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Old 28-11-2021, 03:38 PM
Rod-AR127 (Rod)
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Rod-AR127 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 206
Focuser Talk - Beginners Style

You may have read that l damaged my focuser some time ago, destroyed the star diagonal (SD), finder scope bracket and Barlow lens as well.
In short, temperature dropped, dove tail became loose, OTA and everything attached hit the ground, expensive end first.
New GSO 2" diagonal, finder scope bracket sees me back in the game.
My Bresser Hexafoc rack and pinion focuser "absorbed" some of the impact but is now missing teeth on both the pinion gear and rack, good job me.

So, what should l do?
I will contact Bresser.de to ask about parts, they don't list them but worth a try as they have been helpful in the past. I could also contact Explore Scientific for the same. Unfortunately postage cost these days are just ridiculous.

New focuser? This is where my questions start.

The same focuser or better quality, a statement not question.
I have the 8:1 upgrade for finer control, l would like 10:1.

The current advert for the AR 127L states "Very high quality Hexafoc focuser with 2.5" free inner diameter."
The hole in the end of the OTA is 3 3/16", the hole where the SD goes in is 2". I'm guessing the bit in between is 2 1/2".
Is the Hexafoc focuser a non standard size?

Is the 3 3/16" hole in the end of the OTA standard size?

Do l have a standard 2" focuser?

Is there a benefit to having 2 1/2" inner diameter when you throttle it down to 2" for the SD? More room for screws and brass rings to keep that 2" clear?

Is 2 1/2" inner diameter standard, good, bad or gimic?

As for which focuser should l buy, l will most likely get a Crayford style over rack and pinion and not go too expensive as my OTA is only worth so much.

I could buy a high quality focuser knowing in the future l will buy a high end APO, one more portable than my current behemoth, but that won't be for quite a while yet.

Ok then, reading back through l see my main concern is, "is my focuser a standard size and can l replace it with any 2" style focuser for a frac?

Next, extension rings!
Why?

The distance the focuser moves?
Is this because of EP FL? 5 mm EP and 45mm EP being able to work in the one focuser?

Thanks in advance, off to Mr Google and YouTube now.
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