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Help / Recommendations needed for suitable finder scope


Bino-viewer

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Can anyone recommend me a finderscope / rdf that will work with my refractor. (or rather focuser)

 

I'm leaning towards a rdf, but am worried about fitting it on my focuser.

Theres space for a finder shoe / baseplate  on the curved body of my focuser, but i'm not sure what will fit ?? :screwloose:

 

A telrad would have been my preferred choice mounted on the main scope, but theres no room with my tube rings & carry handle.

 

Also looked at the Rigel Quickfinder which looks good, but again, would it fit on my focuser ?

The baseplate is 2 / 2.5 inches and i bet it won't fit a curved focuser ?

My focuser is a starlight Instruments Feathertouch FT3545.

Thanks in advance.  :)

 

13149280463_303e7e21d3_z.jpg
image by rob.0919, on Flickr

13149454644_0c8e59e779_b.jpg
image by rob.0919, on Flickr

13149482664_30f23817ed_z.jpg
image by rob.0919, on Flickr

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Guest Tweedledum

Hi Rob,


 


Now that's the sort of scope you should not go altering !!  Is there anyway of makig a camp that could easily attach to the carrying handle? Perhaps graham would be able to manufacture something without drilling into the tube and potentially affecting any resale value.??

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Guest Tweedledum

Had a think,


 


How would an L bracket work for you.?? could go between a fixing and allow you to mount to one side..?


Edited by Tweedledum
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Just did a Google search for "feathertouch focuser finder" - Some interesting images of finders fixed to the focuser.


 


Might be worth a look if you haven't already....


 


Ade


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Thanks Damien.


I'm really after something that will allow the scope to fit in the case.


Something with a quick release like a Rigel rdf


But........the top of the tube rings have 3 screwholes. The carry handle takes the middle ones.


Maybe i could fit a Telrad ???  


 


Thanks Ade. I'll see what Mr Google comes up with....... :)


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Rob there is no reason why you cannot move the handle to the out side holes on the scope rings.


This will leave enough room to mount a finder on the other side set of holes.


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Yes thats true Graham.


I'll try that and see.....not sure how it would look 'ergonomically' though...


I'd worry too about flexure on the rings and handle.


 


This is no easy grab & go......weighs over 9Kg. 


The handle, although seemingly insignificant, has been a godsend.


Before i had it, it was a struggle to get the scope out of its case, and taking it outside to set-up was like manoeuvring an unexploded bomb  :help:


Now, its a one arm job  :D and i'd like it to stay that way.......


 


Thanks for your imput. There is a solution out there, i'm sure.........


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What about a dual bar fitted to the mount? Lot's of folk use this set-up??


 


Cheers


Ron


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Guest ecopley

Hi Rob,

That's a really nice scope you have there. I'd be very concerned about attaching anything to it what with the warning and all.

I read a really interesting post a while back about a chap who cut down a telrad so it would fit his scope. Quite a lot of the box is empty space so the box can be cut to make it a lot shorter. You can also move the batteries so that they sit beside the lens assembly rather than in front of it, which would allow you to cut it even shorter. It would be an interesting project but since a telrad would cost peanuts compared to the scope I think I'd be a lot happier modifying the telrad than risking any screw/drawtube interaction mishaps. I'll try to find the page but the essence of it was very simple so it shouldn't be too hard to work out. I think the tricky bit was adjusting the mounting plate but that shouldn't be too difficult to work out, I wouldn't have thought.

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Guest Kheldar

FYI the stock focuser has a single screw hole for attaching a WO finder shoe, normally the WO RDF was an additional option


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