sw Quattro 150p focuser confusion

[alacant]

Hi everyone
Upon our recommendation, a visitor brought over their newly acquired Quattro 150p. One of the main recommendations for it was that it had the excellent Quattro monorail focuser. Alas, this example had the awful sw ds focuser.

SW can't/don't know or help, Does anyone know the policy for what is supplied to where? It seems that Spain sourced models have the proper monorail focuser whereas (guessing non EU?) countries have the cheap ds model. Is it possible to convert between focusers? Is the Quattro focuser available separately anywhere?

     

Edited December 9, 2023 by alacant
recomendation recommendation

[Whistlin Bob]

From various noise about this, I suspect it's not as simple as EU v Non EU. Mine came from FLO last March and has the better focuser. From comments elsewhere it seems as random as "some do, some don't". 

It's a shame there isn't consistency, because it's a terrific scope.

[alacant]

21 minutes ago, Whistlin Bob said:

there isn't consistency because it's a terrific scope

Thanks. Indeed it is such a pity. It seems to be down to luck as to which focuser is supplied. 

JTOL...
The closest we got from our local dealer was the distinction between Quattro and Black Diamond. Evidently, SW Europe carry both. Here for example is a black diamond. You can see that it has the inferior quality focuser. I wonder if that's it?

Still thinking....

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by alacant

[Mandy D]

@alacant which one is which in your photos? The one on the right looks like a rack & pinion focuser. The one on the left is the same as on my 300PDS. What is so awful about it?

Edited December 7, 2023 by Mandy D

[Backyardscope]

Hi,

The focuser on the left is supplied to the North America region, the right is supplied within the UK as mine was , AKA Skyline.

The rack and pinion one has two locking screws on each side, which has zero shift and can take more weight.

Edited December 7, 2023 by Backyardscope

[alacant]

2 hours ago, Backyardscope said:

rack and pinion

Neither focuser is of rack and pinion design.

[alacant]

2 hours ago, Mandy D said:

one on the right

That's the Crayford-friction model as fitted to the Quattro range. It works without introducing tilt and holds the position at which it is locked. Out of the box, usually.

HTH

[Mandy D]

1 hour ago, alacant said:

That's the Crayford-friction model as fitted to the Quattro range. It works without introducing tilt and holds the position at which it is locked. Out of the box, usually.

HTH

Thanks. I am considering replacing the one on my 300PDS and transferring the original to my 200P, as the fixing centres are the same. I'd like the Baader Diamond Steeltrack, but it is a touch expensive for my pocket at the moment, so I'm considering an OVL 2 speed low profile Crayford, which has the advantage of giving me more back-focus, but I don't know if it will provide a performance improvement.

Edited December 7, 2023 by Mandy D

[Whistlin Bob]

1 hour ago, Mandy D said:

I'm considering an OVL 2 speed low profile

Do you mean this one? 

https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/ovl-dual-speed-2-low-profile-crayford-focuser-for-newtonian-reflectors.html

I tried to use this for imaging and the design made it difficult to control tilt so I wouldn't recommend it for that purpose. I then swapped it to my dob and it's excellent for visual (let's me use binoviewers on my dob).

[Mandy D]

@Whistlin Bob Thanks. I'll give that one a miss, then. What did you end up using or recommend for imaging?

[Whistlin Bob]

11 minutes ago, Mandy D said:

What did you end up using or recommend for imaging?

This was on a 200p- I went back to a single speed sw Crawford, spent a bit of time adjusting it to make sure it was tight and then fitted one of the old school electric focusers to it (the one with a control box with buttons). Seems to work ok, but doesn't look great!

[alacant]

17 minutes ago, Mandy D said:

I'll give that one a miss

Hi

If anyone knows the answer to one of my original questions concerning the availability of the Quattro focuser, that would almost certainly represent a -drop-in- upgrade.

Anyone?

[Mandy D]

I might have to look around and see if I can get something better than I have or end up adjusting it. I don't think it is terrible, but it would be nice to get maximum performance out of the scope.

