Dob owners left/right survey

[Vermin]

Dob owners, do you prefer having your focuser on the left or right of your scope (when looking from the front), and are you predominantly left or right handed?

I prefer it on the [edit] right and I'm right handed (so my right hand is on the focuser, left hand dragging the scope).

Cheers for your input.

[Astroman]

I have my focuser on the right (front looking), I am Left Handed. I use my left hand either on the left focus knob or holding the front of the tube while using my other hand to steady the scope or do other things....

[iceman]

Hard to say which I prefer, cause i've only ever used it one way.

But it seems natural to me to drive the scope with my left hand inside the top rim, and my right hand on the focuser. Plus, the moonlite fine focuser is on the RHS of the focuser, which suits perfectly.

[ballaratdragons]

Tom,

If you where dragging the scope with your left hand and focusing with your right, the focuser would be on the right side of the scope from the front, not the left (see pic below).
I agree with Mike, I have only ever known one way.

p.s. Right handed, left eyed.

[slice of heaven]

I'm right handed(right eyed). I use my left hand to move the scope via the top rim and my right hand lays flat on the OT to steady the movement. Normally I wouldn't touch the focuser while viewing but I found while using the gs last week the steel tube gets unbearably cold, compared to the fibreglass,and I kept moving my hand up to the focuser.

As Mike posted its probably not preference but what your used to.
But it does seem comfortable with the focuser on the normally positioned side.

Slice

BTW, why dont you use the knob you fitted for moving the scope Ice?

[Vermin]

Doh! Yes you are right Ken. You'd think I'd know my left from right by now, but obviously not. :)

[wavelandscott]

Standard set up...looking from the front...focuser on the right.

I push with the left hand and focus with the right...I am right handed.

I can't say that I prefer it over the other way as I've never tried.

I think that I would feel more comfortable focusing with my right hand..so as is...I view with either eye...

Sorry I'm not much help

[iceman]

I do Geoff, sometimes.. Especially when I've got a hartman mask or solar filter on.

But I still prefer my hand in the rim, it just feels more comfortable. I think perhaps a handle rather than a knob would feel more comfortable, if positioned at the right angle.

[slice of heaven]

Mike,It is comfortable isnt it. I still have to fit a light shield to the gs and then I wont be able to move it that way and was going to fit a knob but now youve mentioned you'd prefer a handle, I'll look into that.Thanks

Slice

[ballaratdragons]

Tom, easy way to remember left from right:

Most people <b>write</b> with their <b>right</b>,
The other hand is <b>left</b> over. :P

[Vermin]

Pfft, thanks Ken. It was just a visualisation problem, even though I was standing in front of the scope I named the side as if I were behind/beside it still.

[ballaratdragons]

LOL Tom!

Here's another one my Brother-in-law taught me. I couldn't remember where Port and Starboard where. Which one was left and which one right.

He taught me what they taught him in the Navy:

<b>There is no Port left in the bottle.</b> (Port - left)

And Port (the drink) is red in colour and so is the light on port-side!

Cool huh!

[astro_south]

My current primary scope has the focuser on the Left (just to go against the flow). I am ambidextrous (sp?), but dominantly right handed and I use my right eye for viewing. I focus with my right hand and move the dob with my right hand which isn't a problem as I'm never focusing and tracking at the same time (ahh, there was that ISS flyover tha...urr....nevermind :P ).

I don't think it really matters what side the focuser is on. My dob looks strange to others that are used to seeing focusers on the right hand side and I have had comments before about it. However, it is the only dob I have ever owned and although I have used other GS dobs, I don't have any issue operating my current dob.

[Starkler]

Right hand for me.

When creating a thread you also have an option to insert a poll .

[RAJAH235]

I'm not sure, but I think Meade set-up all their DOBs with the focuser on the left. (Looking from front to rear, as the photons travel). I am right handed & have tried other DOBs, but prefer mine. Just what you get used to, I suppose. I have an electric focuser, (hi, Mike & ving), so it doesn't matter which hand you use to move the t'scope! :P :D L.

[rmcpb]

Mine is standard GS, right hand side. It works for me probably, like everyone else, I have gotten used to it.

[Brendan]

right for me also, but im with mike have only ever had one dob and thats how it came.

[dhumpie]

I like right as well. Have used astro_south's dob and I have trouble using the finder to find stuff as I am sooo used to using my right eye!

Darren

[ving]

ditto.... I also let my other hand do er... other things.