Removing secondary mirror on 130Heritage?

[bombassa]

Anyone tried to remove the secondary mirror on the SW 130 Heritage? What is that white thing on the back of the mirror? Not tape I hope?

I have some dots on mine and am thinking about cleaning it. I usually observe by the sea and is somewhat concerned about the salt.

EDIT: Well answering my own post after actually removing the mirror - yes it seems to be glued on. Is that the usual way they attach secondary mirrors in newtons?

EDIT EDIT: Sorry this is turning into a dialogue with myself - I can see from the internet that glue isn't uncommon.

[NGC 1502]

I think you will find that SW use a double sided sticky foam

pad to attach their newtonian secondaries. I've had two SW

newts. My current OO uses blobs of silicon, looks messy but

works, and doesn't stress the glass.

Never had a secondary fall off yet................

Regards, Ed.

[bombassa]

I think you will find that SW use a double sided sticky foam

pad to attach their newtonian secondaries. I've had two SW

newts. My current OO uses blobs of silicon, looks messy but

works, and doesn't stress the glass.

Never had a secondary fall off yet................

Regards, Ed.

This is good to know. I had a vision of wet sticking foam letting go of my seconday in the middle of a moisty session.

[Moonshane]

hi there

I think it's important to protect your optics from salt as much as you can and regularly remove any residues due to salt as according to what I have read, this is one of those substances that can quickly reduce the life of your coatings. I suspect that a dew shield and a shroud would help reduce the effects in your case?

It looks as though the secondary is rather traditional on your scope from the photos I found online. With the scope tube horizontal and keeping hold of the secondary at all times (but obviously don't touch the mirror), loosen either the three collimation screws or the central bolt and you will then feel the secondary holder loosen. Continue to loosen the secondary central bolt and eventually the mirror and it's holder will be removable. Make a mental note of how many turns anticlockwise you had to make and then do the reverse when you put it back. Be aware thugh that you need to do a full collimation after doing this.

You could try to perform the cleaning with the secondary in situ but this might be tricker.

Either way be careful and follow the recommended cleaning processes.

Good luck.

Shane

[LukeSkywatcher]

Bombassa...........i think you mean the primary mirror on the Heritage. The secondary mirror is the small one at the open end of the scope and can be removed simply by unscrewing the spider vane.

P.S.~~~ive never removed the primary on my Heritage. I hope it will be many years before i do.

[bombassa]

Bombassa...........i think you mean the primary mirror on the Heritage. The secondary mirror is the small one at the open end of the scope and can be removed simply by unscrewing the spider vane.

P.S.~~~ive never removed the primary on my Heritage. I hope it will be many years before i do.

No it is the secondary. I wanted to clean it. It's no problem getting the holder (and mirror) off the scope but the mirror itself is attached to the holder with sticky foam. I have cleaned it as well as possible without putting the whole thing in water, which I think perhaps would be bad for the foam.

I have removed the primary several times and it's no problem. And I haven't dropped it yet...

Concerning salt: I already use a campingmat as a combined shroud/dew shield but perhaps cleaning both mirrors once in a while would be a good idea?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ah ok. I'm with you now. Ive never looked closely at the secondary before (unless observing). Yeah i wouldnt think the water would be good for the foam/glue. Best just to rinse the mirror itself.