just ordered Catseye triple pack

[adman (Adam)]

have taken the plunge and ordered the triple pack (TELECAT XL / BLACKCAT XL / INFINITY XLK) of catseye collimation tools

Has anyone else ordered any recently? How long did they take to arrive? Any tips/tricks for using etc?

Cheers
Adam

[adman (Adam)]

gotta love the exchange rate $296USD --> $312AUD !!

[RobF (Rob)]

WTG Adam!
I'll be interested to hear how you find these. By all accounts, the Rolls Royce of collimation tools....

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

I found them very easy to use and if you haven't already seen it, I made a sequence to help those who find the wade through the plethora of info and product names on the Catseye web site a little confusing (this one album has had 16 000 hits since March 07 - who knows how many tools Jim has sold as a direct result )

I got rid of the ASA 12" F3.6 three years ago thinking I would never need my Catseye tools again ...lucky I kept them as I have the Orion Optics equivalent of the ASA N12 coming by years end

Mike

[erick (Eric)]

blackcat and dual pupil infinity are on their way to me.

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Adam,

Funny that - I ordered the same triple pack today! Also got Vic Menard's book on Newtonian Colimation. Jim must be wondering what's going on in Australia?

I also made a mod to my secondary mirror holder today that I've been meaning to do for some time. I machined up a thin aluminium disc to go between the plastic cell and the three colimation bolts. This prevents the bolts indenting themselves into the plastic cell - making rotation of the cell easier.

[adman (Adam)]

Originally Posted by peter_4059

Adam,

Funny that - I ordered the same triple pack today! Also got Vic Menard's book on Newtonian Colimation. Jim must be wondering what's going on in Australia?

I also made a mod to my secondary mirror holder today that I've been meaning to do for some time. I machined up a thin aluminium disc to go between the plastic cell and the three colimation bolts. This prevents the bolts indenting themselves into the plastic cell - making rotation of the cell easier.

would've been nice to share the postage - you must be just down the road!

Adam

[adman (Adam)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

I found them very easy to use and if you haven't already seen it, I made a sequence to help those who find the wade through the plethora of info and product names on the Catseye web site a little confusing (this one album has had 16 000 hits since March 07 - who knows how many tools Jim has sold as a direct result )

I got rid of the ASA 12" F3.6 three years ago thinking I would never need my Catseye tools again ...lucky I kept them as I have the Orion Optics equivalent of the ASA N12 coming by years end

Mike

That is a great explanation. Jim might make great collimation tools, but he has some way to go with website usability!

I am looking forward to getting even more now - even though my 8" skywatcher looks like a small kids toy next to that ASA...

Adam

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by peter_4059

I also made a mod to my secondary mirror holder today that I've been meaning to do for some time. I machined up a thin aluminium disc to go between the plastic cell and the three colimation bolts. This prevents the bolts indenting themselves into the plastic cell - making rotation of the cell easier.

Here is a mod I've done to an 8" reflector, with some sucess. I'm thinking about it for my 12". I have a feeling that I need accurate and reproducible secondary mirror movements to successfully use the autocollimator tool.

The main feature I used is replacing one collimation screw with a strong spring as shown by jayscheuerle

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea...l/fpart/1/vc/1

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by adman

That is a great explanation. Jim might make great collimation tools, but he has some way to go with website usability!

I am looking forward to getting even more now - even though my 8" skywatcher looks like a small kids toy next to that ASA...

Adam

Hi Adam

Yeh a picture is worth a thousand words huh..?

It is full of heaps of useful info for sure but I was totally bamboozled by the Catseye web site. After working my way through it I realised collimating a Newt is really easy with Jims tools though, so I thought a pictorial instruction would be useful for others and it clearly has been

Once I have my new AG12 I will redo the sequence with this.

Mike

[Jason D (Jason)]

Just curious. how many of you have gone through the following document and found it confusing?

http://www.catseyecollimation.com/XLK-HotSpot-R1.pdf

I would like to know so I can improve the document for Jim.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Catseye business. I volunteer my time to help Jim improve some of his products.

Jason

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

It makes sense to me Jason

[norm]

I bought the triple back a couple of years ago. Its a great product, but alas I sold it and ended up using an Astrosystems. I wouldn't mind giving it another go however one day to see how measures up (no doubt that it will).

I still have the red triangle centred on my primary!

Cheers Norm.

btw:

but I was totally bamboozled by the Catseye web site

I agree, totally confusing, its all over the place, hard to work out whether your ordering the right pack or not. I would love to see it updated and simplified. Absolute shocker!

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

I purchased the kit about 6 months back now and good lord it makes one mighty difference to the outcome! at f4.7 the 10" now beams and as a direct result my FWHM (astro people should look at this ) went from 6-8 down to 2-3. Massive difference! I thought my old pictures where pretty damn clear... now they are pin point! Just have to get the mount and wind to co operate! Hopefully i can quantify the modifications that i have made by running my scope on a mates Ovision modified G11 with a Qhy9. It will be very interesting indeed!

One thing that is important though is to loose the tools when collimation as its a night mare to collimate other wise

http://www.brendanmitchell.net/Project%20254/Telescope/ is my upgrade to the 10" to overcome this.

Good luck Adam you have put yourself on the path to happier imaging!

Brendan

[adman (Adam)]

Yep - when I started out with my EQ5 it was really just to get some widefield shots with my DSLR - but as you know astrophotography has a way of getting its hooks into you and before you know it you are a addict with a $500 a week habit to support! So I have been slowly converting all my crappy gear to good stuff. I am no longer going to buy anything unless it is going to last me, or I can resell it easily. I am also sick of battling with inferior equipment.

So purchases this month have been the catseye collimation kit, a motorised moonlight focuser, and a great 20mW green laser pointer. Next up will be a G-11 with encoders and argo navis - when the funds allow....