Fixing crosshairs

[wookie1965]

I have just bought a second hand vixen spotting scope I still need a base if anyone has one or if anyone could make one please 

Back to the crosshairs when looking through the crosshairs are broken I was thinking of using thin copper wire but what to hold it in place with any info most appropriated. 

Paul 

[NGC 1502]

For fixing cross wires in place I have used tiny dots of epoxy glue. Just tiny amounts put in place with the point of nail or similar pointed tool.  It’s fiddly but doable.

If you need to make new wires I can recommend using single strands of electrical flex.  Very thin or they will appear as tree trunks in your field of view!

[wookie1965]

5 minutes ago, NGC 1502 said:

For fixing cross wires in place I have used tiny dots of epoxy glue. Just tiny amounts put in place with the point of nail or similar pointed tool.  It’s fiddly but doable.

If you need to make new wires I can recommend using single strands of electrical flex.  Very thin or they will appear as tree trunks in your field of view!

Thats brilliant just need some epoxy glue, Got superglue, plastic glue and uhu just my luck.

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

I have a reel of ultra fine wire, about the diameter of tungsten lamp filament, makes very good replacement cross hairs. PM your address if you want some. Anyone else too is welcome.

[Dave scutt]

Hi Paul. 

I have an old skywatcher finder which didn't focus any good , would  the back be suitable 

[NGC 1502]

13 hours ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

I have a reel of ultra fine wire, about the diameter of tungsten lamp filament, makes very good replacement cross hairs. PM your address if you want some. Anyone else too is welcome.

 

What a great offer…..50 metres please😊

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

£5 per metre and it's yours. (I could do with a Christmas bonus). In truth there must be a kilometre of the stuff on the reel.

[wookie1965]

Thank you to Mr H in Yorkshire sending me some very thin wire to make a new crosshairs. 

That's why I love this forum we all help each other out when we can. 

Paul 

Edited November 15 by wookie1965

[Carbon Brush]

On 14/11/2024 at 10:28, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

£5 per metre and it's yours.

Spoken like a true Yorkshireman🤣
I know, I was born there!

Back to the glue. Basically anything will do. You are not after strength. Just somethng to hold it in place.
A drop of UHU, or plastic cement, or bike puncture glue, or shoe glue, or almost anything.
If you use a silicone sealant type (vinegar smell while curing) leave the scope open until everything has fully cured.
The acetic acid vapour will get anything bright and shiny!
Epoxy involves mixing.

HTH, David.

Edited November 15 by Carbon Brush

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

2 hours ago, Carbon Brush said:

Spoken like a true Yorkshireman

I'm an adoptive Yorkshireman, born and bred Londoner. Now been here 40 years and loved every day. I always joked that the greatest distinction in the lifestyles of London and Nidderdale were reflected in the local newspapers. London: 'Robbery Murder Mayhem', Nidderdale: 'Chicken Thought Lost'. With a takeaway and a cash machine, Pateley Bridge has entered the 21st century, but the headlines would still read the same, I'm glad to say. As with most of the UK the light pollution has grown, back then I could get home from work, get out of my car and see the Milky Way! Now the irony is the office of Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, dedicated to preserving the natural world, has a massive LED light over it's doorway - but it's unoccupied over night.

[Carbon Brush]

47 minutes ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

office of Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, dedicated to preserving the natural world, has a massive LED light over it's doorway

How embarrassing for them🤣.
In a nearby small town, Ollerton, there is trading estate, built on a colliery site. The new buildings are proclaimed by the council to be energy efficient. It is formally called the 'energy village'.
At night the unoccupied offices and workshops are fully illuminated😡.

Yes you have made a good move to Yorkshire.
I'm managing in rural Nottinghamshire. Surrounded by parkland, Clumber, Thoresby and more, the remants of Sherwood Forest, and other smaller woods.
I still need to return to Yorkshire at intervals for a stones and hills fix😀

Anyay, back on topic. Paul, do let us know how you get on.

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

I privately briefed Paul on my method of fixing crosshairs when I had to mend some but it may be useful to post the method as it might help someone in the future. 

Make a card disk about 4" diameter with a central hole to fit over the relevant part of the eyepiece. This only works if the crosshair holder part is easily accessible. I marked the cardinal points and tensioned the wire across N to S and W to E, gluing the wire under slight tension. This facilitates keeping the crosshairs at right angles. Then put the cardboard disk over the holder, glue the crosshairs and snip off when set.

[wookie1965]

I'm getting some glue tomorrow but it will all be for nought if I cannot get the base plate that fits to the finder. 

[wookie1965]

Well done it just waiting for the glue to dry then trim the excess. 

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

If I may offer constructive criticism, the crosshair wires don't look under tension. Is this a practise run? If you need to redo things, I have plenty more spare wire.

[wookie1965]

Well I had hoped it worked as very fiddly, I should have enough to do it again as looking through the spotter it doesn't look good. 

[wookie1965]

Well this is a bit better and got no more wire left. 

 

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

I'll post a good long bit more tomorrow.

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

I'll post a good long bit more tomorrow.

Thank you I got one line right anchored one side then pulled taught with tweezers. 

I should be able to do the same in both axis next time. 

[NGC 1502]

3 hours ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

I'll post a good long bit more tomorrow.

 

Wot nice people on here😊

[wookie1965]

Thank you to Paul H (Mr H in Yorkshire) I have now sorted the crosshairs. 

Not a very good picture through the finder but that's because the inner lens is milky which I have only just seen. 

Paul 

 

Edited November 29 by wookie1965

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

Looking good, it's crucial to get some tension in the wire.

[wookie1965]

26 minutes ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

Looking good, it's crucial to get some tension in the wire.

Yes it looks good now the keys kept the tension on. 

[Tomatobro]

An alternative to wire is to cut out a disc from Perspex and then use a Stanley knife (with a new blade) and using a rule as a guide scratch a line across the disc. The rotate 90 degrees and scratch another. If required a red led mounted sideways will produce a nice illuminated cross.

In the old days I used to leave a small gap tin the middle so I could centre on a star for manual guiding.

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

56 minutes ago, Tomatobro said:

An alternative to wire is to cut out a disc from Perspex and then use a Stanley knife (with a new blade) and using a rule as a guide scratch a line across the disc. The rotate 90 degrees and scratch another. If required a red led mounted sideways will produce a nice illuminated cross.

In the old days I used to leave a small gap tin the middle so I could centre on a star for manual guiding.

I originally had to do this repair for an air rifle sight which I wanted to use with a scope. I found on really dark nights I couldn't see the crosswires, and when I got the target star centred, it was eclipsed, so I doubled the wires and added a red LED, which reflected nicely off the shiny metallic wires. I acquired this wire decades ago but it is actually tungsten wire for lamp filaments. I have to say your idea sounds somewhat simpler. 

Edited Friday at 20:43 by Mr H in Yorkshire