as possible, then end up with glue and paint everywhere.

So, here's my proposal: is there anyone here who lives near the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire area who is confident with taking the existing spider out, removing the flocking that will have to come out, siliconing the washer onto the secondary (and ideally give the secondary a bit of a wash), assembling the spider, inserting it back into the scope, and re-collimating it for me?

I am very willing to pay a good price if someone could do this. I've done things in the past with this scope (primary mask, flocking etc) and one thing I've learned is that I HATE mucking about with it. I keep trying to force myself to do this myself, and putting it off. If someone else fancies having a go, please let me know. Thanks.

PS I've seen lots of videos and suchlike about how to do this, and I still don't want to do it. Even if it's supposed to be easy, I'm pretty confident I'll mess it up.

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by BrendanC

[Second Time Around]

Sounds like me, so you're not alone.

I had to take Handicraft for one year at school.  At the end of the year we had an exam.  The first 50% of the marks were designing something and then doing a technical drawing of it.  The second 50% were for making the object.

If I tell you that I came top after the design and technical drawing, but still came bottom overall, you'll see just how bad I am at anything practical!

It's even worse now as an heritary condition means my hands no longer work properly at all.

My wife won't let me use any tools around the house.  On the other hand I loved designing our extensions and kitchen.

So when it's come down to anything with scopes I too have had to ask for help, so don't feel bad about it.

[BrendanC]

Yep. I mean, I'm not bad - I've collimated the scope (many, many times), added a primary mask, flocked it (used the technique where you get a vinyl sheet, flock that, wrap it and insert it into the tube so you don't have to remove the spider), chopped the focus tube, added auto focus etc. But every time I do anything with it, I get into a hot sweat and absolutely dread doing it. And this project, even though plenty of people have done it before, is just a step too far for me. I could do it - in fact, I've already asked other places with no luck so I probably will have to do it myself - but I just won't enjoy the experience. At all. Hence my willingness to pay someone to take away the pain!

Edited July 21, 2023 by BrendanC

[bosun21]

Hi Brendan, I live in Oxford and would be willing to help you out with this. PM me if interested.

 

[BrendanC]

Superstar. I just PMd you.