Hello,
I like to adjust my side tension knobs for balance so the scope stays in all positions with the heavier 2" eyepieces in place with the tension off. When using smaller eyepieces on objects like Saturn I have a bit of tension to slow the scope down when I nudge it to keep Saturn in view, and this will keep the scope from tipping up too as it will now be out of balance.
I also got the Astrosystems LightPipe/SightTube and Autocollimator. I followed their instructions pretty much, but skipped marking the secondary. I also have a Hotech SCA Crosshair laser collimator. After measuring the secondary for being central in the spider (with offset already built into the secondary holder), I fired the laser at the secondary to find it missed the center by about 1/2inch. I could see this in the lightpipe but it only looked like a few mm out! My problem was fixed by slipping 2mm of card under one side of the focuser.
The scope will come to collimation visually without doing much with the alignment of the secondary. Pinpoint stars will show this, but the view will not be as bright as it really should. And planets viewed at high power will not look nearly as sharp as they should.
Check out these 2 sites and cross reference them with the Astrosystems instructions. They show that you need to have everything aligned to within a few mm of the center spot, so for the brightest views, you need to initially do a bit more, but only do it once as the mirrors will not move much, only tilt and change shape due to temperature and gravity.
http://www.propermotion.com/jwreed/A.../Collimate.htm
http://web.telia.com/~u41105032/kolli/kolli.html
Use the fan to cool the mirror to ideally within 0.5C of ambient temp. This can take hours, so for the sharpest views set up early and get the fan running. It can usually be turned off once cooled enough. If you have dew forming on the primary then just having moving air over the mirror can prevent it, so see if this fan moves air over the top of the mirror and if it causes any vibration.
Using a barlowed 20mm I find gives much better views than my 10mm straight. Better eye relief so I'm not straining to center the view and squinting up to the eyepiece. I will be needing filters too for Saturn. Naked eye observation is new to me too, but Saturn is far too bright for me to see any colour.
Mark.