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Originally Posted by EzyStyles
he did a demonstration on how to use the laser aligning the primary mirror from the adjustable knobs from the laser window. Other than thats about it. hmm should i go back tomorrow and return the laser?
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I must say I am somewhat disappointed about this. I expected a little better from Bintel...
This last step of the collimation (aligning the primary) is the easiest step and you don't need a laser for that. In fact, a laser is not as reliable as the simpler collimating eyepiece (even if it's one you make yourself from an old film canister). I take it you did not take your scope along to the shop.
The hard part is the secondary, but it does not need doing often. First you have to position it so it's centred when viewed through the focuser. This can be fiddly and a bit nerve-wrecking if you have not done it before. Then you have to align the secondary so it directs the optical path from the focuser onto the centre of the secondary. This is the step where a laser can be useful, but it is not needed. This too is a little fiddly, but not too bad. Just do it incrementally in small steps. It's not like the primary where there are springs that will pick up the slack so you can just keep turning the adjustment screws.
I hoped the Bintel people would have taken you through all this. Like I said, I don't know Graham, but Roger or Anthony should be able to guide you through the whole process from start to finish, and knowing Roger, he would be more than happy to help out and have you go home with your scope well-collimated. (You might have to wait depending how busy they are, of course. A customer already in there looking to buy a $5000 Goto scope will naturally have priority over someone who needs help with collimation and maybe a sub-$100 item, which is fair enough.)
Whether you want to return the laser or not is up to you. I see it as a beginner's item, perhaps less intimidating than a simpler passive tool, but ultimately it's a waste of money. I doubt it is accurate enough for your very fast mirror. This is what I'd get instead: Orion collimating eyepiece:
https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=5508
BTW: I have the laser, the long collimating EP (like the Orion one) and a short collimating EP. I started with the laser, but now only use the long coll. EP. If the laser itself lasts it's worth having as a backup, though. (it didn't in mine, but for you at least the shop is closeby and they can fix it if it seizes up.)
Here is something to try: Collimate with laser. Take it out of the focuser rotate it some. Put it back in, retighten in focuser. See if it still tells the same story. Do this several times to see how reliable it is.
There is a more advanced method using lasers, called the "barlowed laser" method. Roger knows all about that too. (That guy really seems to know just about everything about scopes.)
Good and easy to follow instructions on collimation are at the Sky & Telescope website.
Good luck & tell us how it all goes.
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L.
