Orion ED80 upgrade - the cloud will be my fault

[1ponders] (Paul) · #1 01-12-2006, 11:34 PM

I've been humming and hawwing the past couple of months about whether to upgrade the standard ED80 Crayford to a two speed focuser. I was finding it frustrating at times getting the focus just right for wide field DSLR imaging. I just couldn't get small enough focus adjustments when imaging at f 4.7 (.63 reducer attached) with the standard crayford. Even using the clothes peg trick wasn't fine enough for me. Enter the desire for a 10:1 fouser. The problem I found out was three fold; how much money did I have, who made them and where could I get one from.

The first answer was "Not as much as I'd like". The second answer boiled down to Moonlight or Williams Optics. Which meant after currency conversion and postage etc, the first answer became "Not as much as I'd need"

I started tracking down suppliers and alternate costs for the WO focuser. Well as it turned out the best price by a long shot came from one of our regularly mentioned local suppliers. Andrews Communication to the rescue, with a price that I just couldn't refuse.

So now I am the proud owner of a Williams Optics F-SYN2S 10:1 focuser. I managed to get 1 avi of the Tycho and Schiller area tonight before the high cloud moved in

Boy I'm really looking forward to giving it a work out. Tonights little tease was very exciting. Smooth as butter and made getting that "just right spot" so easy, even in less than good seeing.

So to all you SE Qlders.......Sorry.........but we need the rain anyway

[1ponders] (Paul) · #2 01-12-2006, 11:37 PM

Btw, it is fully 360 degree rotatable, and comes with the dual ring finder bracket, which is just a bit small in the rings. I had to remove the finder dew shield to get it through the rings. This left about 3-4 mm gap all the way around, enough to make adjustments for alignment.

plus I found out later that Antares make one as well that can be bought through Scopestuff and ClearVue Optics in the states at a very good price, but underneath I really wanted the WO, besides even the Antares one would have cost me more to get in than the WO one bought here

acropolite (Phil) · #3 02-12-2006, 12:01 AM

I've been eying one of those off for some time, of course I'm extremely envious. Perhaps the grey bearded Gent that visits at Xmas could bring me one......

[1ponders] (Paul) · #4 02-12-2006, 12:04 AM

It's very smmmooooooooth Phil

Ok, I will admit the coarse focuse feels quite "heavy" though not unpleasant, but the 10:1 is the bees knees. It's like turning silk.

Dennis · #5 02-12-2006, 08:06 AM

Nice review Paul - sounds like you are putting the new astro-toy to good use.

Cheers

Dennis

Striker (Tony) · #6 02-12-2006, 10:45 AM

All I can say is your lucky the moon is out so you have atleast 1 week grace.

I like the WO focusers....good value for money.

You didn't consider the moonlite or feathertouch focusers...??
Purchasing the WO local is a lot less troublesome.....so I dont blame you.

Starkler (Geoff) · #7 02-12-2006, 10:50 AM

Dont forget to collimate

The only adjustment on these scopes is the tilt angle of the focuser wrt to the OTA. Mine had elongated holes for the focuser/ota attachment points for this reason.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #8 02-12-2006, 10:52 AM

Don't know if I'll have much room for collimation Geoff. I'll look into it but the screw holes line up pretty snuggly with the ota holes. I'll whack the collimator in it today and check.

Starkler (Geoff) · #9 02-12-2006, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

I'll whack the collimator in it today and check.

Well worth checking.
The ed80 that I bought from Bintel had the holes elongated by them to fix the collimation before they shipped it to me. It goes to show that the factory mechanical alignment can be less than optimum.

Gargoyle_Steve (Steve) · #10 04-12-2006, 12:13 AM

Paul please stop going on about how good it is - the clouds are getting worse, tonight it evolved into a storm as well !

*grin*

[1ponders] (Paul) · #11 04-12-2006, 12:15 AM

It's been bucketing down here tonight Steve

Geoff, did a preliminary check and it doesn't seem too bad. Wont know for sure until I can do a star test.

allan gould · #12 04-12-2006, 11:18 AM

I have to say that I have become addicted to these focussers. I bought an 80mm WO Megrez triplet apo and was just enthralled with the fit and finish of the scope - especially after some of the Meade (it'll do OK rough stuff). I thought I would upgrade an old 4" Achro with a WO focuser and it really performs with an IR and ST7 camera. So on the weekend I thought it really would be nice if my 8" and 10" SCTs had the same sort of focuser rather than the poor excuse that Meade puts out, so I ordered a new one to swap between the two when I am imaging with DSLR. Andrews was a good price and I have had great service from them before.
But these really are beautiful items that really enhance your scope and make it a pleasure to use. I went through exactly the same as 1ponders and looked at the same sources and came to the same decisions. Interesting.