Tak FS-60c - intravel focus woes

[castor]

I was finally able to get my TAK FS-60c back in service today after many years out of action - when I obtained rings and attached a dovetail to it so I could put it on my mount. They were 80mm ones which I bought on ebay from England, and took an interminable time to arrive. Currently the scope is coupled to the Extender-Q which makes it a f/10 quadruplet at 600mm FL

However, I have found that only a limited number of eyepieces seem to come to focus at infinity. Specifically, they are the following:

1.25'': Televue T6s (any), Nagler 16mm T5, Panoptic 24mm (all of these just - virtually have to go all the way in possible to achieve focus)

2': Baader Morpheus (any), Vixen LVW (any)

None of the above eyepieces work with any Barlow lens.

The maximum power I can get is with a 3.5mm LVW which yields 171x and there is no image degradation which is amazing for a scope of this aperture.
The maximum true field I can get is 2.7 degrees with a 24mm Panoptic with the Extender-Q and 4.5 degrees without the Extender.

Using a 2'' diagonal on my Sharpstar 60mm doublet with a 41mm Panoptic yields a binocular like 8 degree TFOV and a magnification of 8x!

I was wondering whether any of you have any thoughts on this, I understand these are first world issues and I have spent enough money on bringing this scope I bought many years ago back in service and I am fairly happy with its capabilities but am just slightly frustrated with these intravel limitations. Short of buying another focuser, are there any other options?

(Also tried erecting prism, would let any eyepieces come into focus)

Do any of you

[castor]

Do any of you have any options?

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

Originally Posted by castor

Do any of you have any options?

If it is indeed the FS60C it has a 145mm tube, options are to change to the tube from the CB which is 127mm or the CSV tube at 105mm.

Other than that you can use a Baader T2 Prism but attach it via their Quick Connect instead of the Takahashi visual back clamp. You can get a conversion ring that allows this to be done.....

[UniPol]

I bought my FS-60CSV back in 2005 particularly for its in travel capability. No issues with eyepieces, bino's or turrets coming to focus, you can always add extension tubes for whatever arrangement suits. Over the years I bought the other tubes mentioned by Matt. I recall when I bought the "CB" tube it was supplied with another stop ring (screws onto the focus tube), see : http://starbase.dw.shopserve.jp/SHOP/SB-A059.html

The FS-60 series are just superb, so many applications whether it be terrestrial or astronomical.

[castor]

Extension tubes would make the problem worse. It's a problem of not enough in travel in the focuser.

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

Originally Posted by castor

Extension tubes would make the problem worse. It's a problem of not enough in travel in the focuser.

We are talking about the actual OTA tube lengths ( 145mm, 127mm & 105mm) that are available for the FS60
What Steve is suggesting is that if you were using the tube from the CSV you might need a small extension tube for some applications as the CSV tube is some 40mm shorter than your current C series tube.

The shortest way depends on what diagonal you want to use, a Baader T2 diagonal with the quick connect ring attached and the M43>T2 adapter would make for the shortest connection, you would then not be using parts #46 and #14 from the FS60 system chart.

[UniPol]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

We are talking about the actual OTA tube lengths ( 145mm, 127mm & 105mm) that are available for the FS60
What Steve is suggesting is that if you were using the tube from the CSV you might need a small extension tube for some applications as the CSV tube is some 40mm shorter than your current C series tube........................

Thanks Matt, that's what I meant. I have attached a pic of the three tubes that are/were available on the FS-60's which hopefully will make things clearer.

[Wilso]

Baader also do an ultra short eyepiece clamp for their t2 prism diagonal.
You might find that your barrels on the eyepieces are too long and bottom out on the stop though. Worked excellent for a couple of my eyepieces that have extremely short barrels. Have since become my favourites for the scope!