One for all Focuser

Hi,
Looking to upgrade my C8N (Newtonian). Is there any Crayford design focuser available in the market that could be used in Newtonian as well as SCT or may be refractor may be by changing base plate or some additional adapters? I am planning to buy a SCT in near future but reluctant to pay again for an additional focuser.

Sorry, but have NOT seen a Crayford that will fit all, not even one that you could simply adapt different bases... after all, that's the idea, to be sure you have to buy another focuser in order to make money, again.

Hopefully others will chime in, if in fact something like what you want exists...



Clear skies! 8)

There is the Feathertouch focuser and it has all kinds of bases. The biggest issue is the length of the barrel. The length that works for one scope might not work well for another.

If you get a focuser made for an SCT, you can add an adapter at the front the lets it fit in a two inch focuser tube. THen, you can use it for fine focusing after inserting it into a very low profile focuser (like a helical, for example.

SOme warnings why this might not be too wise:

First, so what are you going to do with the old tube? Put the focuser you did not like back on it? Sell it? If you are kkeping it, you gotta get it a focuser.

Second, you will hve all sorts of back focus issues--will the extra focuser get close enough?

THird, the SCT focuser will probably have short focus travel--not good as a general purpose focuser (but, you can make up for this if you have a good low profile focuser to fit it into).

I do use just such an arrangement on my various tubes with my NGF-S/Robofocus. THis allows me to move the focuser from tube to tube as needed.

Alex