Posts Made By: Peter Natscher

I'm interested in knowing more about the Mewlon 300 optical specs. Primarily, the reflectivity percentages of the primary and secondary mirrors. Are they enhanced or standard reflectivity? Are the mirror coatings standard silicon dioxide or something more exotic? Also, what is the final wave-front lambda or strehl value at the eyepiece for this instrument? Is it near 1/10th wave, or less?

Peter Natscher
Monterey, California

Hello Binoviewer Group!

One of my three binoviewers is a 2001 model of the Zeiss/Baader binoviewer, purchased from Astro-Physics. I use the TeleVue and Denkmeier II units also, also since each one offers some benefit over the other. I use the Z/B bino specifically on my AP 10" Mak-Cass. and it works really well with the generous amount of back focus that the MCT offers. of the three bino's, I feel that the Zeiss/Baader unit is optically and mechanically superior to the others. For this reason, I would like to use this binoviewer on my 20 in. f/4.3 Starmaster Dobsonian, also. The Z/B bino doesn't come to focus on the Starmaster because the telescope's back focus is too short. My TeleVue and Denkmeier II bino's work well because of their long forwardly extended nose pieces with an amplifier/corrector lens that intercepts to focus of the Dob. The Zeiss/Baader binoviewer doesn't have this forwardly extended lens and because of this can't catch the short focus of the Dob. The Z/B bino really could use such an accessory such as this extended lens mounted about 100mm forward of its prism so that it will come to focus. Does anyone know of an existing lens assembly that can be mounted in front of the Zeiss/Baader bino so that it can be used on a Dobsonian such as my 20" f/4.25 Starmaster?

Thank you, and Happy Holidays To All!

Peter Natscher
Monterey, California
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I steel wire-brush the Velcro to clean out the dirt buildup in the loops and clean up the spline gear teeth with WD40. This increases the contact between the two again. I also lubricate the opposing altitude aluminum ball-bearing roller wheel a couple of times a year. The spline gear will slip occasionally against the Velcro as the Velcro loops wear flat and smooth. Get them standing upright again by running a small flat-head screwdriver tip between the loops and valleys of the Velcro where it looks a bit flat. This also increases friction and contact with the spline gear teeth.

Thanks,
Peter Natscher
Monterey, CA

Dan Dolaptchieff said:

I am rebuilding a 24" starmaster dob GoTO. It had a set of drive motors the dec motor drive wheel looks like a toothed grinder and makes contact with the wooden dec wheel It works sort of ok.

The alt motor has a splined drive wheel. The quadrent thats driven has velcro male that is driven by the splined wheel and it likes to slip sometimes.

Im changing it to a rubber wheel on the drive wheel and a stainless strip on the quad to engage it. any ideas??

Anyone do this before.

Thanks for your help
Aloha
dan

I steel wire-brush the Velcro to clean out the dirt buildup in the loops and clean up the spline gear teeth with WD40. This increases the contact between the two again. I also lubricate the opposing altitude aluminum ball-bearing roller wheel a couple of times a year. The spline gear will slip occasionally against the Velcro as the Velcro loops wear flat and smooth. Get them standing upright again by running a small flat-head screwdriver tip between the loops and valleys of the Velcro where it looks a bit flat. This also increases friction and contact with the spline gear teeth.

Thanks,
Peter Natscher
Monterey, CA

Dan Dolaptchieff said:

I am rebuilding a 24" starmaster dob GoTO. It had a set of drive motors the dec motor drive wheel looks like a toothed grinder and makes contact with the wooden dec wheel It works sort of ok.

The alt motor has a splined drive wheel. The quadrent thats driven has velcro male that is driven by the splined wheel and it likes to slip sometimes.

Im changing it to a rubber wheel on the drive wheel and a stainless strip on the quad to engage it. any ideas??

Anyone do this before.

Thanks for your help
Aloha
dan