Rotating Newt OTA within Tube Rings

[gfletcher]

Hi Guys

What are the tricks to make rotating the newtonian  OTA within the tube rings during an observing session an easy operation?

I seem to have so much difficulty rotating the OTA even with the tube clamps loosened.

Is there any method to make this a less frictionless manouvere?

Thanks Guys

[Tweedledee]

There are some quite expensive off the shelf ways to do this, but this might be the cheapest...

 

http://www.astro-baby.com/articles/rotating rings/Rotating Rings Project.htm

[Bottletopburly]

I use on my 200pds a sepearate scope ring , so main ota rings loosened to turn, top ring locked for balance same as Astro baby guide 

[Rusty Strings]

I used a 25mm wide strip of 3mm thick PTFE held on to the tube withs a huge jubilee clip.

[Nightspore]

There are some interesting solutions here. My TS Optics (GSO) 150mm, f/6 Newtonian is particularly difficult for me as I have a disability. GSO Newtonians are supposedly renown for being difficult to rotate.

 

 

I almost always knock the finder out of collimation as I'm trying to rotate the OTA.  

 

 

So much so that I invested in a 25mm Altair cross hair eyepiece to make on the spot adjustments after rotation lol.

 

 

My 130M was much easier to rotate!

[+RonC]

 

I have an extra ring fitted, which is kept tight and the other 2 loosened to rotate the OTA.