I have just completed a small refractor so I can do some viewing while up in the Flinders Ranges. I hacked an old pair of Binoculars (12x50's) and made it into an Ocular, only difference is I removed the prism part and put a 1 1/4" R&P focuser on it to accept my EP's. So far look good, yet to do a star test on them, but the sun looks good. I have now painted it flat black on the inside so have to wait for paint to dry before getting some pics. Good thing about it is if the main lens gets damaged or scratched, I always have another to replace it.
Okay here is one of the pictures of it sitting on my Tripod. I checked out the Sun through it and it's showing quite severe Blue and red fringing (on white paper), I guess I am not suprised by this. Looks great for land based stuff and I am expecting widefield to be good too.
The bino's wouldn't focus properly and I was getting fed up with them, so the mod was the best thing for them, the focuser used to be on my 8" scope. The wood was scrap, I made the hole in the wood with a door handle making hole drillermajig. The tripod adapter was surplus stock from an old tripod. All up $0 to make Now thats a price I am happy with.
looking forward to the pictures.
