Rotating a GSO Crayford focusser

[erick (Eric)]

From an IceTrade post:-

Originally Posted by Starkler

The humble gso crayford even does that if you loosen the grub screws in the side of the base

I'd like to re-orient my focusser knobs at an angle to the axis rather than parallel. So I loosen the grub screws, turn it to the desired angle, tighten the grub screws. Anyone see a problem with that before I try it? Thanks.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Yep Erick - just go right ahead

I've turned mine on my 8" newt such that it is parallel to the ground at around 50 degrees elevation. I find that I'm at or around that point in the sky most naturally, so now I have the two knobs on the 10:1 parallel to the ground for most situations.

Of course, this would work better on a dobsonian mount as the EQ5 ends up in all sorts of contorted positions during the night.....

Cheers
Chris

[Starkler (Geoff)]

No problem at all. A few people have upgraded their crayford to 10:1 type by undoing the grub screws and swapping over the focuser body, leaving the base attached to the ota.

[erick (Eric)]

Great, I'm on a Dob mount and when I'm pointing to high altitudes I find the focusser knob to be really wrongly positioned. Your approach, Chris, is what I need.

To push it a bit further, if I left them loose would I have a swivelling focusser! Probably 1) it would fall off onto the ground, or my foot, 2) collimation would go out as I turned it.

I've been thinking that I really want a "left-handed" reflector - focusser on the other side! They all seem to come in one orientation. I view with right eye usually, and like to cover my open left eye with my left hand (Yes, I must put a black felt cover down around the focuser and take off the bright silver knob on the left hand side so I am less distracted, then maybe I don't have to cover my left eye. Yes, I have thought eyepatch, but with glasses going on and off and a furry aviator's hat to keep me warm - no room) However, I then don't have a hand free to move the scope to follow the object while I observe. If the focusser was on the other side of the scope, I could use my left hand to cover my left eye and move the scope with my right hand!


Never satisfied, this guy!!

[rmcpb (Rob)]

I have my focuser knobs at about 45 degrees which I find comfy for most postions.

Don't leave it loose, it will fall out!!

Left handed focuser is no worries if you make a cradle mount, you can swivel it anywhere that suits. Otherwise, its take the hubs off and drill other mounting holes as you need.