Bino Finder?

[step_hen]

Hi folks

Had a great night observing for a few hours with my 20x80 binos last night, mostly sweeping along the Milky Way in Cassiopeia and Cygnus regions. Sometimes i find it difficult to get my bearings with regard to where the bins are pointing in the sky, so i took a RDF and attached it with some tape to the mounting bar of the bins. It was suprising secure and worked well but probably wont be a long term solution. Just wondered if anyone else had come up with a more secure and permanent way of mounting a finder on binos?

Thanks

Stephen

[nicnac]

ive seen an "L" bracket with an RDF mounted on it just cant remember if it was a custom job

[nicnac]

have a look at these

Binoculars

[johninderby]

Scopes'n'Skies does one.

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/binocular/red-dot/tripod-bracket2.html

John

[PeterW]

Managed to stuff a bent metal with notch into the central pivot joint of my 25x100 and mount a rigel quikfinder (via synta base). Worked well, but needed to be used on a tripod.

One I made a while back, but you try at your own risk. I got a laser bracket made that attached via the tripod mount on my 15x70. So I can press the laser on, see where I am pointing and then look down the bins and know where I am looking. I also used this once to help others find Vesta. I found it in the bins and then shone the laser at the location, so others could then find it in their binoculars. As long as no one messes with the laser beam it is perfectly safe, but people should be briefed eforehand and not one to try with members of th general public.

Cheers

PEterW

[abumuhannadh]

Scopes'n'Skies does one.

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/binocular/red-dot/tripod-bracket2.html

John

lol, the last pic reminds me of Wall-E

[step_hen]

Thanks guys. The astronomy shoppe ones look just the job but they are US based, and the scopes'n'skies units i dont think will attach the the centrel rail of my 20x80's. I might see if i can adapt an L bracket or similar- off to look in the astroboot!

Stephen

[nicnac]

Thanks guys. The astronomy shoppe ones look just the job but they are US based, and the scopes'n'skies units i dont think will attach the the centrel rail of my 20x80's. I might see if i can adapt an L bracket or similar- off to look in the astroboot!

Stephen

they should deliver (as long as you dont mind paying shipping)

[LeoLion]

Hi , If your up for a little DIY then have a look at 15 mm pipe clips ( plumbing section at B & Q/Wilkinsons/Screwfix) . I will be using a couple of these clipped on to the hinging bar of my 25 x 100 's with some aluminium section joining them to hold my Red Dot Finder in place . Clip on and clip off . Its coming up on my 'To do' list . Hope this helps .

Oooooh and some one posted Scopes and Skies and nearly had me Astrobooting again ( three times to the well so far this month - muuuust stop ) ,

Len E

[johninderby]

The Astronomy Shoppe does ship to the UK. I had a SkyScout bracket off them last year.

John

[Mark at Beaufort]

Stephen

Below is a photo showing my RDF attached to my Celestron 15x70 binos. The equipment is Cullmann which is used for photography. The arm is really for a flashgun and the bracket slides into a Cullmann quick release photo head. Works a treat.

Mark

[step_hen]

Mark- That looks great! I'm going to try Len's suggestion of fixing a plate across the centrail rail with pipe clips first and see how i get on. If that and other DIY options doesnt work i'll maybe go down the ready made Astroshoppe route!

Cheers

Stephen

[step_hen]

Ok, picked up some 15mm Pipeclip with the intention of attaching to a small alu plate which i could then mount the RDF on. However when i looked at the clips i noticed they are just the right width and shape to fit the base of a MRF i also have, without the need for the plate in between. I'm pretty happy with the result- the clips hold very tight onto the bar, and using three keeps the whole thing in alignment well. Better then sellotape any day!

Stephen

[step_hen]

Some pics

[LukeSkywatcher]

Some good ideas here. I'll have to look into them. I have a small 8X20 finderscope which i want to fit to my 20X90 bins.

[MarkF]

Great innovation there Stephen, something I need to look into, but then I need to buy a finder first I don't have the luxury of the bar only a L bracket mount, but I think I can sort something out eventually.