DIY Finder

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

I had a Bushmans JUPITER-F300 and an eyepiece from a old set of binoculars. I just needed to add 11 cm to get focus and a right angle corrector. It came out well I think now I just have to make the mount for it and tidy it up a bit. And I used the adjustable EP from the Bino's so it can be adjusted for other users

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

I just checked out the moon with it and was very impressed great contrast and very crisp focus

[mercedes_sl1970]

Hi Warren

Well done - I love seeing gear reconstructed for other uses.

Andrew

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Nice work!

I made a finder too from a 7X50 pair of binos. I chopped the bugger in half, keeping the focusing barrel on the 'scope' I was going to use as the finder.

I installed a set of cross-hairs to the EP which is easy to do, and you may like to do as well.

I removed the eyepiece and found its focal point by looking into the EP and poking wire into the other end of the EP. I then wove strands of copper wire to make the cross hairs. The strands I got out of a length of an unused telephone lead as these are the finest strands that are easily got.

The wires are kept from moving with a tiny amount of epoxy glue.

I kept the "monocular" set up as I prefer straight through finders, but this rig gives me correct image too, .

I've since change the wooden block for alignment for a simple camera ball head attachment.

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

Thanks all

Alexander looks great. With the cross hairs are they placed after the EP but I need to find the focal point is that correct

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

The picture shows the inside of the eyepiece, looking as if it was up into the barrel of a telescope eyepiece. Most bino eyepieces have a flange that leads from the eyepiece glass elements that slides in and out of the bino body. It is on that flange that the cross hairs are placed and the focus lies.

Make sense?

I made another set of cross hairs in an old 25mm Kellner EP (using copper wire), and a grid reticle in a cheap 2" 32mm Kellner EP (using optic fiber). The 25mm is used in the 3" finder mounted on my big dob, and the 32mm is used in my sketching to obtain a sense of scale and component position.

The first pic shows the 25mm with its barrel removed to facilitate wire placement.

Nearly forgot, I had to drill into the side of the 25mm to access the focal point of the EP. With the 32mm, the field stop sits on the focal point which made the placement much easier.

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

I got it now thanks Alexander next project is add them. Great

[ZeroID (Brent)]

The converted binoculars is on my plan as well. Plenty of cheapish examples on local auction site but I'm sure I've got an old pair of 7 x ?? around and a right angle mirror. Second hand shops are good too.