HELP! Nut stuck in Mak

[TheThing]

I've taken the dovetail off my Celestron 4SE (to fit tube rings), but I didn't realise that one of the screws had a nut of the other end, inside the tube!

I now have a loose nut in the tube between the front corrector plate and the main mirror! I've tried to screw the bolt back into it, but with nothing to hold it, I cant get the thread to bite.

Is there anyway of extracting it please?

Thank you!

(From a numpty who should look before weilding a screwdriver!)

[jgs001]

I don't know if you can carefully thread a small magnet through the ep hole, maybe on a stick and string, and collect it like that ? You might have to tip the tube gently down, so the nut rolls gently down to the corrector... I've never tried any of this... so I can't say whether this will work or not... Be very careful though..

[TheThing]

You beauty! Simple, yet clever. I had to take a magnetic door catch apart to get a manget small enough to go thru. I had mild heart failiure when the nut clunked against the corrector plate, but the magnet latched on first time and it came straight out.

Genius. Thank you kindly John, you're a hero!

[jgs001]

Phew, I'm glad that worked and didn't break anything ... Nice one.

[Peter Drew]

Good to see that neccessity is still the mother of invention! If you ever need to replace the dovetail, in most small Mak cases, the front cell along with the corrector lens usually unscrews and can be refitted without loss of initial collimation.

[TheThing]

Thanks Peter. I might just dangle it back in with the magnet though!

[Orion]

HELP! Nut stuck in Mak

I feel your pain brother.

:D:D

[TheThing]

Dave,

More coffee spat over the work computer!

That's the best laugh I've had all week, thank you!

I didn't even think about it when I posted my plea.

[TheThing]

I probably shouldn't mention that I pulled my (focusing) knob off last night then! Still, it'll glue back on.

[Orion]

What you get up to in the privacy of your own home is your business, as long as no one is hurt, and a gerbil isn't involved it's all good.

[Marmite]

How long do you reckon this thread would have lasted if it had been posted on CN?

Plus you guys would all be permanently banned from there, and probably sued.

[Orion]

Yes, probably because there was no mention of the latest Zambuto 55.5" laser controlled cherry birch truss built in ladder capable of 5000x mags in Manhattan no tube one pole Dob. :)

Nowt to do with the gerbil.

[ollypenrice]

Great solution to the problem. When I was teacher a girl got her tongue stuck in a pop bottle. Funny and not funny! We took her to hospital where all scratched their heads till some bright medical type just led her to a tap and ran hot water over it. Hmmm.

Olly

[legion48]

Great solution to the problem. When I was teacher a girl got her tongue stuck in a pop bottle. Funny and not funny! We took her to hospital where all scratched their heads till some bright medical type just led her to a tap and ran hot water over it. Hmmm.

Olly

Hot water over her tongue? That'll teach her a lesson.

[Marmite]

Yes, probably because there was no mention of the latest Zambuto 55.5" laser controlled cherry birch truss built in ladder capable of 5000x mags in Manhattan no tube one pole Dob. :)

Nowt to do with the gerbil.

Heheh, or that every Astro-Physics telescope is personally blessed by god.