The versatile ED80

[philjay]

Well I think I can say I have finished my project for ED80 binos that can be broken down to an imaging rig in 10 minutes and visa versa.

 

Here's a link to the first light of the ED80s in binoscope guise

https://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/15373-ed80-binoscope-first-light/

 

and recently in between rebuilding houses 😀 I have managed to get things sorted for imaging.

 

So if I were wanting to use a tube for imaging, 10 minutes is all thats required to remove an OTA, fit extension tube, clamp on imaging dovetail, fit motor focuser and screw on reducer/camera.

Going the opposite way from imaging to binos is takes about 8 minutes.

 

So here it is all sorted and I am well pleased. I have just put it back in binoscope guise for some summer southern horizon targets which I couldnt get to in my old gaff.

Binos at Kelling

 

Imaging with 1 OTA on imaging dovetail and tube extension fitted

 

 

Kit of bits 😀

 

 

Well pleased with this project, I have an imaging rig plus big bins and they only take up half the storage of separates 😀

 

The last pic shows the tube extension fitted to the imaging tube. The tube can be fitted to either tube, the left tube is easier to remove, the right one has springs and things that make it a little more complicated to remove from the bino saddle.

Edited May 21, 2020 by philjay

[Doc]

A great bit of engineering Phil, I bet you are well chuffed with how it's turned out.

[+Graham]

Excellent bit of engineering Phil 👍 

[philjay]

Thanks. I love multipurpose stuff like multitools, swiss army knives etc so that was my inspiration (a bit)

[+Glafnazur]

That's an awesome set up Phil, most impressive 👍

[BAZ]

That's really impressive. Good scopes too.

[Brantuk]

Nicely put together setup Phil 🙂

Edited May 24, 2020 by Brantuk

[Nightspore]

Brilliant. I've got to ask about those diagonals though. Are they two Celestron mirror diagonals cemented together?

[philjay]

15 hours ago, Nightspore said:

Brilliant. I've got to ask about those diagonals though. Are they two Celestron mirror diagonals cemented together?

They are 2 celestron prism diagonals, shorter light path than mirrors. Then I put in a mirror diagonal to get a more comfy right angle view.

[Nightspore]

7 hours ago, philjay said:

They are 2 celestron prism diagonals, shorter light path than mirrors. Then I put in a mirror diagonal to get a more comfy right angle view.

It looks pretty ingenious. I was surprised how long the light path of my Baader dielectric was compared to a Baader Amici.

 

 

[philjay]

I had to cut 3" off each OTA to accommodate them

[Nightspore]

17 hours ago, philjay said:

I had to cut 3" off each OTA to accommodate them

Have you had any back-focus problems? I suppose that's what extension tubes were invented for lol.

[philjay]

Yep, the extension tube is 3" long which returns the OTA back to its original length so I dont have to hang long extension tubes on the focuser and risk draw tube droop and stressing the focuser. Far better to extend the ota than the draw tube when extending abnormal distances