I turned my telescope into a horrorscope last night

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Hi guys,

Last night (Sunday 11) the one thing happened that I always dreaded happening. I set the scope up in the backyard expecting to spend just an hour or so "looking around". I always give the tube a bit of a "jiggle" to ensure it is properly attached onto the mount. The tube has a dovetail bar that drops onto a dovetail on the top of the EQ5 mount. It has a screw that pushes the side of the bar into the dovetail. I have always worried that it is possible to have the bar in crooked and slide out, so I fitted a block to the end so the bar cannot just slide along the dovetail and onto the ground.

Anyway, after giving it a jiggle or two and then releasing the tube (but standing ready just in case) I saw that it was sitting happily on the tripod. Next, loosen the locking screw and swing it over to check the balance. Suddenly the tube decides to attempt suicide by jumping off the top of the tripod...somehow it was able to stay securely on the mount and not slide, but was not held in the dovetail and just toppled sideways onto the ground. Fortunately it was sitting on the grass and so the impact was considerably reduced.

I looked down to find the laser bracket had released and the laser was just sitting on the grass. The finder had slid off the dovetail bracket and sitting on the ground. The GS Crayford had come apart (it just has two grub screws that hold it onto the mounting plate, which I was never really happy with) and the focusing mechanism was sitting on the ground. Upon close inspection the only "damage" so far is that the finder bracket has dented the side of the tube when the finder hit the ground, hopefully I can "pop" this out. Everything else seems "intact". Whew!

Fortunately, I had just gone to Bintel, with "Santa", on Saturday to buy me a laser collimator. I think I may have to ask Santa if I can borrow my present before it gets wrapped...

While I am checking the whole thing out, I will have to see if there is something I can do to improve the dovetail arrangement to prevent it rolling out again. Obviously giving the whole tube a "jiggle" is not sufficient.

Has anyone else had a scope attempt suicide?


And I just got the scope for last Christmas....Santa....I have been really good (with the exception of a few naughty words last night)....could I get another scope this year if this one doesn't work anymore?

[iceman (Mike)]

ouch! Lucky it was on grass!

Glad to hear there's no major damage!

[GrampianStars (Rob)]

G'day Y'all
Bugger!!
you can always make a piñata out of the debris
and have a fiesta
Santa would never begrudge such a well meaning gesture

[silvinator]

Hi there oneofone, it seems there must have been something in the air last night as I too had a near "horrorscope" incident!

I was checking out my collimation and after a few turns of so many knobs, I realised I was turning the wrong collimation screws. Anyway, something went wrong because of that mistake and I lost the red dot on the laser collimator screen...(this is what happens when you don't get enough sleep) so I kept turning one of the knobs, and turning, and turning, and turning...until "pop", the knob had come loose and I could see my mirror hanging slightly forward Luckily, it was just the one knob. I quickly grabbed a pair of pliers and pulled at the screw on the mirror and carefully screwed the collimation knob back onto it.

Not as scary as your scope's suicide attempt but faintworthy nonetheless. Let us know how you go. Hope it's ok.

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Just get a Dob!

[ving (David)]

crikey!!!!

scopes falling apart! glad nothings fubar!

[lateralus]

Originally Posted by silvinator

Hi there oneofone, it seems there must have been something in the air last night as I too had a near "horrorscope" incident!

definitely. my scope is fine, but alas my dog chewed up 3/4 of my dust caps.

[asimov (John)]

I had this happen many years ago. The over centre catchs sprung themselves on the EQ rings & the OTA lauched itself towards the ground.....A sickening 'crunch'....I was looking away at the time, but when I heard the 'boing'....'crunch' I knew what had happened!

The only damage sustained was a snapped off focuser & some scratches on the paint work.

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Hi guys,

After spending more than 6 hours on the lathe and another couple on the mill, I have got my scope together again (and it didn't take any of the kings horses or men either). I decided if I am going to spend time to prevent the scope coming off again, I may as well fix up the other little things as well. So now the GS Crayford is securely mounted to the tube rather than just two grub screws. The dovetail base has a shoulder on the bottom to prevent it coming off, even if the screw is not pressing against the side at all. The focusser is also better centered on the secondary too, previously it was a little to one side. The carry handles I put on the rings are much more secure too.

I was able to align the mirrors even better than we were able to do at Star Camp in Ballarat using my soon to arrive collimator from Santa (you have to test these things you know, otherwise Santa would have to take it back). All I need now is a clear sky...please Santa?

[davidpretorius]

a happy end = collimated scope

well done!