[Mandy D]

3 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi

If anyone knows the answer to one of my original questions concerning the availability of the Quattro focuser, that would almost certainly represent a -drop-in- upgrade.

Anyone?

Sorry, I seem to have hijacked your thread. I had a look around this afternoon to see if I could find anything as your post reminded me I wanted an upgrade, but I cannot find the focuser you want anywhere. All I came up with was the Baader Diamond Steeltrack, which is rather expensive.

https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/baader-diamond-2-steeltrack-nt-focuser.html

[alacant]

10 minutes ago, Mandy D said:

hijacked

No, no. OTC. I'm sure that if we hang around long enough, someone somewhere will have found a source.

 

[Mandy D]

@alacant It is expensive, but I think this may be it:

https://www.365astronomy.com/lacerta-linearpower-precision-dual-speed-focuser-1.25-2-compatible?path=119_416

[alacant]

Yes, well done. That's exactly it.

€silly, agreed. I haven't witnessed the Baader but this one I can recommend from hands on. If you've struggled with the basic 2 speed, this one you can fit and forget. It just works.

Maybe that now we know what it is, there will be other outlets.

[Backyardscope]

4 hours ago, alacant said:

That's the Crayford-friction model as fitted to the Quattro range. It works without introducing tilt and holds the position at which it is locked. Out of the box, usually.

HTH

Sorry that's what I meant, my wrong description. 

Have you tried TS:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4634_Skywatcher-Quattro-2--Crayford-Newtonian-Focuser.html

[PeterC65]

TS also sell their own version of the Sky-Watcher Quatro focuser. It looks very similar and is available from FLO (here).

I've been using the standard dual speed Sky-Watcher focuser for a while on my 150PDS. It works OK but needs adjusting to get it there. I have the same focuser on my new 200PDS and have been wondering whether there might be something better. It seems that a replacement focuser is always going to cost the thick end of £200 and that's just for a standard Crayford. For anything better you need to pay nearer £300 and at that price the best option is probably a Baader SteelTrack (they seem to get good reviews).

 

[johnturley]

1 hour ago, PeterC65 said:

It seems that a replacement focuser is always going to cost the thick end of £200 and that's just for a standard Crayford. For anything better you need to pay nearer £300 and at that price the best option is probably a Baader SteelTrack (they seem to get good reviews).

 

I've been very pleased with the Baader SteelTrack Diamond Focuser that I've fitted to my 14 in Newtonian, one of the great things about this focuser is that it allows a bit of sideways adjustment to get it exactly aligned with the secondary. 

Its a pity though that it doesn't come with the Click Lock Clamp as standard though, you have to pay extra for this.

John

Edited December 8, 2023 by johnturley

[alacant]

34 minutes ago, PeterC65 said:

TS also sell their own version of the Sky-Watcher Quatro focuser.

That's the GSO focuser. It doesn't fit SW reflectors.

[Mandy D]

2 hours ago, alacant said:

That's the GSO focuser. It doesn't fit SW reflectors.

If you scroll down to Features on the page linked to by @PeterC65 there is mention of Newtonian bases for this focuser, so it might still fit, but again, it will not be a cheap solution. I'm still leaning towards the Badder Diamond Steeltrack for little more money.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Mandy D

[Backyardscope]

@alacant

The stock quattro focuser with the two knobs is actually pretty well stable I have found, I do not see the point in buying another sub £200-300 focuser, the focuser tube does not intrude into the light cone unlike the focuser tubes in the PDS range.

[alacant]

2 hours ago, Backyardscope said:

The stock quattro focuser

Hi everyone 

To avoid confusion...

Please see the OP. This thread concerns shipments of the SkyWatcher Quattro 150p with the inferior two speed focuser. 

I think the question raised afterwards was what would be a good choice to substitute the same inferior focuser but on a different telescope.

Cheers 

Edited December 8, 2023 by alacant

[alacant]

3 hours ago, Mandy D said:

there is mention of Newtonian bases

Be careful... They're for the TS branded GSO Newtonians.

If you search, I believe there are bases to adapt GSO to SW but by the time you've added the individual costs, not to mention hassle involved in then matching the tube radius and making it light proof...