Telescope Reviews: New Zhumell Owners -- Upgrade Mega List Thread

Many of us buy Zhumell scopes as our first scope and live happily ever after. There are bunch of us who don't find the stock scope quite good enough. There have been a few problems with support following the acquisition of Zhumell by Netshops.
You can make your factory scope and accessories much better with incredible ease. All as a result of reading this post (and the corrections which others will post).

None of these ideas are my original thoughts. I picked them all up at various places here on Cloudy Nights and put them here in one place. Yes, I have done them all - except the spider vanes and tube carry.

Thanks to Tom in FLA, a fellow Floridian, gentleman and Z10 hot rodder.

Here are the common upgrades a new Zhumell owner will want to consider. The ones that are high priority NOT optional are marked with ****.

Improving quality of view:

Collimation Tools****
Why? The Zhumell tools and instructions generally are regarded as at least inadequate.
Many think they are a horrible source of nothing but frustration.
At the very least make sure your laser collimator is collimated!!!
Better solutions abound - Glatter, Catseye, etc.
Don Pensack's Pulitzer Prize winning article http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1648

Flocking
Why? To stop stray light from reflecting around the tube and enhance contrast
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=85
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=805
Flocking material source http://www.scopestuff.com/
Another source http://www.fpi-protostar.com/flock.htm

Eyepieces - nearly a religion - Don't rush to buy them
Why? Because its the only way to quadruple your scope investment in a way
your CFO may not notice - $2,000 worth of eyepieces could fit in a lunch bag,
if you didn't have to have that gilt-covered, walnut eyepiece case

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/Eyepieces

Edge-blackening primary and secondary
Why? To reduce stray light reflections from the mirrors' edges.
Simple - use a black Sharpie on the mirror edge bevels - Do it while you are flocking!

Replace Collimation Knobs
Why? So you can collimate without the screwdriver you forgot anyway.
Best known source http://www.bobsknobs.com/
Another source http://www.astronomy-shoppe.com/
Another source http://www.scopestuff.com/

Upgrade Primary Springs
Why? Better suport for the primary, reduce potential for torsion on the primary
http://www.bobsknobs.com/
http://www.astronomy-shoppe.com/
Or a nearby Ace Hadware/Home Depot/Lowes for less money

Change out your secondary holder to a curved spider
Why? They look cool! And reduce defraction spikes at the 90 degree angles
One source http://www.fpi-protostar.com

Add a light shield to the top of your scope
Why? Shield your tube from the entry of stray light
http://www.trust1.com/commerce/index.asp?merchant=Razz&department=Light+Shields
Mead makes them too

Transport and set up:

Fix/avoid loose Alt hub screws (there are 4 of them) ****
Why? They will come loose - your hubs will wobble or worse the nuts will hit your primary!
Use loctite or lock washers -- do this before/while flocking!

Replace the spring loops with larger rings so they go over the knob ****
Why? Make it mucho easier to mate your tube to the mount
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=reflectors&Number=1576506

Carrying the Tube - It isn't that bad really
Why? Because we haven't been to the gym in years
These guys sell a solution http://www.astronomy-shoppe.com/
There are several rolling or cart solutions

Balancing the tube
Why? Because all the glass and accessories listed here will change the balance of your scope

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1585249/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1#Post1694081
Solutions vary from metal magnets to old fanny packs with led to balance.
This guy sells a grip/friction solution called Scope Gripps http://www.astronomy-shoppe.com/

Pointing and Finding:

Telrad or other pointers ****
Why? Trust us on this one...Really
Telrad is the leader - just run a google search, or go where you got your Zuhmell!
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=49
Risers are available from Scope Stuff - especially helpful when pointing near zenith

Improve Az movement ****
Why? If you get it silky smooth, finding and tracking things is easier
Make sure the staples on the teflon pads aren't exposed
If that isn't good enough, get some EZ Sliders at your hardware store

Movement/scope handles
Why? I don't know, but it will keep your fingers off the eyepiece
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1664947/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1591041/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

Degree circles - Carol is a Godess for getting this thread started !
Why? She had good parents I guess - no really, so you can find stuff with incredible ease.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/937949/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

Laser Pointers -
Why? Nice addition when you have friends who want to know where they are looking.
Several vendors Scope Stuff and Lucky Duck also sell pointer mounts that will use your Telrad base.

Upgrading the telescope's user
How? Don't ask me.....I'm a neewb-idiot who found a village

OK this is my shot at this. I'm sure others will add, subtract or clarify. Whatever it takes to help new owners of these great scopes.

Edited by erik (07/08/07 04:27 PM)