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Posts Made By: Charles Hakes

May 21, 2003 06:28 PM Forum: Telescope Making

focuser repair help wanted

Posted By Charles Hakes
I am trying to fix a 4" rack and pinion focuser that has ~10" of travel. This looks homemade, but I don't know if it really is. The diagonal threads on the brass rack (I guess that is the half) are getting stripped in a few places, and the whole thing is coming off from the inside of the sliding tube. (It was originally soldered, which I have been told was a bad idea.)

Questions: Should I try to "repair" it with a fine file and then make a bracket to screw it on with? Or just replace it? Does anyone make R&P sets with this much travel? (And how much would they cost?) Is there any standard for the thread spacing?

Thanks,
Charlie

May 27, 2003 06:23 PM Forum: Telescope Making

source for achromats?

Posted By Charles Hakes
I am looking for a cheap 60mm ~f6 or f7 achomat (preferably in a cell) to make a very portable backpacking scope. Where can I get such a thing? Surplus shed doesn't have exactly that, and Apogee said it would be several months before getting short fl 60mm in. I would have thought this was a simple thing to find.

Thanks,
Charlie

June 29, 2003 03:25 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Life expectancy of a lens pen?

Posted By Charles Hakes
I have one of the Orion lens pens and think it works great. However, I am concerned about using it beyond it's useful age. How long should it work? Anyone have experience with them going bad?

Thanks,
Charlie

July 15, 2003 05:25 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

45 degree diagonal

Posted By Charles Hakes
This question is for daytime observing with an ST-80. I want to get the full FOV with a 32mm Plossl and a 45 degree diagonal. Has anyone "upgraded" their 45 degree diagonal to one that has a larger clear apperture? Is it worth it? Any brand preferences?

Thanks,
Charlie

August 23, 2003 12:04 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: Fork mount or EQ mount

Posted By Charles Hakes
If this is just for visual use and the goto works in alt-az mode, then I think those fork mounts are really more convenient. However, if it is on a wedge, you sometimes have to be a contortionist to see the whole sky using a fork. Also, if you are going to add some big things at the eyepiece end, then the fork will limit where you can point. At 8", you shouldn't be getting into weight concerns too much, but if you can, try carrying the whole setup, with tripod and everything. See which is most convenient. If you can leave everything set up and just take it outside in one trip, you will use it lots more.

Charlie

August 23, 2003 12:31 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

ED80 weight?

Posted By Charles Hakes
I have been following the posts on the new Orion 80mm scope with great interest. (Don't tell my wife how much interest though!) How much do those scopes weigh? I haven't seen that anywhere. Is this too big for backpacking size? Also, the one thing that I really like about my ST-80 is the wide f5 views. I am just using a 32mm Plossl for 12.5x and I don't see much color there. Would I miss the extra field of going from 400mm to 600mm? Or would I need to double the price of the scope by getting one of those ~40mm Pentax eyepieces with a 2" diagonal?

Thanks,
Charlie

August 26, 2003 04:02 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

small planet scope

Posted By Charles Hakes
Back to comparing that new Orion 80mm Apo... If I get another small scope it would definitely be for planets. So the question is, how would the images on planets compare to those from one of the Apex Maks? I would guess that the 102mm might be slightly better if you got a good sample, and that the 127mm would blow it away. Both are for similar or less money. Has anyone done this comparison?

Thanks,
Charlie

(BTW, at home, I will still keep using the 10" f9.6 Newt, but that one is not exactly portable.)

August 27, 2003 03:38 PM Forum: Telescope Making

lightweight focuser.

Posted By Charles Hakes
I am thinking about changing out the 1.25" focuser on my home made 6" f5 scope for something in 2", so I can get even wider views. The main problem is weight. A secondary problem is cost. What would be the best lightweight focuser for this? Helical? Is there anything I could make myself (without ready access to a machine shop)?

Thanks,
Charlie

August 30, 2003 09:35 PM Forum: Star Parties

Durango Mars Party

Posted By Charles Hakes
I don't know how many of y'all live in the Four Corners area, but there is a Mars Party in Durango this evening. The Children's Museum is getting a traveling Mars display for the next few months, and this is kick-off event. Several of us are bringing scopes for the viewing. The good news is that it looks like this might be the first clear night in several weeks! (I know I haven't gotten a good view of Mars since the 1st of August.)

Charlie

September 3, 2003 11:27 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

More diagonal questions...

Posted By Charles Hakes
Right now I have a prizm diagonal and was looking to upgrade. Two leading choices are the Stellarvue enhanced diagonal and the Orion (Vixen) mirror diagonal. (I occasionally see the Orion on clearance, so was leaning towards that one if I can find a good deal.) Any comments on those two (Stellarvue vs. Orion)? Also, I have heard cautions against an everbright-like diagonal in the 1.25" size, and for the record, I think my prizm isn't that bad, will I notice a difference?

Thanks,
Charlie

BTW, I thought I posted this question previously, but never could find it again. I apolgize if someone answered and I couldn't find it...

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