OneOfOne
12-12-2005, 07:55 AM
Hi guys,
Last night (Sunday 11) the one thing happened that I always dreaded happening. I set the scope up in the backyard expecting to spend just an hour or so "looking around". I always give the tube a bit of a "jiggle" to ensure it is properly attached onto the mount. The tube has a dovetail bar that drops onto a dovetail on the top of the EQ5 mount. It has a screw that pushes the side of the bar into the dovetail. I have always worried that it is possible to have the bar in crooked and slide out, so I fitted a block to the end so the bar cannot just slide along the dovetail and onto the ground.
Anyway, after giving it a jiggle or two and then releasing the tube (but standing ready just in case) I saw that it was sitting happily on the tripod. Next, loosen the locking screw and swing it over to check the balance. Suddenly the tube decides to attempt suicide by jumping off the top of the tripod...somehow it was able to stay securely on the mount and not slide, but was not held in the dovetail and just toppled sideways onto the ground. Fortunately it was sitting on the grass and so the impact was considerably reduced.
I looked down to find the laser bracket had released and the laser was just sitting on the grass. The finder had slid off the dovetail bracket and sitting on the ground. The GS Crayford had come apart (it just has two grub screws that hold it onto the mounting plate, which I was never really happy with) and the focusing mechanism was sitting on the ground. Upon close inspection the only "damage" so far is that the finder bracket has dented the side of the tube when the finder hit the ground, hopefully I can "pop" this out. Everything else seems "intact". Whew!
Fortunately, I had just gone to Bintel, with "Santa", on Saturday to buy me a laser collimator. I think I may have to ask Santa if I can borrow my present before it gets wrapped...
While I am checking the whole thing out, I will have to see if there is something I can do to improve the dovetail arrangement to prevent it rolling out again. Obviously giving the whole tube a "jiggle" is not sufficient.
Has anyone else had a scope attempt suicide?
And I just got the scope for last Christmas....Santa....I have been really good (with the exception of a few naughty words last night)....could I get another scope this year if this one doesn't work anymore?
Last night (Sunday 11) the one thing happened that I always dreaded happening. I set the scope up in the backyard expecting to spend just an hour or so "looking around". I always give the tube a bit of a "jiggle" to ensure it is properly attached onto the mount. The tube has a dovetail bar that drops onto a dovetail on the top of the EQ5 mount. It has a screw that pushes the side of the bar into the dovetail. I have always worried that it is possible to have the bar in crooked and slide out, so I fitted a block to the end so the bar cannot just slide along the dovetail and onto the ground.
Anyway, after giving it a jiggle or two and then releasing the tube (but standing ready just in case) I saw that it was sitting happily on the tripod. Next, loosen the locking screw and swing it over to check the balance. Suddenly the tube decides to attempt suicide by jumping off the top of the tripod...somehow it was able to stay securely on the mount and not slide, but was not held in the dovetail and just toppled sideways onto the ground. Fortunately it was sitting on the grass and so the impact was considerably reduced.
I looked down to find the laser bracket had released and the laser was just sitting on the grass. The finder had slid off the dovetail bracket and sitting on the ground. The GS Crayford had come apart (it just has two grub screws that hold it onto the mounting plate, which I was never really happy with) and the focusing mechanism was sitting on the ground. Upon close inspection the only "damage" so far is that the finder bracket has dented the side of the tube when the finder hit the ground, hopefully I can "pop" this out. Everything else seems "intact". Whew!
Fortunately, I had just gone to Bintel, with "Santa", on Saturday to buy me a laser collimator. I think I may have to ask Santa if I can borrow my present before it gets wrapped...
While I am checking the whole thing out, I will have to see if there is something I can do to improve the dovetail arrangement to prevent it rolling out again. Obviously giving the whole tube a "jiggle" is not sufficient.
Has anyone else had a scope attempt suicide?
And I just got the scope for last Christmas....Santa....I have been really good (with the exception of a few naughty words last night)....could I get another scope this year if this one doesn't work anymore?