Looking for a crayford focuser for my Orion 150mm
The R&P focuser's draw tube wobbles a lot and there isn't away to adjust it to stabilize it. So if anyone here has a focuser for sale or one they would sell, i would love to know. I would even buy a good R&P in replacement. It is currently a 1.25", Orion told me that a 2"/1.25" combo focuser would require me to drill out more space for the draw tube..... not really sure if i'd really like to do that, which is why I'm mentioning it here. I figure I can get advice while buying options are given. :D I am new here, pretty obvious, however I do know a feel people in the group/club. Kurt, my new found calculus classmate cohort Bill, helped me at Inkleys a few weeks ago which was extremely helpful(thanks Bill!). Patrick, who flies me up to 4k so I jump out and have some fun. :D Lastly, My name is Jonathan. Hello! Ha, just realized I kind of wrote this backwards... I guess email'ing while drinking after a nasty calc exam will do that to you. :P Thanks! :D
Jonathan, If you are going to upgrade your focuser, a 2" is your likely your best option. There are many 1.25"/2" adapters available. This does mean you have to bore a bigger hole, though.
What type of telescope are we talking about? Good stable focusers can be as cheap as $40 (a helical) or over $500 for fancy crayford's with anodized colors. My focuser had some slipping issues and adding a motorized focus solved them. The alternative was more expensive because the tailpiece and focuser are one. Erik The R&P focuser's draw tube wobbles a lot and there isn't away to adjust
it to stabilize it. So if anyone here has a focuser for sale or one they would sell, i would love to know. I would even buy a good R&P in replacement.
It is currently a 1.25", Orion told me that a 2"/1.25" combo focuser would require me to drill out more space for the draw tube..... not really sure if i'd really like to do that, which is why I'm mentioning it here. I figure I can get advice while buying options are given. :D
I am new here, pretty obvious, however I do know a feel people in the group/club. Kurt, my new found calculus classmate cohort Bill, helped me at Inkleys a few weeks ago which was extremely helpful(thanks Bill!). Patrick, who flies me up to 4k so I jump out and have some fun. :D Lastly, My name is Jonathan. Hello!
Ha, just realized I kind of wrote this backwards... I guess email'ing while drinking after a nasty calc exam will do that to you. :P Thanks! :D _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Jonathan, If you are going to upgrade your focuser, a 2" is your likely your best option. There are many 1.25"/2" adapters available. This does mean you have to bore a bigger hole, though.
Boring a larger hole in my tube sounds a bit scary. I guess a dremel with a grinding stone might be a good way to go for that though? What type of telescope are we talking about? Good stable focusers can be
as cheap as $40 (a helical) or over $500 for fancy crayford's with anodized colors.
It's an Orion 6LT. Ya, i've seen the fancy moonlight crayfords, my 150mm isn't worthy of one of those. :D I know the less expensive GSO or Zummell alternatives are fairly cheap but I would really like to spend even less than what those are going for new. Hopefully someone here has something around that range? :D
My focuser had some slipping issues and adding a motorized focus solved them. The alternative was more expensive because the tailpiece and focuser are one.
Erik
The focuser doesn't slip, it rocks back and forth. It made collimation a PITA. If i tighten the set screw, it doesn't.... but that's pretty obvious why. :P Ha ha.
It may ultimately be a lot cheaper and yield better results to buy an Orion 8" Tube that already has a 2" Crawford on it. Bob -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Jonathan Larsen Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 9:29 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Looking for a crayford focuser for my Orion 150mm
Jonathan, If you are going to upgrade your focuser, a 2" is your likely your best option. There are many 1.25"/2" adapters available. This does mean you have to bore a bigger hole, though.
Boring a larger hole in my tube sounds a bit scary. I guess a dremel with a grinding stone might be a good way to go for that though? What type of telescope are we talking about? Good stable focusers can be
as cheap as $40 (a helical) or over $500 for fancy crayford's with anodized colors.
