Glow in the dark knobs for EQ6

[Stefan Buda]

Because I do my imaging at rather short focal lengths (up to 330mm), I never bother going through the star alignment procedure with my EQ6 as my field of view is quite large and I have a 70mm finder/guider with a flip mirror that allows me to easily find my next target. But the problem is that I have to unlock the shafts when I need to reposition the scope and the damn knobs are hard to find in the dark, so I printed new ones from glow in the dark ABS plastic. I was so happy with the result that I replaced the tripod ones too, which are actually identical to the ones on the mount. Now my gear is starting to look like a Christmas tree but the green glow is too faint to cause problems with dark adaptation.

Anyway, if anyone is interested I can print these for $5 a piece.

Stefan

[pwilly]

How good is that! I have the same issue with my EQ5, I never find the knobs in the dark.

Your knobs look like they to the EQ5 ones. Do they fit an EQ5 ?
If they do would take 4 knobs.

[dragoncity]

Great idea -- not before time ! Those pesky adjuster handles are a real nuisance
to find in the dark.

If , as pWilly asks, they fit EQ5 , then I'll definitely order some :)

Not sure how many but at least 2, might change the tripod ones as well.

[Stefan Buda]

Good to hear that I'm not the only one that has had trouble finding those handles/knobs/levers in the dark. Can someone help me with my English? I have big trouble trying to figure out the proper name for them. :)

Regarding the EQ5, I don't know, but if you take one off and the head of the screw has a square shape 12mm across the flats then they should fit.

Stefan

[pwilly]

I confirm that the handle (note I'm not a native speaker ;)) would fit an EQ5, my square is exactly 12mm.

PM send to buy.

[Stefan Buda]

Thanks for confirming the fit for the EQ5 and clarifying the name.

[Andy01]

Awesome idea Stefan, I'm in for a set please!

[Stefan Buda]

Andy,

If you are going to VicSouth, I can bring them there for you.

[Andy01]

Thanks Stefan, but I'm going to Snake Valley this year. I'll emall you :)

[dragoncity]

Thanks Stefan for your speedy supply ! Just in time for a weekend Star Party here in Tassie tomorrow.

Really pleased with the handles.

Should point out to prospective purchasers that a little tweak was required to get them to fit. This was because the "top quality" EQ5 Chinese engineers :lol: were unable to
make square brass bosses ! Unlike Stefan, whose fitting is exactly square !

I simply scraped a little material from all the inside surfaces of the plastic 'star' using a narrow wood chisel as filing the brass boss was too awkward to access.

cheers, Brett

[Stefan Buda]

Thanks Brett for the feedback. I've just come back from VicSouth where I installed half a dozen of these handles on three different mounts and they all went on with a push from my thumb and I have rather small hands. :-) Looks like your mount is not typical because I took a micrometre with me and all the ones I measured were very consistently reading 11.95mm.

Cheers,
Stefan

[dragoncity]

Hi Stefan,
nice to hear other mounts are a straight forward fit. As I mentioned my EQ5 is not "finely engineered" !

I was at a Star Party at the weekend and your handles were much admired and makes the mount look a bit special as well.
Cheers,
Brett

[Brucemac]

Hi Stephan,

They look good to me, can I order a set for my EQ-6? Please let me know, I'll prior to ship meant by BPAY if that's OK?

Do you print bahtinov masks for camera lenses?

Cheers,

Bruce

[Stefan Buda]

Hi Bruce,

Sorry for the delayed response.

All you have to do is PM me with a delivery address and the exact number you want as a set can mean 2 or 5 - depending whether you want the legs of the tripod marked too.

I do have a good range of Bahtinov masks for camera lenses and refractors, so you just need to tell me the filter thread size for the camera lens and the focal length.

Cheers,
Stefan

[Stefan Buda]

These Glowhandles were very popular until the add got buried so I'm giving it a bump.