trigger pulled - my heart is pounding - TMB92SS

[troypiggo]

This morning, in a fit of retail-therapy rage, I pulled the trigger on a TMB92SS - TMB Signature Series 92mm f/5.5 triplet with the 3" FeatherTouch. My heart is pounding. Hoping this scope will be with me for life, if all of the reviews and comments I've heard about it are true.

Please jump in now if I've made a mistake. There could be a brief window I can still cancel. :sadeyes:

[jjjnettie]

:) Your "Forever" scope.

[jjjnettie]

Is everyone invited to the commitment ceremony?

[pmrid]

Bring it out here to TenChain for thorough field testing - could take a year or two of course.

Peter

[troypiggo]

Everyone but my wife. Somehow need to convince her that it's still the ED80 Black Diamond cheapie that I currently have, but I've just given it a bit of a paint-job. Reckon that'll fly?



I think I'd like to keep her pretty close to me, if that's ok? :)

[Barrykgerdes]

I'm sorry Troy

If you have mortgaged your wife to get it you will have probably it for life.:shrug:

However I'm sure you will find something even more desirable in a few years time that you "simply must have".:thumbsup:

Of course the scope will have some "trade in value" but I am not sure about the wife. :mad2:

Barry

[Poita]

Lovely scope, but a lot of money for 3.5" of aperture.
If I was thinking 'Forever' I'd be shifting up to a 4" or 5", maybe switching brands to get it for similar money.

[alocky]

I was drooling over the TMB 6" for sale in the Optcorp showroom last week. If that's any indication of the quality of the 92mm it will be a magnificent scope. I'm in the process of doing something equally stupid - so if our wives kick us out at least we'll have a sympathetic ear. I'm taking the line that it's a legacy for the kids...

[troypiggo]

:) I wouldn't like to test the trade-in value of my wife. No matter what the price comes in at, it won't be enough. :)



Thanks so much for your honest answer. That's exactly the sort of feedback I'm after.

I did think long and hard about the aperture. What I was after was the focal length around 500mm, give or take. Of the scopes I considered, I narrowed it down to the FSQ106 and the TMB92SS. We all know what a proven performer the FSQ is, but it's also a whole 'nother league of costs, not just for the OTA, but accessories, adapters, everything else. By the same token, we all know it'd be a keeper for life, so an investment.

The TMB92 I decided was a compromise of slightly less aperture, but much more achievable now cost-wise. "Keep for life" in my orig post was a little tongue-in-cheek. I've bought and sold enough camera lenses and scopes enough to know that nothing is for certain. But I am fairly sure I'll get at least quite a few years of enjoyment and use from this little hottie.



I have a shoulder here for you. :)

[allan gould]

Troy
I hope you scope is everything you hoped for.......just like your wife!!!!

[James Woo]

My wife hates me sitting out in the dark for hours on end!
It is going to wreck my marriage.
Is there any hope or salvation?

[acropolite]

I'm glad to be in good company, nothing like a bit of spousal deception to keen the heart rate up. If you're sprung and in need of a good exit strategy contact h0ughy. :P

I look forward to seeing the results.

[alocky]

There is hope. Eventually she will run off with the pool cleaner boy/gardener/milkman and you will be able to contemplate infinity without the grief.
My strategy in the past has been to take a sudden interest in resurrecting my old thrash metal band, sky diving, cave diving, racing old motorbikes, paintballing, competitive shooting, etc and have found the other half is relieved when you decide to spend your time and money on something as acceptable as astronomy....

[FlashDrive]

[QUOTE=troypiggo;834866]This morning, in a fit of retail-therapy rage, I pulled the trigger on a TMB92SS - TMB Signature Series 92mm f/5.5 triplet with the 3" FeatherTouch. My heart is pounding..

and now for another 3 months of solid rain ;) ..... woe is me ... cause I live in the same area..... just north of Brissy.

Nice Scope Troy :thumbsup:

Flash :hi: :hi:

[FlashDrive]

A man with a good sense of humor :lol:

I like it ... :D

Flash :hi:

[brian nordstrom]

;) I hear you Troy , There is something about a 90mm class scope in the 500mm range , like my LP 90mm .
A perfect blend of performance and portability .
Mine with the dew shield fully retracted and a 2 inch diagonal fitted is only 450mm long , perfect ! .
Flash knows this ...
Good descision , as has been said , a scope for life . :thumbsup: .
Brian.

[Poita]

I love my Lomo 105/650, it is only 570mm long when fully packed down, and gives great views and is easy to image with.

There is something oddly attractive about a smallish refractor.

I know that in some cases the views only appear crisper because the magnification is lower, but they are a joy to look through.

I can't picture myself ever selling this scope.

[MattT]

I sometimes lie awake at night dreaming of owning a real refractor...something with more than two lenses...and James do what I do when you finally climb ever so quietly into bed put some socks over the clock and say very quietly that it's just a bit after midnight, works for me :lol: I'm lucky that I work most evenings til 11.00pm or so and have the perfect excuse to stay out there, must go it's nearly midnight. Matt

[dugnsuz]

Tossed up between your new scope (Yeh!!) and the GSO RC8 - both with FT focuser option. Regardless of scope - the FT will make you smile from ear to the other one! And, if you're thinking of imaging (stupid question) - you will not regret the decision to buy. One thing that swayed my decision towards the GSO was the lack of any user images from the TMB at the time of purchase - But, in retrospect I wish I had gone for the TMB - personal opinion.
I'm certain you'll enjoy your new scope.
Jealous, moi?
Doug

ps...Oui!

