First, the 2" Orion Crayford I ordered arrived, but it was entirely too large. I'm talking MONSTER-sized, and unlike most other focusers I've seen, this one racked in 2 inches instead of out, and would have required me drilling a 3.625" hole in the side of a 5.5" tube.
It was really weird, and is yet another example of the proprietary nature of Orion products. Now, I'm not dogging them; I'm only saying that they're not generally made with the ATMer in mind.
So, back to square one, I improvised and rebuilt the pipe-fitting helical focuser from the old Dobsonian. Once I got it cleaned up and properly fitted, drilling the 1.5" mounting hole was much easier and successfully accomplished in a couple hours.
Next, I drilled the holes for the spider mount and secondary mirror holder, and then I test fit all the hardware.
Overall, I was quite satisfied, despite the fact that some of the holes were a bit off (but nothing the built-in collimation won't fix!).
So, as I said at first, while it was a tough day, the tube is ready for anodizing in York tomorrow. And should like absolutely amazing after polishing and anodizing.
In ending this post, I leave you with the raw spider pictures through the focuser and the first glints of light with a test fit of the secondary mirror. Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment