Dropped Eyepiece

johnno · #1 06-01-2006, 02:42 AM

Hi All,
I had a bad experience last night,Almost gave me heart failure.
I was outside looking at Saturn,Orion,etc with my ED80,and didn,t bring my eyepieces from the mount tray, inside first.
I forgot I had my 40mm GSO 2",standing up,and as I moved the whole assembly through the door,one of the legs on the tripod,clipped the step,and the eyepiece toppled out of the tray,and landed across the concrete.

LUCKILY,none of the elements broke,

just dented the end of the chrome barrel.
Now,I will be the first to admit,this eyepiece is no high end affair,and not expensive, but it works quite well for me,in the ED80.
Could have been worse I suppose,I had about 4,or 5 others that were also Standing up,and they could have gone over as well.
I am hoping,I can get a piece of wooden dowel,and tap the dent out,AFTER,screwing the barrel off first.

So,the moral of the story is,IF you have a tray,that allows eyepieces to stand up.
LAY THEM DOWN BEFORE MOVING ANYTHING.
Regards.John

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #2 06-01-2006, 06:24 AM

Ouch Johnno, hope it's okay and no elements got a shaking out of their positions.

Dennis · #3 06-01-2006, 07:54 AM

Hi John

Hope that no irreversible damage has been done and that you succeed in removing the dent. If your tray does not have a raised lip, would it be possible to add one to prevent any re-occurrence? You could pop rivet some aluminium angle iron on the edge which should prevent stuff rolling off.

Cheers

Dennis.

davidpretorius · #4 06-01-2006, 09:07 AM

is it just me, but when i hear things like this, i get that cold feeling just like when you see or hear anything about a bloke getting kicked in the nuts!

Argonavis (William) · #5 06-01-2006, 09:15 AM

My observing area at home is all cement, so I am very conscious of what can happen to an eyepiece when it hits a hard surface, and am accordingly very very careful. The bigger the eyepiece the harder they fall, as they say.

I understand that there are only 2 eyepience vendors who will service their products - good old Al Nagler and Greg Speers of Antaries. So my eyepience case is filled with Televue green and Antaries red, despite the cost. I think the lifetime warranty and after sales support make the very painful and wallet crunching extra cost well worth it.
After all, you only need 3 eyepieces and maybe a barlow to cover the a reasonable magnification range for any given scope. You don't need any more as you are not going to play chess with them.

I have heard stories about one very major vendor and their eyepieces that make me not want to buy their product, despite their being quite nice eyepieces. Which shows how it takes only one or two unhappy customers to give a company a bad reputation.

johnno · #6 06-01-2006, 12:50 PM

Hi All,
Thanks for your replies,
Yes,the eyepiece is quite ok,no broken elements or other problems.
Dennis,
The tray does have a lip,but this eyepiece is BIG,and TALL,and simply slid across the tray,hit the lip,and toppled over the side.
The most annoying part is I have no one else to blame but MYSELF,I should have put all the eyepieces back in their case BEFORE moving the scope.
Wont happen again,if it does,you all have my permision to kick me up the rear end.
Regards.John

mickoking · #7 06-01-2006, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidpretorius

is it just me, but when i hear things like this, i get that cold feeling just like when you see or hear anything about a bloke getting kicked in the nuts!

Spot on

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #8 06-01-2006, 02:03 PM

Johnno,

Sorry to hear about the eyepiece tumble. It is never a good feeling when this sort of thing happens but take a little comfort from the fact that "it could have been" a very expensive one.

I know it might sound a little "anal" but I got myself into a pattern years ago after dropping an eyepiece whilst packing up. The 1st thing I do when I finish observing is to remove my eyepiece and any accessories from the telescope. I then pack them back into my hard foam lined aluminium carry case and lock the case and then put it in the car or take it inside, depending on where I am observing. I then proceed to pack up everything else and put it away or in the car. The last thing I move is the telescope. In addition I never use the accessory tray fitted to the telescope, I actually remove them. I always use an observing table beside the telescope and place my eyepiece case on the table. As I change over eyepieces I always return them immediately to their nesting place in the case. It may sound a little bit of a pain and a bit "anal" but I haven't had an accident in a long long time

CS-John B

#9 06-01-2006, 02:09 PM

Yes ouch! glad to hear it survived!

Apart from it's aero-dynamic properties, what do you think of the 40mm GSO overall

regards,CS

ving (David) · #10 06-01-2006, 02:22 PM

lol @ rob.

have you re-tested it? is it still ok?

Dennis · #11 06-01-2006, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Johnno,

I always use an observing table beside the telescope and place my eyepiece case on the table. As I change over eyepieces I always return them immediately to their nesting place in the case. It may sound a little bit of a pain and a bit "anal" but I haven't had an accident in a long long time

CS-John B

I'll come out too and admit I do exactly the same as John, returning each eyepiece or barlow to it's resting place in the case. This also minimises any risk of moisture or dust affecting an eyepiece as it is better protected in the case.

Cheers

Dennis

johnno · #12 07-01-2006, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Johnno,

Sorry to hear about the eyepiece tumble. It is never a good feeling when this sort of thing happens but take a little comfort from the fact that "it could have been" a very expensive one.

I know it might sound a little "anal" but I got myself into a pattern years ago after dropping an eyepiece whilst packing up. The 1st thing I do when I finish observing is to remove my eyepiece and any accessories from the telescope. I then pack them back into my hard foam lined aluminium carry case and lock the case and then put it in the car or take it inside, depending on where I am observing. I then proceed to pack up everything else and put it away or in the car. The last thing I move is the telescope. In addition I never use the accessory tray fitted to the telescope, I actually remove them. I always use an observing table beside the telescope and place my eyepiece case on the table. As I change over eyepieces I always return them immediately to their nesting place in the case. It may sound a little bit of a pain and a bit "anal" but I haven't had an accident in a long long time

CS-John B

Hi All,

You are right John,
That IS good advice, and I included you entire post,as I think EVERYONE, should read it.
AS I said it was my own fault,I was trying to hold the screen door open with one hand,and get the scope in with the other.
It was a very awkward exercise,I SHOULD have put a brick against the door,but even so,i SHOULD have brought the eyepieces in FIRST.
Then I would NOT have taken the Lords Name in Vain,

And used the other words,that would have got me expelled from Sunday School.

Ving,
Thankfully it is quite ok,It fits inside the focuser,Just,
although I need to take the chrome barrel off,and using a wooden dowel, so I dont damage the thread,Hopefully tap it back into shape.

Rob,
I find the 40mm,quite good in the ED80,it seems to be quite sharp almost to the edge,with no seagulls,M45, and M42,in this eyepiece is stunning,especially Barlowed.

But I am the first to admit,I am no expert on eyepieces,nor do I have anything to compare it to.
But,I WAS surprised at how sharp it is,I think in a faster scope it may not be as good.
The ED80 is F 7.5.

Regards.
John

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #13 07-01-2006, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnno

and landed across the concrete

Screeeeeeech! That is like fingernails on a blackboard!!!!

I once dropped one of my crummy series 500 EP's onto grass and had a heart attack!

I yelled my guts out at Camp when I dropped my 12" Dob!

We live & learn . . . and are vewy vewy careful! (now)

asimov (John) · #14 07-01-2006, 01:18 AM

And I let rip a few choice profanities when I dropped my fringe killer on my gravel drive-way a couple nights ago!

Blanket....put a blanket on the ground under the scope next time asi-dork you stupid.................!

matt · #15 07-01-2006, 11:31 AM

That's OK...

Managed to send the whole shebang tumbling the other day.

Here's a simple one to keep in mind:

Setting up at a new sight. As always, in too much of a hurry. Got the tripod with mount on top, with a rough polar alignment.

Raced to get the 8" on board and the counter weights. Then noticed the altitude scale was a bit off. The moment I touched the adjustment bolts the whole shooting match fell over.

Guess what? In my haste I'd forgotten to secure the tripod to the mount with the bolt which holds the accessory tray!!!!!

I'm glad I was at a friend's place and it wasn't my neighbours who had to witness/hear my performance

At least they got a fair and balanced self-appraisal!

I used to snigger at those fellas who take forever to methodically assemble and disassemble their rigs. Not anymore. I'm one of 'em now

#16 07-01-2006, 12:12 PM

ouch! Matt that sounds nasty!

regards,CS

matt · #17 07-01-2006, 12:17 PM

It's not too bad, thanks Rob.

I'm told the bandages can come off any day soon but I'll need to keep an eye on the rash!!!!!!

johnno · #18 07-01-2006, 12:24 PM

Hope everythings ok Matt,
Goes to show just how easy this type of accident can happen.
Regards.
John

matt · #19 07-01-2006, 12:59 PM

Everything's fine thanks johnno

I think I was lucky. I managed to "wrestle" it to the ground, which took some of the pace out of its fall. It was also set up on grass which had just been given a good sprinkling, so the ground was softer than concrete!

It was mostly my pride which was dented

But I certainly agree with Dave ... about that feeling you get when something like this happens. I think my crackers are still making their way back down to where they belong.