I have a meade 8 x 50 finder scope, straight through, is there any way to convert it to a right angle,other than buying a new one???
Finder scope conversion??
Started by farside, 11/12/2002 09:51PM
Posted 11/12/2002 09:51PM
Opening Post
Posted 11/12/2002 10:01PM
#1
Got a hacksaw? Chop the tube and grab the .965" diagonal from your old 60mm refractor (everybody has one of these from their childhood hiding in a closet somewhere). Presto!
Posted 11/13/2002 09:20PM
#2
I did it - but beware that if you use an EP that has too much "front end" you will have to chop off so much finder body it will not fit in the std. rings anymore. That said:
Get a good WA EP (20mm is standard) from an old bino pair (TASCO WA 7X35s worked for me). Rig a 1 1/4 inch tube (a old film can will work) as a EP body so it will fir in the diagonal. As an additional step mount a cross-hair in the EP (I like NOT having one myself - but your mileage may very...)
Select an old 90 or a 45 deg. 1 1/4 inch "correcting" diagonal (I used the latter myself - it will take more "body sawing" than the 90 deg. but the views are correct and at low powers the 45 deg. diagonal works fine).
Get a PVC tube coupling that is 2 inch or a bit less OD and about 1.5 ID (most hardare places will have it - bring your finder body and 1 1/4 inch diagonal along to check it out).
On the inside of the PVC coupler line it with black "loopy" gender self-sticking VELCRO tape so the diagonal will snugly fit (but can still slide back and forth a bit to focus).
Chop off a little LESS that you think it will take from the finder body.
Use black PVC tape (a.k.a. "electrician's tape") to (very) sung-fit the pvc into the EP end of the finder body.
Star test the assembled finder - you will probably not come to focus the first time.
Cut of a bit more finder body (1/16 inch at a time when you get close to focus) until you can reach infinitive focus. You may also want to use a steel square on a flat surface to be sure you are sawing off the finder body at a 90 deg. angle all the way around.
Retest until you get a star to focus.
Use a flat-black poster marker to darken the finder body tube end and PVC adaptor.
Re-mount the finder in it's rings and go for it.
I did this - it has an old "Meade" diagonal mated to my 8X50 Meade finder so it really looks "stock" and the 45 deg. diagonal is a LOT better that either the straight through or the 90 deg. setups IMHO.
FWIW....
TM
Get a good WA EP (20mm is standard) from an old bino pair (TASCO WA 7X35s worked for me). Rig a 1 1/4 inch tube (a old film can will work) as a EP body so it will fir in the diagonal. As an additional step mount a cross-hair in the EP (I like NOT having one myself - but your mileage may very...)
Select an old 90 or a 45 deg. 1 1/4 inch "correcting" diagonal (I used the latter myself - it will take more "body sawing" than the 90 deg. but the views are correct and at low powers the 45 deg. diagonal works fine).
Get a PVC tube coupling that is 2 inch or a bit less OD and about 1.5 ID (most hardare places will have it - bring your finder body and 1 1/4 inch diagonal along to check it out).
On the inside of the PVC coupler line it with black "loopy" gender self-sticking VELCRO tape so the diagonal will snugly fit (but can still slide back and forth a bit to focus).
Chop off a little LESS that you think it will take from the finder body.
Use black PVC tape (a.k.a. "electrician's tape") to (very) sung-fit the pvc into the EP end of the finder body.
Star test the assembled finder - you will probably not come to focus the first time.
Cut of a bit more finder body (1/16 inch at a time when you get close to focus) until you can reach infinitive focus. You may also want to use a steel square on a flat surface to be sure you are sawing off the finder body at a 90 deg. angle all the way around.
Retest until you get a star to focus.
Use a flat-black poster marker to darken the finder body tube end and PVC adaptor.
Re-mount the finder in it's rings and go for it.
I did this - it has an old "Meade" diagonal mated to my 8X50 Meade finder so it really looks "stock" and the 45 deg. diagonal is a LOT better that either the straight through or the 90 deg. setups IMHO.
FWIW....
TM
Tom Mengel
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