Lathe anyone ??

[beamish]

I'm on my way to making my "kwiq-guider" lookalike.

Two things to ask here;

My 9x50 finder arrived ( thanks Robin !) and phase two is to attach a 2"-1 1/4" adapter to the end of the finder. Now when the eyepiece holder is removed there appears to be an M42 thread. I'm only guessing cos' a 2" SCT thread will go but jams.

So :

a) Can anyone with a SW 8x50 or 9x50 finder tell me if it is an M42 thread ?

has anyone a lathe to die an M42 thread onto the insert bit of the said 2"-1 1/4" adapter or can suggest who to go to get it done?

I'm trying to achieve all this neatly and securely, hence the requirement for a threaded adapter. I could file down the adapter and then drill and tap the finder housing to accept set screws to hold the adapter, but don't wish to destroy the threads in the process. A 2" adapter is just right if threaded, there are other Heath Robinson methods available if all else fails.

Many thanks guys and guyesses

Karlo

[johninderby]

As far as I know it's not an M42 thread.

I did something similar a while ago and fitted a 1.25" to 2" eyepiece adaptor by simply turning down the barrel of the adaptor in a lathe. It was turned down until it was a very tight fit in the end of the finder body and had to be tapped into place with a rubber mallet, but once in it wouldn't move. So if you can find someone with a small lathe it should be a simple job to sort out but if it was removed later on the thread might be damaged.

Did you consider getting an Anares finder as the finder body takes any 1.25" eyepiece or diagonal barrel which is held in by a setscrew so no modifications needed.

John

[beamish]

Grrrr no! I didn't know that John Ne'er mind it's here now- yup the idea of milling it down a tad had occurred to me, I'd still need to befriend someone with a lathe

Also just realised I was talking rubbish re the M42 thread, obviously isn't an M42 thread if the ID is close to 50mm- it'll be M48 at a guess.

Karlo

[Milamber]

I'm not here. Not at all. Nope. Not me.

Arthur - who can be PM'd quite easily you know.

[beamish]

Still in two minds Arthur whether to have a thread cut into it or have it milled/filed down.

Karlo

[Psychobilly]

I'm not here. Not at all. Nope. Not me.

Arthur - who can be PM'd quite easily you know.

Who said that...

Peter...

[beamish]

I'd firstly like to thank those very kind people who have contacted via pm with their kind offers of help I really appreciate it:icon_salut: - however I'm an inpatient bu**er and it's amazing what one can achieve with a few jewellery tools and an upturned and clamped belt-sander

I am proud to announce Mission accomplished, faite a complete !!

Tested out earlier and now ready for it's first light -total cost 40.00

This will make guiding as easy to set up as taking the scope out !!( whichever I choose), whilst making balance and weight issues a thing of the past Well hwere's hoping anyway

Th plan is mount it via the stnd SW bracket for the 8" Cape and in rings and on Arthur's dual mount bar when using the WO ZS66SD:)

[saturn5]

Necessity is the mother of all invention,way to go Karlo and you cant beat the satisfacton of solving a problem yourself.

[AshObservatory]

Way to go.....Hoping it works as great as it looks....Job well done

[beamish]

Okay ,sorry to be soooo smug !! But just been outside- that little set-up of the finder and the QHY5 is the dog's danglies Barely any xtra weight for the mount to deal with AND Guide stars everywhere !!!!

On the longer expo in PHD could even make out quite clearly M81 & M82

took a trip over to Markarian's Chain and all the lickle galaxies started appearing on the screen:)

I am sooo gonna lurve this - can't wait to get the modded camera on the main scope

PS I used Peter's 66 Bahtinov mask to focus the finder with too -how easy does it need to get---just in time for the rainy weather !

Karlo

[Reggie]

Those qhy5's are nice little guidecam's aren't they Karlo? As you rightly pointed out, picking out M81 & 82 is simple with one, the ring nebula was simple too, so easy to tell if your goto is on target