HELP Meade SCT assembly question

Hi folks: I have become an expert at assembling and disassembling my 8" Meade SCT (model 2080 oldie but goodie), along with associated skills such as cleaning optics, replacing grease, losing and finding little parts in the carpet, etc. But for all this, I still have more focus-driven image shift than I think is reasonable (about 10% of FOV in my 26mm EP.)

It is a LOT better since I tightened the primary mount (dried/shrunk cork ring.) But I am now contemplating the remaining possible sources of shift. Could it be the mount of the center tube to the rear frame? Searching the web, I find no reference to how this tube is attached to the frame. It looks like it MIGHT just be threaded and spun in, but I don't see any set screws as would be expected.

Does anyone have experience with this? Is the center tube removable?

Thanks-=-Chas in Dayton

Charles Littell said:

Hi folks: I have become an expert at assembling and disassembling my 8" Meade SCT (model 2080 oldie but goodie), along with associated skills such as cleaning optics, replacing grease, losing and finding little parts in the carpet, etc. But for all this, I still have more focus-driven image shift than I think is reasonable (about 10% of FOV in my 26mm EP.)

It is a LOT better since I tightened the primary mount (dried/shrunk cork ring.) But I am now contemplating the remaining possible sources of shift. Could it be the mount of the center tube to the rear frame? Searching the web, I find no reference to how this tube is attached to the frame. It looks like it MIGHT just be threaded and spun in, but I don't see any set screws as would be expected.

Does anyone have experience with this? Is the center tube removable?

Thanks-=-Chas in Dayton

By "center tube to frame," you mean "baffle tube to rear cell"? If so, likely not...it would have to be way off true.