Tweedledee Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 This $50 eyepiece just arrived from Korea. This is from the Cloudy Nights ad that I was a bit worried about in my other recent post... https://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/13874-paypal-security-advice-welcome/ Well everything seems fine. The items arrived well packaged complete with original boxes and dust caps etc. At least I didn't open it to find a 30mm plossl. I had bartered him down on the price for the ES 3" 30mm 100 degree and unused ES 3" carbon fibre diagonal and he threw in a Teleskop Service 3" focuser! I will sell the focuser because I already have the improved TS 3" version. The 3" diagonal is a very nice bit of kit, so I can also use the ep in a refractor. So I reckon I got a superb bargain. I paid by paypal/credit card as per the advice from EMSers in the other post, and the package arrived at Heathrow just 3 days later. It then took another 11 days to sort customs and get it from Heathrow to Mansfield. The guy had used the ep and focuser on a 16" dob and said the views were terrific. In order to get the ep to come to focus he had to shorten the truss tubes. He then bought a more expensive 18" dob but found that the cost of modifying it for the big ep was just too prohibitive to make it worthwhile. Hence the sale. I can design my scope to properly accommodate this eyepiece from the start. This is the first time I have seen one of these eyepieces in the flesh. I'm totally gobsmacked by the size and weight of this beast, even though I already knew the specs inside out! Very pleased with this purchase. The 3" ep makes my others look small! +Bino-viewer, BAZ, philjay and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ibbo Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 That will take some counter balancing Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 55 minutes ago, Ibbo said: That will take some counter balancing All calculated for - but on the limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 You took the risk and it worked out for you. I'm really pleased, well done Pete It's going to be one hell of a dob when it's finished. Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 (edited) If that's the eyepiece I can't wait to see the scope - must be 50 feet high lol Nice one Pete! (Glad the deal went through without any hiccups). Edited January 22, 2018 by Brantuk Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyboy1970 Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Very nice, I have the 2 inch 30mm and I thought that was a beast at 960 grams. The views through it a terrific. Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Just Wow. That is an absolute monster. I am pleased it worked out well for you Pete. Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottletopburly Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 A Beast of an eyepiece pete glad it worked out Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckstar Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I thought the 2" 100° were big, but that takes the biscuit! Glad it went well, you must be well pleased. Can you use it with your present kit? Bet you can't wait to use it. Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithysteve Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Wow! That is a cracker! Your other ep’s may develop inferiority complex’s ! I was wondering if you had taken the plunge. You must be well chuffed! The beast won’t look out of place on the 20” though, so please get cracking on it - we will all want a look through both! ? Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 (edited) So pleased you went for it Pete, and everythings worked out well Its a truly awesome piece of glass. It actually makes the 25/100 look quite conservative ! Heres another comparison from when i had a look at one at the 2016 IAS. My only concern would be the how it will work with an F4 Dob ? When i tested my N31 on my own F4 the secondary shadow and spikes were all too obvious. Do you think this will be an issue ? Edited January 22, 2018 by Bino-viewer Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 Thanks all. 1 hour ago, tuckstar said: I thought the 2" 100° were big, but that takes the biscuit! Glad it went well, you must be well pleased. Can you use it with your present kit? Bet you can't wait to use it. So did I Andy, but this eyepiece is in a different league. My 9mm 120°, previously my largest and heaviest, actually feels small now. I don't have a scope that I can use the big eyepiece in yet, but now I have the 3" diagonal, I'm going to have a look at a 6" frac that will take it. The frac will sit nicely on the superb Losmandy AZ8 that I bought from Doc. Have also considered putting a 3" focuser on the ST120 but a 6" would be better. 1 hour ago, Smithysteve said: Wow! That is a cracker! Your other ep’s may develop inferiority complex’s ! I was wondering if you had taken the plunge. You must be well chuffed! The beast won’t look out of place on the 20” though, so please get cracking on it - we will all want a look through both! ? My dob project has been on the back burner far too long, sometimes real life just gets in the way of such dreams. Hopefully that situation will change soon. Your own dob project has also spurred me on Steve. I really like your robust undercarriage system, (that sounds creepy ) and hope to utilise some of your ideas, under licence of course. This eyepiece pretty much completes my main eyepiece kit. Anyone got a $50 3" SIPS or similar. 6 minutes ago, Bino-viewer said: So pleased you went for it Pete, and everythings worked out well Its a truly awesome piece of glass. It actually makes the 25/100 look quite conservative ! My only concern would be the how it will work with an F4 Dob ? When i tested my N31 on my own F4 the secondary shadow and spikes were all too obvious. Do you think this will be an issue ? Cheers Rob. Just makes you realise that everything is relative. In most reports I've seen, people seem to find that a 30mm wide field gives an awesome view and really opens up a big F4 dob. But then everyones eyes are not made equal and some people find such eyepieces difficult to use anyway for various reasons. I just find the views to be mind blowing, but it remains to be seen if that is the case in the big dob, and there's only one way to find out. tuckstar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithysteve Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Hey Pete! Would be happy to discuss any aspects of an ‘undercarriage’ project for the 20”, if that would help ? Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ibbo Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 You could use it a s a doorstop untill the new dob has been finished Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Ibbo said: You could use it a s a doorstop untill the new dob has been finished Good idea Steve. +Ibbo, +Bino-viewer, Smithysteve and 1 other 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 7 hours ago, Smithysteve said: Hey Pete! Would be happy to discuss any aspects of an ‘undercarriage’ project for the 20”, if that would help ? Thanks Steve, that would definitely help. Would love to see your dob, and need a bit of inspiration and motivation. Will give you a call and bring the doorstop. Smithysteve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckstar Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 21 hours ago, Tweedledee said: now I have the 3" diagonal, I'm going to have a look at a 6" frac that will take it. The frac will sit nicely on the superb Losmandy AZ8 Love it, buy a new scope for the eyepiece Smithysteve and Tweedledee 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 12 minutes ago, tuckstar said: Love it, buy a new scope for the eyepiece An accessory for the eyepiece, and cheaper. tuckstar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 You need a 6" triplet Pete, you know those £50 ones Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 35 minutes ago, Doc said: You need a 6" triplet Pete, you know those £50 ones Just give me the URL Mick, and I'll order that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 .......Or a 6" Doublet. They are all the rage at the moment. But 6" refractors are not cheap, neither are they easy to manage. I've even been told by a very well respected vendor, that the APM 152 F8 Doublet is THE scope to go for for high performance visual without literally breaking the bank. This has a 3.7" focuser, as well as various Feathertouch upgrade options. Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Bino-viewer said: .......Or a 6" Doublet. They are all the rage at the moment. But 6" refractors are not cheap, neither are they easy to manage. I've even been told by a very well respected vendor, that the APM 152 F8 Doublet is THE scope to go for for high performance visual without literally breaking the bank. This has a 3.7" focuser, as well as various Feathertouch upgrade options. Very nice Rob, I'd certainly like one of those, but it would break my bank at £3500 for the OTA. And my wife would break me! Secondhand is more in my league, and I have one I'm going to look at and possibly make an offer on. Edited January 23, 2018 by Tweedledee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Nice one Pete, looks a beast that one. Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 There was indeed a second hand one on UKABS not very long ago from a chap in Nottingham. I'm not sure if he has a presence on here or on SGL ? But he wanted around £1800 for it. They do seem to crop up for sale. Two more here... http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=132937 http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=131364 Tweedledee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Cheers Rob, that first ad would be worth a long weekend in Scotland for a £500 saving on the London one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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