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I havnt used my 12" meade sct In a while, I actually hate it and kind of regret not buying a Ritchey Chretien astrograph instead, I've pulled the scope appart and added thicker grease and it has reduced the mirror flop a fair bit and also modified the focuser lock to grab a little tighter, the collet ring was a little oversised so I made it a little smaller but the scope still needs to be colimated on each meridian flip
Any how I will be making a new alluminium mirror plate that has 3 contact points, I'm just woundering if anyone knows where to find these collet locking rods or if anyone knows what exactly they are called, I can make cheap ones with grub screws but I rather a collet lock with a knob.
Pulled some example images of the collet lock from users over at cn
Edit:
Attachments
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .
yobbo89 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:46 pm
Any how I will be making a new alluminium mirror plate that has 3 contact points, I'm just woundering if anyone knows where to find these collet locking rods or if anyone knows what exactly they are called, I can make cheap ones with grub screws but I rather a collet lock with a knob.
I finally got around to pulling the scope apart, had a few other projects to do, it seems this model also has the thread for the lx200 spring mirror stablizer add on.
Any how I'm planing on what to do before I touch anything , might machine up a inner tube to thread in the current plate to prevent it warping the thread and then tig weld two flat bar for the two collet bolts to thread into. Also glad there is No glue, the mirror is held in with cork and a o-ring with a lock ring. Very easy to get grease on the mirror, use two sets of gloves..
Attachments
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .
I had a mirror protector sheet that came with a heated dew ring that I didn't use when I flocked my SCT. There's only a slight touch of glue on the mirror!
Your Meade will be solid as a rock when you're done!
Graeme1858 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:34 am
Looking good Rob.
I had a mirror protector sheet that came with a heated dew ring that I didn't use when I flocked my SCT. There's only a slight touch of glue on the mirror!
Your Meade will be solid as a rock when you're done!
Another updated, welded the extra support lugs into the current focuser plate, welding cast alluminium is a pain, full of crud and voids which requires alot of heat and cleaning to get out,i just left a few pinholes as I didn't want to warp it with to much heat..
I just need to order 150mm long half thread hex bolts, bit of a pain to find cheap atm and machine up some locking knobs.
Attachments
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .
I got a big hunk of expensive brass xd, the collet lock I'm using is called 3/16" brass brake line union inverted female Fitting , obviously the nut will be replaced with a nice machined brass knob.
I will list all the parts when I'm done if anyone wants to mod there own sct scope.
I'm wondering if it's worth while making kits to sell, the only pain is knowing the spec of the thread on the mirror tube as there will be variable sizes due fluctuations of quality control, it can be a pain designing something from one product to work on someone else's part, I've done this before on other projects and the part did not fit on another item.
Attachments
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .
Wish you were a bit closer, I could have used your expertise earlier this week!
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.
Works very well, holds tight with very eas twisting the knobs, I might make another surface pass next weekend to make the knobs a little more shiny, I think I need scotchbrite, I'm going to work on my scope flocking in the mean time.
Attachments
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .