Fortune does indeed favour the foolish, namely myself.
One day, somehow, some way, I landed on AliExpress, and most happily discovered this...
https://i.imgur.com/o1qNFjm.jpg
The focusser was practically identical to my own, with a shorter draw-tube, and without the original's shortcomings, I hoped.
I promptly ordered it. What did I have to lose? I was desperate for a replacement. I sat here, utterly amazed and dumbfounded that it was available in the first place. It's as though these sellers knew just how inappropriate, shoddy, the original focussers of these short 70mm achromats were, and are still.
It didn't take too long to arrive...
A chance of a lifetime, a new beginning...
I didn't get the solid, knubby knobs for focussing...
...but who cares. Instead, I got two, count 'em, two thumb-screws for the visual-back...
...with large knobs. Even the name-brand entry-level kits don't have those.
The old one came with just one, and I had been fighting it.
In addition, no need to cut back the draw-tube's run...
...like I had to do for the old one...
