Help! - Replacing 2" focuser with a 1-1/4

A little help, please!

I just purchased an 8" Meade Starfinder with a 2" focuser. Since I've just purchased a bunch of 1-1/4 EPs with longer eye relief, I simply don't anticipate using 2" eyepieces anytime soon. I also have a nice Parks focuser of superior quality that I would prefer to use. Is there a good way to plug the hole for the larger focuser and then redrill for the 1-1/4?

Thanks!

Dave

Hi Dave,

Just make a metal or plastic plate slightly larger that the area needed to cover the holes and mount the new one.

Bend it to conform to the tube. Mount the plate with four small corner screws and nuts.

Paint the plate black to prevent light reflection at night.

John

Hi:

While it is certainly possible to replace the 2 inch with a 1.25 as others have suggested, I would think twice about. The ability to use 2 inch eyepieces is significant and at some point will allow for much larger fields of view. With the 1.25 inch eyepieces you are limited to about 1.25 degrees, with a 2 inch focuser 2 degrees would be possible. If you are finding things by starhopping, then that wider field of view, even with a relatively inexpensive eyepiece will be welcome.

A couple of things that are important when replacing the focuser:

1. Make sure the new focuser and the old focuser are nearly the same height. Otherwise you will end up with difficulties coming to focus and may even need to move the primary mirror.

2. Alignment of the focuser is critical so allow for some adjustment so that you can center and square the focuser.

Also, if this is a Starfinder DOB, the mirror cells are supposed to quite heavy, a big chunk of cast iron that also balances the scope. This apparently makes cooling the scope down near impossible.

What ever you do, you will have fun with this scope...

jon