Robert_T
27-11-2005, 01:49 PM
I've taken the solid unwavering Brissy cloud as an omen to spend some time (and more $) kitting out the new c9.25... good an excuse as anything :P . Some pics of the new bits and pieces below.
I've wanted an electric micro-focusser for a long time to get over mirror flop and the jiggles when imaging the planets - I'd have loved a moonlite or similar quality, but have opted for the cheaper Meade micro-focusser which I've found fits - see image - and works great on the celestron, with about half an in of travel. As a bonus it has a SCT thread to 2in barrel adaptor so I'll be able to use it on the Mewlon as well :cool:
Next were the Bob's knobs that were fitted easily (ensuring only one collimation screw exchanged at a time) and with a few tweaks alignment looks pretty good already - I get the feeling this scope will be easier to collimate than the Mewlon, the knobs are larger and easier on the fingers that's for sure. :thumbsup:
Finally I knocked up a dewshield using a sheet of black iron-on mellamime from bunnings and some adhesive velcro. I cut off and ironed a piece at the ends to provide a smooth inner surface for the Velcro and then painted the inside surface black - this was already roughened with heat-activated contact adhesive so makes for pretty good light trapping capabilites when blackened. Only problem is the Mellamime is pretty brittle and is aready starting to crack in a few places, but a bit of black PVC tape to reinforce seems to fix :) .
Final image shows everything in place perched proudly on the LXD75 - had some fun training the drives and go-toing under cloud; it's quite easy to align and tour the sky when you can't see any stars to know how far off you actually are :nerd:
cheers,
I've wanted an electric micro-focusser for a long time to get over mirror flop and the jiggles when imaging the planets - I'd have loved a moonlite or similar quality, but have opted for the cheaper Meade micro-focusser which I've found fits - see image - and works great on the celestron, with about half an in of travel. As a bonus it has a SCT thread to 2in barrel adaptor so I'll be able to use it on the Mewlon as well :cool:
Next were the Bob's knobs that were fitted easily (ensuring only one collimation screw exchanged at a time) and with a few tweaks alignment looks pretty good already - I get the feeling this scope will be easier to collimate than the Mewlon, the knobs are larger and easier on the fingers that's for sure. :thumbsup:
Finally I knocked up a dewshield using a sheet of black iron-on mellamime from bunnings and some adhesive velcro. I cut off and ironed a piece at the ends to provide a smooth inner surface for the Velcro and then painted the inside surface black - this was already roughened with heat-activated contact adhesive so makes for pretty good light trapping capabilites when blackened. Only problem is the Mellamime is pretty brittle and is aready starting to crack in a few places, but a bit of black PVC tape to reinforce seems to fix :) .
Final image shows everything in place perched proudly on the LXD75 - had some fun training the drives and go-toing under cloud; it's quite easy to align and tour the sky when you can't see any stars to know how far off you actually are :nerd:
cheers,