It's an Orion 6LT. Ya, i've seen the fancy moonlight crayfords, my 150mm isn't worthy of one of those. :D I know the less expensive GSO or Zummell alternatives are fairly cheap but I would really like to spend even less than what those are going for new. Hopefully someone here has something around that range? :D
My focuser had some slipping issues and adding a motorized focus solved them. The alternative was more expensive because the tailpiece and focuser are one.
Erik
The focuser doesn't slip, it rocks back and forth. It made collimation a PITA. If i tighten the set screw, it doesn't.... but that's pretty obvious why. :P Ha ha.
Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Bob I bought a Moonlight for my Burgess 127 I didn't like paying the price for an achromat but the focuser was modified for DSLR work w/ a Herschel wedge I now consider this to be a good purchase w/ flawless performance. Aloha rob
Perhaps save your money and upgrade your whole telescope, you may be able to find used 1.25". Is the wobble caused by loose parts or a bent rack and pinion mechanism?
I would caution you in that there is no cure for aperture fever, once you catch it.
Jonathan,
If you are going to upgrade your focuser, a 2" is your likely your best option. There are many 1.25"/2" adapters available. This does mean you have to bore a bigger hole, though.
Boring a larger hole in my tube sounds a bit scary. I guess a dremel with a grinding stone might be a good way to go for that though?
What type of telescope are we talking about? Good stable focusers can be
as cheap as $40 (a helical) or over $500 for fancy crayford's with anodized colors.
It's an Orion 6LT. Ya, i've seen the fancy moonlight crayfords, my 150mm isn't worthy of one of those. :D I know the less expensive GSO or Zummell alternatives are fairly cheap but I would really like to spend even less than what those are going for new. Hopefully someone here has something around that range? :D
My focuser had some slipping issues and adding a motorized focus solved them. The alternative was more expensive because the tailpiece and focuser are one.
Erik
The focuser doesn't slip, it rocks back and forth. It made collimation a PITA. If i tighten the set screw, it doesn't.... but that's pretty obvious why. :P Ha ha.
Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 10:35 AM, <erikhansen@thebluezone.net> wrote:
Perhaps save your money and upgrade your whole telescope, you may be able to find used 1.25". Is the wobble caused by loose parts or a bent rack and pinion mechanism?
I would caution you in that there is no cure for aperture fever, once you catch it.
Heh the 150mm upgrade was just last weekend from my 114mm. I'd like to just find a decent focuser is all. The drawtube doesn't appear to be bent, and the focuser seems in tip top shape, i believe it to just be a cheap, low quality R&P focuser. My 114mm R&P celestron firstscope's focuser is better than this one on the orion. There are two little alan screws above and below the locking screw for this focuser, and while i can use those to make it wobble less, it digs into and scratches the drawtube.
Hi, I have a r@p focuser that is on a 8" dob. It is not working for that scope and I am changing it to another style focuser. You are welcome to it if you would like. The focuser was give to me about a year ago and So I will be passing it on to you. Mark Shelton ________________________________ From: Jonathan Larsen <agentc0re@learnix.net> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Fri, March 18, 2011 10:44:23 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Looking for a crayford focuser for my Orion 150mm On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 10:35 AM, <erikhansen@thebluezone.net> wrote:
Perhaps save your money and upgrade your whole telescope, you may be able to find used 1.25". Is the wobble caused by loose parts or a bent rack and pinion mechanism?
I would caution you in that there is no cure for aperture fever, once you catch it.
Heh the 150mm upgrade was just last weekend from my 114mm. I'd like to just find a decent focuser is all. The drawtube doesn't appear to be bent, and the focuser seems in tip top shape, i believe it to just be a cheap, low quality R&P focuser. My 114mm R&P celestron firstscope's focuser is better than this one on the orion. There are two little alan screws above and below the locking screw for this focuser, and while i can use those to make it wobble less, it digs into and scratches the drawtube. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
participants (5)
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erikhansen＠thebluezone.net -
Jonathan Larsen -
Mark Shelton -
Rob Ratkowski Photography -
Robert Taylor