FLT98 focuser (Carbon).

[ollypenrice]

Hi,

The focuser on the aluminium version of this scope has been roundly denounced on all sides but does anyone know about that of the carbon version? Is the carbon version as good in other respects?

Olly

[SteveL]

i had a flt98 carbon fiber (notice i said "had") and the focuser has all the same issues that WO focusers have... they slip unless adjusted properly (and even then they are still suspect!), they all need to be about a mile out of the OTA to get to focus, and that causes slop...

[ollypenrice]

Cheers Steve. I guessed as much. Too little main tube, as ever with WO. However, if a price quoted in Sky at N this month can be believed (which I doubt) then I'm still interested.

Olly

[johninderby]

The focuser on the CF version is not bad at all. Same as the one on the Megrez 90.

The optics are the same, but when I spoke to Ian King he strongly recommended the ali tube version over the CF. Probably worth a chat with Ian about why he prefers the ali tube version.

John

[johninderby]

i had a flt98 carbon fiber (notice i said "had") and the focuser has all the same issues that WO focusers have... they slip unless adjusted properly (and even then they are still suspect!), they all need to be about a mile out of the OTA to get to focus, and that causes slop...

I've never come across a new WO focuser that was properly adjusted form the factory. There is an art to adjusting them properly.

Re: my previous post I didn't ask if it was for just visual.

John

[ollypenrice]

No, only the big Dob is just visual here, John! My idea would be to make a double barrel setup, Tak Baby Q and FLT98 in parallel both sporting Atik 4000s. FLs of 450 and 500 are close enough.

Olly

[johninderby]

The CF focuser should handle the camera OK if adjusted properly. I think the Atik 4000 is only about 1 Kg. Apparently the focuser has no problem handling a Canon EOS 40D which weighs about 750g.

I'd definitely have a word with Ian King about it though.

Of course if it all doesn't work out you could always get another FeatherTouch R&P.

John

[ollypenrice]

I doubt it is going to happen because I can't get a squeak out of the shop with the offer, but thanks for the info. I'll keep tryuing them.

Olly

[Takahashi]

However, if a price quoted in Sky at N this month can be believed (which I doubt) then I'm still interested.

Olly

Olly, if it's the price at Ace you're referring to, I had a bit of a laugh on the phone the other day with John about it. Apparently, I was about the 1000th person to enquire. Cheque book at the ready, of course.

Typos, eh? There to frustrate or amuse the reader, and other times to induce cardiac seizures.

[Whippy]

FWIW, I had the alu 98 and the focuser wasn't that bad. It needed a little adjustment initially but it certainly did whatever I asked of it. IIRC, the Carbon version had the fancy R&P model while the alu had the crayford.

Tony..

[johninderby]

There are two versions of the ali tube FLT98. The first one had a decent focuser. Unfortunately the latest version has the abysmal DDG focuser.

The CF version now comes with the same crayford as the Megrez 90.

John

[Whippy]

Ah i see. Thanks for that John.

Tony..

[johninderby]

I wish they'd kept the original focuser on the ali tube. That DDG only has a single track on the bottom of the focuser to hold the drawtube and no other supports/rollers anywhere else. Result you can hold the end of the drawtube and twist it nearly 1/4" from side to side with only gentle pressure. A badly flawed design.

John

[ollypenrice]

It was the typo that got me as well. Never mind, nice idea. Thanks for all the info.

Brief reply due to limited net access.

Olly