[brian nordstrom]

:hi: Hi Matt , there is nothing wrong with the 150mm f/8 refractor , there mate.. I have one in storage in NZ and its a perfect good all round scope , Enjoy what you have .:) .
Brian.

[troypiggo]

Thanks all. Got a message from UPS. Expected arrival next Wed. How many sleeps is that? I'm like a kid at Christmas.

[Miaplacidus]

Live long and prosper!

[MattT]

Brian, my reply was a bit tongue in cheek! My f8 is a beautiful instrument but a bit average on jupiter and the moon an baader semi-apo filter helps there though. I've become a refractorholic too:D so any thread that mentions refractors ...I'm there.
Cheers, Matt

[brian nordstrom]

:D I hear you Matt , I have 3 in NZ and only 5 here in OZ , yep ,, a refractorholic all right . As Troy , yourself and all on this thread can confess to... :shrug:
Brian.

[troypiggo]

OOOOOMG!!! It's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here, it's here...!!!!!!!

[Shark Bait]

Great stuff. :thumbsup:

Photos please.

[James Woo]

I am dreaming of a TMB 203 f/9 Apochromatic Refractor!
So, am investing in a couple of lotto tickets every satursday....hope my investment will hit the jackpot soon.....hahaha.

[brian nordstrom]

:hi: Woaw already ?? great service there Troy ,, review comming up ??
Great news mate .
Brian.

[FlashDrive]

I'll second that ... lots of excitement here ... show us please ..!!! .. photos.. photos ...and more photos.

We are all ' standing ' by waiting for a glimpse of this ...!!! :thumbsup:

Flash :hi: :hi: :hi:

[troypiggo]

Ok, some photos. Had it out on Friday night for some testing. Some very good points I noticed, and some disappointing things.

Good points. The focuser is beautiful, but you'd expect that from a 3" FeatherTouch. Came in a nice case, and the scope itself is just solid and feels like quality. Quite weighty for it's size. First thing I noticed was the focusing between filter changes. With the ED80 there was quite a bit of shift and had to refocus noticeably. With the TMB92SS, I checked focus between filter changes but the shift was nominal. I understand this is because it's obviously a much better apo, so better colour control.

Disappointments. First thing I noticed was the way the focuser is connected to the OTA. It seems to slip/creep rotationally. It's connected via 3 nylon tipped screws that go into a groove the runs around the focuser piece. No matter how tight I did them up, with finder guider in the bracket the whole focuser crept around with the offset load. I ended up having to put the finder guider on the top dovetail so the focuser wasn't eccentrically loaded. I need to get to the bottom of this, whether it's a FeatherTouch or scope issue. See photos below.

Second was the field flatness. I was using the Orion Flattener I'd been using with my ED80 with some success (although minor eggy stars still in one corner). The TMB92SS fits exactly within the specs of the Orion Flatteners advertised range of effectiveness. But the field was not flattened. I need to do more testing to see if it's the scope, flattener, spacing of camera, or maybe sensor tilt? Due to operator idiocy I did not get test images with just camera and no flattener. Duh.

[RobF]

Sounds and looks like a beautiful piece of kit Troy.
Hope you get years of enjoyment.

[FlashDrive]

Troy ...Looks nice alright.
Hope you sort out the ' niggerly ' bits and get it how you want.

Flash :hi:

[avandonk]

Troy I can send you my Hutech 7887 FR/FF which is fully adjustable for focal length by spacers between the two sets of two! elements. It comes with a Canon T-ring and 2 inch thingo (nosepiece) that goes into your focuser. It does not vignette a full frame as the clear aperture is close to 46mm.

You are very welcome to try it out.

Bert

[troypiggo]

Bert, thanks heaps for the offer. I might even take you up on it. Looking up the specs of that flattener now. I need a M42 T thread at the camera end and the focuser is set up to take a 2" at the moment. Quick look at the Hutech site seems to say it's got different connectors. Will have to look and see how I can connect. Other thing is that it's a reducer as well, not just a flattener. I'm already pretty wide with the 506mm FL.

[Shark Bait]

Thanks for posting the photos. Impressive kit.

[allan gould]

You may need to to take a file to it Troy

[avandonk]

Troy what is the distance from the T-mount thread on your camera to the sensor? It will give me some idea of what bits to use so your camera fits the FR/FF.

With an 80ED and the 7887 FR/FF the field was pin sharp across the full field of the Canon 5DH from corner to corner.

Bert

[troypiggo]

G'day Bert. It's 35.5mm nominally from face of camera to sensor.

[casstony]

The retailer may be able to supply you with slotted brass screws to replace the thumbscrews so you can put more pressure on the focuser to stop it rotating too easily. Alternatively use pliers to tighten the thumbscrews more.

If you want the brass replacement screws but the retailer can't supply them Barry Gooley from KK may be able to help you. These are only ok if they're bearing on a teflon surface, not metal, unless they also have the teflon insert. (your scope is constructed a little differently to the sharpstar I had on closer inspection)

[troypiggo]

Thanks mate. Will look into it. Kind of weird on who to approach about it. It doesn't appear to be the focuser itself causing the problem, but the OTA's connection. But that's TMB. I checked their Yahoo Group, and the traffic in there is virtually dead. I think I saw a tumbleweed roll past while searching. I ended up emailing the store I bought it from and will go from there.

[troypiggo]

Did some more testing last night with the flatteners. Posted it here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=89369). Some success.