Posts Made By: David Leafgreen

I was thinking about upgrading my dobsonian's helical focuser to a Crayford style focuser. I was looking at different people's designs, but was especially interested in the Kine-optics HC-1 helical Crayford design. This focuser will go through its 1.5-inch travel in just one turn, and it has a nice low profile too. The weight is much less than the standard Crayford focusers I was considering. This is important on dobsonians, of course.

Then I read a site that claimed you could build your own Crayford focuser with not much more than a drill press. I have been thinking about making my own focuser, but have no idea where I would be able to get a 2-inch ID drawtube for it. The other parts of the design sound rather doable without a lathe. Has anyone here ever attempted to make a focuser? And does anyone have any experience with the helical Crayford focuser? Just where could one get a tube with the right diameter for 2-inch eyepieces off the shelf?

If weight and cost and height were no object, I would get a dual-rate premium Crayford focuser. This is the part of the telescope you have the most contact with, and it should work well. Thanks for any advice. Dave

It would be nice if you could get just the optics for the 16-inch Lightbridge telescope. It looks like there is a lot of demand for mirrors in the 16-inch range. I currently have a ten-inch telescope and 16 inches seems to be the smallest worthwhile jump in size. Dave

I checked and got these answers, hoping I did not make some fatal error along the way.
Mercury: Libra Venus: Virgo Mars: Leo Jupiter: Aquarius Saturn: Pisces Sun: Virgo Moon: Virgo This would be using the constellation boundaries as they are understood today, of course.