New eyepiece holder

[Mr Spock]

The spreader on the EQ5 has places for eyepieces, but they are too far under the mount to be useful. I have an eyepiece table, but that could be knocked over.

So I decided to create something new. An extension of the spreader, held in place by the spreader. Works perfectly. I can now use the table for charts etc.

 

[Louis D]

How about a view showing how you attached it?  I'm curious.

[Mr Spock]

I cut the outline same shape as the spreader. The spreader then presses it up against the legs. I'll take some more pictures tomorrow - it's too dark now 

I should add it's been painted white to match the mount and the paint's not dry yet.

[Mr Spock]

It's not finished yet, I still have to sand it down and apply final coats, but here is how it attaches.

It's perfectly tight and solid. It has three positions so the scope won't catch on it. I might even add a rack for filters 

[Don Pensack]

Filters fog easily.  It's best to keep them in a case until used.

Eyepieces can just be kept capped until use.

[Mr Spock]

This is where mine are kept 

As you can see from the first pic, eyepieces are capped.

[Shimrod]

23 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

This is where mine are kept 

As you can see from the first pic, eyepieces are capped.

That's a very neat solution - can you share where you got the case from? I keep my filters in their individual holders, but it can be difficult to see which filter is which as the cases all look the same.

[Mr Spock]

2 hours ago, Shimrod said:

can you share where you got the case from?

E-bay link to the case https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304930824781 You can also get them with filters, but, they are cheap and nasty plastic 

[Louis D]

I use photographic filter wallets to hold my filters.  Typically I can fit two to four 1.25" filters or two 2" filters into a single pocket, depending on how big the filters were it was originally intended to hold.

[Don Pensack]

I used to use those, too, until I left one in my car on a hot day and the plastic melted against my filters and ruined a dozen filters.

The lesson to be learned is to not leave them in a hot car, I guess.  Here is what I use now--no foam, each filter in its own box.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Don Pensack

[Louis D]

2 hours ago, Don Pensack said:

I used to use those, too, until I left one in my car on a hot day and the plastic melted against my filters and ruined a dozen filters.

The lesson to be learned is to not leave them in a hot car, I guess.

Sounds like what happened to my boxes of crayons left in the car on summer family road-trips when I was still into coloring books.

Thankfully, since I observe from around my house, melting filter wallets hasn't been an issue for me, but I see your point.

[bingevader]

Always pays to read!
I just thought it was a tongue in cheek thread referring to a newly purchased Tak!🤦‍♂️ 🤭🤣

The EP holder is nice too btw, honest!

[badhex]

Great solution. I found the same with the steel 2" tripod, and saw that once upon a time Geoptik (I think) made a similar thing to your solution, but I seem to recall it's no longer available. I had actually also planned to make my own solution and got as far as the leg cutouts, but then I seem to remember struggling to find the correct size hole saws - either too tight or too loose. Mind you this was in Germany, obviously imperial hole saws are extremely difficult to find! What sizes did you use for each?

[Mr Spock]

42 minutes ago, badhex said:

What sizes did you use for each?

I used the correct sizes - 2" and 1.25". Mine is an old set but you can still buy imperial. They do need sanding a bit as they are tight.

[badhex]

41 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

I used the correct sizes - 2" and 1.25". Mine is an old set but you can still buy imperial. They do need sanding a bit as they are tight.

Great, thanks. As I recall I was trying to find the equivalents in metric and did eventually find a 51mm, but never finished the project before I moved back to the UK. A bit easier in the UK to pick imperial stuff up. 

Anyway, looks great and I love that it matches the tripod in white. 

This is the Geoptik thing, btw. I feel like they have the EP holes the wrong way round, as surely 1.25" will be the most used and should be at the front like yours. 

[Mr Spock]

Yes, I prefer the 2" eyepieces at the back. Not because of use frequency, but because of size. A 42mm LVW v ortho is no contest 

I use a table with holes for the Dob. I will need a new table top though. As I'm going down the x4 Powermate and LVW (+30mm UFF) route I need more than the two 2" holes it has.

[Don Pensack]

It's convenient to have your eyepieces at your fingertips, but in many places having them out like that, they'd be covered in dew or frost and very slippery to pick up.

Not to mention they'd be a lot colder than if kept in a case, so your warm moist eye would fog the eyepiece up almost immediately.

[Mr Spock]

9 minutes ago, Don Pensack said:

but in many places having them out like that, they'd be covered in dew or frost and very slippery to pick up

But many places don't have those problems