Saxon 76mm reflector

[Startrek]

On my family visit trip up north a friend of my dear old Dad gave me an old Saxon 76mm reflector Scope and tripod ( focal length 700mm so an F10 ) it’s been in their garage for 10 years and they knew I was into astronomy
Does anyone know how to collimate this little scope as the focuser is only 20mm or 3/4 inch
It came with one eye piece
Cheers

[N1]

Hi Martin, could you make a pinhole collimation cap perhaps?
Or just eyeball it, followed by a star test & adjustments.

[mental4astro]

Martin,

The focuser will actually be 0.96", a common size, though today only seen in cheap smaller scopes.

You will need to make yourself a DIY Cheshire to at least check the secondary's alignment. You can make one easily using the 0.96" barrel from one of the eyepieces, or some other plug like item, and following the inspiration of something from here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=diy+cheshire+eyepiece&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjd8fbK_IzhAhXBeX0KHQooAw AQ_AUIDigB&biw=1366&bih=625

Show us some pics of the scope and we'll be able to better help you :)

Mirko has a good idea of a pinhole collimation cap :thumbsup: You can use the barrel of an eyepiece, fit it to a piece of card with a heat glue gun, put a wee hole in the card in the centre of the barrel, and there you have a pinhole collimation cap! :) Once you've finished, you can remove the barrel from the card, flick off and glue left on the barrel with a toothpick and replace it in the eyepiece. Easy.

Alex.

[Startrek]

Thanks guys
It’s not the secondary that’s the issue , I have a 20mm PVC conduit plug at home which I can drill a 3.5mm hole in the end and make up black cross hair for the other end
It’s the primary that I have no idea as there are fixing screws at the end and no adjustment knobs or screws , unless the philips head fixing screws are the adjusters ??
Don’t have a photo as I’ve left the scope at Dads in Forster and heading up to Coffs Harbour to visit my brother then onto Byron bay for the nieces wedding
Won’t be back in Forster until the 27th March, can send a photo then
Cheers

[raymo]

Many reflectors have a plate at the rear, and the collimating screws are behind it,[such as my Skywatcher 8" Newt] Some had the primary glued to the rear plate, and only the secondary could be adjusted. If there are only 3 or 4
screws remove them and have a look inside, being careful in case the mirror comes off with the rear plate.
raymo

[Startrek]

Thanks Raymo
I will try to remove the rear shroud when I get back to Forster
I’m not use to a tiny 76mm reflector like this Scope

[Ukastronomer]

Yes many scopes have a "cover plate" over the mirror, my old Skywatcher has (shroud, material to cover a deceased person :) :) )

get what I got from ebay, simple, 1.25 to .965 adapter

Then use any laser colimater

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-0-965-to-1-25-Telescope-Eyepiece-Adapter-24-5mm-to-31-7mm-Black/362406634680?_trkparms=aid%3D555018 %26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D2 0160908110712%26meid%3D20d0260d983e 4af0afe8240030485bd9%26pid%3D100677 %26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D21%26sd%3D2615684 26692%26itm%3D362406634680&_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598