Posts Made By: Michael Tencza

I like the WO VR-1. It worked well when I had my 120mm f/8.3 achromat and did not introduce nearly as much yellow tinge as the Orion Minus Violet Filter.

Let the free market speak. More than once I have seen the same eyepiece for sale here. The higher priced one stays while the lesser priced one sells. It reminds me of people who list on another site and say their items are "rare". Many times I know the items are easily bought so I questioned one seller. The person said that the item was "rare" to them, a bogus use of the term to me. The old saying "buyer beware" applies.

Most 40mm eyepieces will have plenty of eyerelief to allow viewing with glasses. Used you can get a TV 40mm plossl for under $100. If you want more FOV and your telescope is about f/7 or slower you can use the GSO 42mm Superview. New these are about $65. For the shorter focal length you might consider an HR or BO 9mm planetary. They have 20mm eye relief and 60 degree FOV and cost $59 new.

Considering how fast the report appeared after the Ethos was introduced to the Public the authors must have submitted their paper when Uncle Al first thought about it. April Fools!

In a slower focal ratio scope (f/7 or slower) they are just fine. I have not used one in a scope faster than f/6.2 so I'll leave that commentary to others. I sold my 42mm Superview when I obtained a used 40mmm Paragon, but still retain a 30mm Superview that works well in my f/6.9 80mm refractor. There is a review in the eyepiece/other section of Amart that may be helpful.

I finally finished replacing the stock 1.25" rack and pinion with a 2" crayford. It was a good deal and works smoothly. One caution I might offer is that it does not have enough out travel for some eyepieces used with this scope. However, 1" barrel extensions for both 1.25" and 2" eyepieces are available that screw into the filter threads to extend the length of eyepieces as one solution to this problem.

The Orion XT6 Classic Dobsonian is a great start. You will have plenty of cash left over for eyepieces and accessories. It is easy to use and collimate, and the views are excellent. I just set up an Orion 6" f/8 optical tube that is the same as the one used for the XT6 on an equitorial mount and love it.

Well the project is done. With the help of a very good friend, who is quite mechanically gifted, the single speed crayford from Orion was installed without any problems on my 6", f/8 Newtonian and works very well. The only initial drawback to it was the less than adequate out-focus for many of my eyepieces. After a very brief panic episode, a 1.5" tube extension was obtained. This solved the out-focus problem completely and also provided a compression ring for my 2" eyepieces. The addition of a compression ring 2" to 1.25" adaptor finished the job to provide the same for my 1.25" eyepieces as I prefer this method to secure my eyepieces.

As previously stated by others in this thread this optical tube is easy to collimate and focus and I am enjoying it very much. I would not hestitate to make this modification again or recommend it to someone else.

One word about long focal length 2" eyepieces. A concern was raised about the secondary being too small to illuminate them fully. For all but one of the eyepieces I own, including my 2" 30mm GSO Superview, this is not an issue. I see full FOV's and no edge issues. The one eyepiece that is affected on the extreme edge is my 40mm Paragon, but the effects are minor and not a bother to me as the FOV is pretty wide. I don't own any Naglers, but I would bet they would be affected to a much greater degree.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I will post a few pictures of the finished job.

It makes me feel as if I stole all the equipment I bought. Just think, for another $200 you can get the new Ethos 13mm and 8mm eyepieces. This must be a heck of a 60mm.

I prefer the standard "K" eyepieces, but its your call and depends on what you see with the telescope you have.