Looking For New SCT Focuser

[Herakles]

Anyone familiar with the Revelation SCT Crayford Focuser Dual Speed ?

Thinking about upgrading the focuser on the C9.25. Would like to be able to get the Moonlite from FLO but it's a bit out of my budget sadly. Looking at the one from Telescope House.

Is the Revelation one any good, looking to be able to attach QHY5v/EOS 450D to it , any slop in the tube or any other points of note.

Pete

[brianb]

The big problems with all these add-on focusers are (a) they make the tube longer - potentially causing a problem with mount clearance, you may not be able to access the zenith; ( they make the tube even more tail heavy than it is naturally, you will almost certainly need a counterweight system; © the extended back focus reduces the available field width.

Suggest you also consider the Feathertouch replacement focuser - this is much smoother than the standard, has 10:1 reduction but does not change the balance of the tube, use up back focus or risk fouling the mount. It's expensive but easy to fit & works excellently.

[Herakles]

Thanks Brian, I did wonder about the counter weight set , never knew about the field width being reduced.

[alfi]

hi

if the moonlite is expensive, just order it from rob on moonlite directly, i did that for my refractor, nice price, good service, and a fantastic piece of kit.

alfi

[Daz1969]

I bought a revolation dual speed for my 8" SCT a couple of months ago.

Have been very pleased with it. I must admit i was suprised how well it was made for the money.

Daz:icon_salut:

[Herakles]

Cheers Alfie.

[Herakles]

Thanks Daz , how did you find the weight dif' at the rear ?

[alfi]

hi

sorry, his name is not rob, its ronald.

alfi

[Daz1969]

To be honest it hasnt really made much of a diff - I just moved the weights a tad further down the bar and its nicely balanced.

As i said earlier i was so pleased with the quality , i would buy one again in a heart beat.

Great value for money.

It would be nice to have one of those moonlite thingys but iam as poor as a church mouse.

Go for it - You wont be dispapointed.

Daz:)

[Herakles]

Cheers again Daz.

[Gerrymac]

I picked up a C11 SCT focuiser from Moonlite today - or at least Customs & Excise released it to me today and I collected it from a ParcelForce office in South London after paying another £65 on top of the Moonlite direct cost of about £240. Going direct to Ron at Moonlite didn't save me money in the end, but perhaps others will be luckier. I think that another counterweight will be needed, especially when i start hanging a DSLR off it too. That all said, I'm not bitter. It's a beautiful chunk of finely machined metal and well worth the cost. The eyeball and fingertips are the key points of physical interaction when viewing, and handling a fine focuser like that does add to the tactile pleasure of it all (nurse! curtains please...)

Cheers

[Herakles]

lol Gerry ( re Nurse ) pity about Customs tho' .It does indeed look like a sexy bit of Astro kit. Still undecided what way I will go . Will give it more thought over next few weeks. Thanks for yoo're imput.

Pete

[arad85]

There is a mid-priced option - the William Optics focuser. I've just bought one off FLO for my C9.25. Lovely bit of kit and the new version is definitely a Crayford and not a R&P one as shown in FLOs photo. Seems very nicely made and is definitely a step up from the dual speed Crayford on my Revelation 12" dob (which is different to the Revelation 12" SCT you can get from TH). Link is here: Williams Optics - William Optics Linear-Power Focuser for SCT Telescopes but, as I say, isn't a R&P as the photo shows.

Balance won't be a problem on a EQ6

[Herakles]

Cheers for that Arad , looks classy that bit of kit ( nurse ,curtains! ) and a WO logo , go along wit me WO extension tube , lol.

Out of interst , once these are fitted to the SCT's what is the best way to lock the mirror down , if there is a way ?

[arad85]

Out of interst , once these are fitted to the SCT's what is the best way to lock the mirror down , if there is a way ?

With Celestrons, there isn't and you'll still need the travel anyway if you remove the diagonal (for example to do prime focus imaging) to get the correct focus.

[Herakles]

Ah , I did wonder about that mate. Thanks for clearing that up.