What Repairs do you undertake on your kit?

[Jim Franklin]

As we currently have this discussion going on about warranty repairs/replacement under the Meade UK thread, it made me wonder what repairs people do to their kit regardless of warranty status. 

I do as much of my own repairs as possible - today I have been doing repairs to aluminium extension tubes (dropped and dented ends), adapting an old manual tripod to be a permanent home for my 25x100 binoculars - the tripod head was missing parts, I picked it up for £5 in a charity shop about 2 years ago - now semi retired I made the time to do the adaptions I needed. 

I have ordered a new control board for my LX200, but in the meantime, I have taken the mount apart, taken the board out and will be identifying what failed when my Oscilloscope arrives back home this evening. I am ordering a 3D printer to enable me to both create repair items, but also make things that I would like but are not manufactured - obviously there are limits to this process - afterall, I will not be ordering a 3D printer capable of 3D printing aluminium - the other half would have a fit if I spent £20K on a 3D printer for personal use when I have an engineering company about 300m away that can do it for me if required. 

Obviously, we all clean our optics, but has anyone here made their own telescope? I have a project in play to come to fruition in a few years time, that will see me doing this - another reason for getting practice in with the 3D printer now. 

Most of my equipment is Meade, I have found out there is a part I need, I need two and only have 1, that I simply cannot buy, so I have relented and the engineering company is making a copy for me from the one I have, but my plan is to make some out of PETG and see how that goes. Now I have time on my hands - I am keeping busy. 

So what are you all up to?

[Ags]

I regularly "fix" my laptops with large mallet.

Of course, after that the warranty is void.

[Jim Franklin]

1 minute ago, Ags said:

I regularly "fix" my laptops with large mallet.

Of course, after that the warranty is void.

I am constantly doing something on one of my computers!! I blame Microsoft or some other software manufacturer - but often its just my impatience!

[John]

Only collimation and cleaning of optics, and tweaking of nuts and bolts, when needed, with my gear. No electronics involved in my setups !

I've improved the action of a couple of focusers from time to time as well and replaced a couple too, over the years. Some mounts needed their action smoothing / easing a little as well. All fairly basic stuff.

 

 

 

 

[Stu]

This is my biggest repair to date, hopefully not to be repeated with this or any other scope!

Stu

[Elp]

Constant gear acquisition syndrome means there's no need for repairs...

[CraigT82]

My 300p fell off the mount once. Scope was fine but patio needed repair… does that count?! 

[Elp]

Maybe my back gets its "repair" during the time of non astronomical darkness.

[Alan White]

My most expansive repair was not all my own work.

When my ED103 Vixen slid off its mounting an took a superman flight across the patio.

The lens cell was out and that went to Es Read for a check and sort out.

The damaged focuser etc was dealt with over a period of time by myself, parts were an issue to obtain.

Stuck with it and all is good again, but took a longtime. 
 

In the meantime I bought a SD103 Vixen, now have two very similar scopes.

 

[Ratlet]

I like old and I like DIY.  If it's in warranty I just send it back, but once it's out I'll rip it to bits.  A lot of it isn't repairs but I've had mounts to bits to tube them, multiple lenses stripped down to get the focal point adjusted and try and fix astigmatism.

[bosun21]

I'll basically tackle anything mechanical and electrical but draw the line at collimating ED refractors. I know when I've reached a bridge too far for my skills.

[bosun21]

42 minutes ago, Alan White said:

My most expansive repair was not all my own work.

When my ED103 Vixen slid off its mounting an took a superman flight across the patio.

The lens cell was out and that went to Es Read for a check and sort out.

The damaged focuser etc was dealt with over a period of time by myself, parts were an issue to obtain.

Stuck with it and all is good again, but took a longtime. 
 

In the meantime I bought a SD103 Vixen, now have two very similar scopes.

 

Can you see any difference between them optically Alan?

[Alan White]

The SD is marginally better, but I think that’s just the newer scope.

The ED103 will be the keeper as I have gone through a lot with Lazarus.

[John]

On 03/09/2024 at 19:26, bosun21 said:

I'll basically tackle anything mechanical and electrical but draw the line at collimating ED refractors. I know when I've reached a bridge too far for my skills.

Doublets are OK. It's triplets that I tend to shy away from messing with.

I tried out a 6 element apo a few years back - the elements were in 3 groups spaced along the scope tube. I would definitely NOT fancy trying to collimate that !

 

[Jim Franklin]

13 hours ago, John said:

Doublets are OK. It's triplets that I tend to shy away from messing with.

I tried out a 6 element apo a few years back - the elements were in 3 groups spaced along the scope tube. I would definitely NOT fancy trying to collimate that !

 

Where is your sense of adventure man 😁😂

[skybadger]

On 03/09/2024 at 16:24, Jim Franklin said:

Obviously, we all clean our optics, but has anyone here made their own telescope?

A few. 

All with purchased optics though.

Currently learning grinding of mirrors but that has been paused during summer due to warm garage syndrome.

[Jim Franklin]

2 hours ago, skybadger said:

A few. 

All with purchased optics though.

Currently learning grinding of mirrors but that has been paused during summer due to warm garage syndrome.

I once considered making my own mirros - but decided I lacked the space and patience - I made a 10" several decades ago but nothing since - but may revisit this, however, as with the 10", it will be manufactured optics. I know my skill limits. 

[ONIKKINEN]

I'll repair anything if needed, or at least attempt to. The way i see it if i have already concluded that the item does not need warranty repairs and isn't obviously flawed in some way im just not going to bother sending it back for a repair i could do myself. I wont attempt repairs to optical surfaces though as i have no idea how to do that.

With my VX8 i repaired/replaced the spider, focuser, primary center marker, primary cell (cleaned up, re-seated mirror just in case), blackened both mirror edges and lastly swapped the tube itself. The scope is almost a ship of theseus with every part either replaced or modified in some way.

[Astronomist]

I'm more than happy to fiddle with/ fix anything mechanical and almost anything optical. However there is zero chance I would touch a triplet refractor, just thinking about collimating an apo gives me a headache.

Edited September 5 by Astronomist

[CraigT82]

32 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

The scope is almost a ship of theseus with every part either replaced or modified in some way.

Ahh the ship of Theseus.... the Trigger's Broom of antiquity!

[ONIKKINEN]

4 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Ahh the ship of Theseus.... the Trigger's Broom of antiquity!

Had to look that up, was a funny skit. Trigger's scope it is, although i still have some cathing up to do to reach 14 handles worth.

[wookie1965]

My EQ5 suffered the dreaded bendy bolts, Peter Drew did a fix but it didn't work for long, then Damian (Mapstar) asked me to send it to him, he totally changed it I have pictures on my computer now adjusting the altitude is like butter I could not thank him enough. 

Pictures added.

Edited September 6 by wookie1965

[Jim Franklin]

11 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

My EQ5 suffered the dreaded bendy bolts, Peter Drew did a fix but it didn't work for long, then Damian (Mapstar) asked me to send it to him, he totally changed it I have pictures on my computer now adjusting the altitude is like butter I could not thank him enough. 

That is good, good service is critical. I changed all my bolts on my scopes and mounts to high tensile stainless steel metric, tapping out the holes where necessary, and adding a tiny amount of copper slip to avoid seizing up or otherwise becoming still. 

[malc-c]

I've programmed and replaced / sent  around 30+ PIC16F886's on several SGL members motor boards after they had blown them in some way or another.

I also replaced the two electrolytic capacitors on my own HEQ5 control board after they failed and stopped the board form working.

Edited September 6 by malc-c