Skywatcher dual speed crayford (newtonian)

[SlipperySquid]

Well my new focuser arrived today from FLO!! Fantastic service orederd yesterday 2pm arrived today at 2pm! Now that's service!

Initial impresions of the focuser was that it was a nice looking lump of metal but the action was terrible! I had to take the focuser to bits add a bit of grease and move one of the adjuster knobs slightly out as it was rubbing on the body...after that it ran buttery smooth.

Next niggle is that when you fit it to your scope (in my case a 200p newt) the base plate does not sit flush so light seeps in through the sides, no good for astrophotography when you need to take darks. So I had to make gasket from the packing foam to stop this.

Another niggle,when engaing the focus lock thumbscew it shifts the image AND changes the focus...so spend a good ten mins getting perfect focus....engage the thumbscrew...focus is out.

Last niggle,the inbuilt extension tube is next useless when you need to hang something heavy on the end of the focuser, The inernal gap between the focus tube and the extension is to much so the tube slops

So all in all for imaging this is not a great focuser if you intend to hang some weight on the end (Atik 16hr and filter wheel on mine) which is a shame as the focus action is nice and the fine focus knob is excellent for fine tuning that critical focus position.

I'm in two minds on wether to send the focuser back and get a moonlight or address the problems with it? I will have a word with FLO in the morning and post more on this later!

Cheers all!

Matt.

[Nexus 6]

Hi matt, not that I'm using it for imaging, more because it looks good, well really due to its nice action with no mirror shift, the Moonlite I have is a superb Focuser and makes a mokery of the one on the scope.

[SlipperySquid]

Hiya matey, If I was using the focuser just for visual I think it would be ok with normal size eye pieces but the heavier ones may cause a problem if you used the built in extension tube.

I think I'm going to have to buy the moonlight and feel the wrath of her indoors!

Hope you're getting some good skies at the moment mate, it's been clear here for 3 day's straight now and I couldn't wait anymore so I humped all the gear to work The light pollution is a killer and the HGV'S thundering past are not doing the guiding anygood! but at least I'm imaging doing my first RGB!!!

[Nexus 6]

Hiya matey, If I was using the focuser just for visual I think it would be ok with normal size eye pieces but the heavier ones may cause a problem if you used the built in extension tube.

I think I'm going to have to buy the moonlight and feel the wrath of her indoors!

Hope you're getting some good skies at the moment mate, it's been clear here for 3 day's straight now and I couldn't wait anymore so I humped all the gear to work The light pollution is a killer and the HGV'S thundering past are not doing the guiding anygood! but at least I'm imaging doing my first RGB!!!

Wow Matt you really must want those images, taking your kit to work! Appease the wife, I will get your garden in order and she'll be happy for you to have your Moonlite. Ye, the skies over here have been very good, in the sence we've all had some clear cloud free nights, hooray to that.

[SlipperySquid]

Just a quick update!

Ok so I took away the foam "gasket" and got hold of some black mastic to run around the outside of the base plate so no light could enter.Really feel like the focuser could do with a good flush fitting base plate but I can understand that these are meant to fit a variety of tube sizes. So now the base is "light tight" as it where.#

Also I have adjust the tension screws and tightened the four sliver hex screws as tight as they go so my focuser action is stiff but fluid and still smooth(does this make sense?). This has sorted out the focuser slop to nothing (That I can see anyway) so all in things are looking up but will do a proper test on the next clear night and post a few piccies.

Clear skies

Matt.