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Old 01-05-2016, 01:37 PM
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Small things make life easier...

To fit the Orion (Bintel) dovetail base to my Canon 400mm F2.8L lens, I came up with this little gadget.

Adapter is made of two identical parts, glued together with acetone (so 3D printing is possible without supports).
Also, couple of weeks ago I made dovetail->red dot finder adapter...

If someone is interested I will post stl files here.
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  #2  
Old 02-05-2016, 07:56 PM
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That is really cool Bo , I like it .
Brian.
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Old 28-06-2016, 04:37 PM
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Focuser magnifier

Another gadget: magnifier to help focusing with live view when my "new" FSM 450D camera is pointing upwards.

The spare diagonal mirror (from National Geographic small dobson) helped a lot...
The lens was taken from Coilcraft SMD inductors set.
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Last edited by bojan; 28-06-2016 at 05:05 PM.
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Old 11-03-2017, 06:50 AM
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lLive viwe magnifier - New verion

... with articulate eyepiece.
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Old 12-04-2017, 03:54 PM
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Lens caps and masks...

I did not have either shade tube nor cap for my Canon FD 400mm f2.8L, so I made one from 150mm stormpipe and 3D-printed cap... and added bahtinov mask.

Then I did the same form Rubinar 10/1000... and for all my other lenses.
Now I have them always at hand.
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Last edited by bojan; 13-04-2017 at 01:49 PM.
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Old 26-12-2017, 09:53 AM
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Another gadget...
This one could be useful when stetting circles are not at hand, and when you need to accurately place the scope in home position.

(apologies for blurred image, I will replace it with better one asap... but I am sure you guys will guess what that gadget does).

The printed dovetail bar (made from 3 pieces to avoid supports) goes into finder adapter.
It is designed for Melbourne and surroundings (37°) and it can be adjusted for other latitudes.
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Old 26-12-2017, 11:19 AM
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Hmm the level for home position is good idea, though I'd rather use the bubble level app in my iPhone, a lot easier to see in the dark ! You've just given me an excellent reason to add some brackets to my Santel OTA.

Bojan make those masks and endcaps in cast iron and you could do a nice sideline in korean tabletop BBQ. It would need an insulated tile or brick underneath.
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  #8  
Old 26-12-2017, 01:40 PM
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Nice job Bojan. Very clever

Best
JA
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Old 26-12-2017, 07:19 PM
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Nice DIY gadgets ! But the 400 f/2.8L, amazing ! This A$12000 lens is my dream portable scope for not only AP but also visual use ! More versatile than a Tak FSQ-106 and the same quality.

I have done something similarly, here what I have made from simple aluminum strips and $2 PVC plumbing sockets.

The photo of my DIY gadgets, clockwise from 12 o'clock:

* Eyepiece adapter for Canon Powershot S100 (can be made for any compact camera) for which I have adapter rings for three EPs. Useful for planetary photography by filming the eyepiece image and then using 'Autostakkert'.
* Same for GoPro, with a rectangular hole in it where the lens fits in.
* Latitude wedge + bubble (at 7 o'clock) to adjust the mount to the correct latitude, now set for 52 degrees, but can easily be adjusted to any latitude.
* Yoghurt pack cap which fits exactly on a 1.25" eyepiece
* PVC 32mm socket + rear lens cap eyepiece adapter for using telephoto lenses visually. Renders upside-down image, but can be fixed by putting a diagonal + barlow (the latter required because backfocus is too short) between EP and adapter.
* PVC adapter for putting angle finder over eyepiece of polar scope. Much more comfortable polar adjustment.
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Old 26-12-2017, 08:01 PM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skysurfer View Post
Nice DIY gadgets ! But the 400 f/2.8L, amazing ! This A$12000 lens is my dream portable scope for not only AP but also visual use ! More versatile than a Tak FSQ-106 and the same quality.

I have done something similarly, here what I have made from simple aluminum strips and $2 PVC plumbing sockets.

The photo of my DIY gadgets, clockwise from 12 o'clock:

* Eyepiece adapter for Canon Powershot S100 (can be made for any compact camera) for which I have adapter rings for three EPs. Useful for planetary photography by filming the eyepiece image and then using 'Autostakkert'.
* Same for GoPro, with a rectangular hole in it where the lens fits in.
* Latitude wedge + bubble (at 7 o'clock) to adjust the mount to the correct latitude, now set for 52 degrees, but can easily be adjusted to any latitude.
* Yoghurt pack cap which fits exactly on a 1.25" eyepiece
* PVC 32mm socket + rear lens cap eyepiece adapter for using telephoto lenses visually. Renders upside-down image, but can be fixed by putting a diagonal + barlow (the latter required because backfocus is too short) between EP and adapter.
* PVC adapter for putting angle finder over eyhepiece of polar scope. Much more comfortable polar adjustment.
Who needs a Tak with a lens like that bravo...though Taks use Canon lenses.
bigjoe
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  #11  
Old 26-12-2017, 08:03 PM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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Very clever indeed Bojan.
bigjoe.
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  #12  
Old 27-12-2017, 06:47 AM
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Thank you guys for your kind words...

Yes, this lens is pretty good, but not perfect - without external aperture (f/3.5 ~ f/4) there is too much of CA (I haven't tried narrow band yet).
But for the price I paid for it (and with help from Stefan), it is OK.
Also, I am using 680nM UVIR cut off filter (otherwise some stars are bloated (due to IR).

Last edited by bojan; 27-12-2017 at 07:40 AM.
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  #13  
Old 23-01-2019, 07:34 PM
Ukastronomer (Jeremy)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bojan View Post
... with articulate eyepiece.
Good idea but still means you have to be "behind the screen of the camera, at annoying angles, crouching and peering through a tube, watching a monitor is a lot easier
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Old 23-01-2019, 07:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukastronomer View Post
Good idea but still means you have to be "behind the screen of the camera, at annoying angles, crouching and peering through a tube, watching a monitor is a lot easier
Well, sort of yes, but it is much, much easier than without this articulate magnifier :-)
I don't like too much stuff, cables etc. around me in the dark when I am in the field somewhere.
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