a little help with focuser options please

[Brian W (Brian)]

Hi all, I use a Meade 8" LightBridge and in the foreseeable future, due to nerve damage I will need to upgrade the focuser.

My question is; would it be easier to bring a top end 2 speed pick your brand focuser or an electric focuser, into focus while wearing thick winter gloves cause that's how much feeling my fingers have some nights.

Regrettably my wife and I are the local club so there is no way to test before buying.

Brian

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

I must admit, I am looking at electric focuser mostly for finer adjustment. Possibly get both.

[gbeal]

This thread will invariably bring the top end opinions out, so I wade in with mine. Feather Touch. I have used them with gloves, but not "thick winter gloves". In using mine though I find I don't actually "grip" the fine adjustment knob, more I seem to roll my finger or thumb across it, and this turns it just nicely.
With electric focus you have to push the buttons, and again that may or may not be a challenge with the gloves.
The only downside I see is the consumer reluctance to spending on the focuser what you have just spent on the scope (or close to it). Only you can answer that.
Gary

[astro_nutt]

Hi Brian,
I once stuck a oversized plastic toothed gear to the knob of my R+P focuser which worked ok then I made a plastic "X" which seemed better with gloves on. Hope this helps.
Cheers!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

I've also seen a "tinker toy" (round part) screwed onto the focuser knob and then the "stick" portion was used to do fine adjustments...

[Brian W (Brian)]

Excellent suggestions. In my misspent youth I owned multiple English motorcycles so simple solutions for simple problems make sense to me.

This question is directed to Scott...One reason I went with the 8 inch LB is when I eventually find myself in a wheel chair I can still use it from nadir to zenith. Would that be possible with your 12.5 D. or is it too long.
Brian

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally Posted by gbeal

This thread will invariably bring the top end opinions out, so I wade in with mine. Feather Touch.
Gary

Hi Brian,

I agree 100% with Gary.

In 1st position came Feathertouch. In 2nd position came Feathertouch. In 3rd Position came Feathertouch. And then came all the rest IMO.

I have used lots of different focusers over the years including the best from Feathertouch, JMI and Moonlite and IMO the Feathertouch is just a plain and simple cut above the rest, as far as visual astronomy is concerned. The 2 speed Moonlite is a very nice focuser, but it isn't a Feathertouch. Someone once asked me is the Feathertouch was worth the extra hundred odd dollars over the Feathertouch? My reply was, each and every day of the week.

I will never own another telescope, with any focuser other than a Feathertouch on it. Once you go there, the rest don't quite cut it IMO.

To give you some idea of how light and smooth the motions are. I can lift the 31mm Nagler + Paracorr, which isn't a light combo, by rolling one finger on the focuser wheel. You don't even need to completely grab the focuser wheel between your fingers.

The downside of course, is they are not cheap and it might be difficult to justify spending that amount of money on an 8" mass produced scope.

Cheers,
John B

[pgc hunter]

I now have a feathertouch, after using a GSO 10:1 unit and an Astrosytems phase 4. Both units were massacred by the FT. Even the set screws on the FT have this silky feel, unlike on any other focuser I've used. And when you tighten the tension, it doesn't have that stiff jerky feel, but rather a firm buttery motion.

I'm agreeing with John, it's becoming increasingly hard to look back!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by Brian W

This question is directed to Scott...One reason I went with the 8 inch LB is when I eventually find myself in a wheel chair I can still use it from nadir to zenith. Would that be possible with your 12.5 D. or is it too long.
Brian

I think the Discovery 12.5 would be too tall at Zenith to view from a wheelchair (or a chair)...I am 5 foot 10 inches and the eyepiece at zenith is perfect for me to stand straight up and view...almost all of the rest of my viewing is seated on an adjustable height chair (Stellar Seat)...

Glad you like the "tinker oy solution"....