Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums
Privacy Policy |
Please read our Terms
of Service | Signup and
Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User
tezster
member
Reged: 07/14/09
Posts: 74
Loc: Missisauga, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Sorry, I know this is a really basic and semi-stupid question - it isn't specifically related to ATM, just doing a few small tweaks to my mount/OTA to make it a little easier to use, but I'm having a somewhat challenging time trying to find a store that sells what I'm looking for.
I'd like to replace the existing M4 screws that attach my focuser to the OTA with either screws with a very flat head, or headless screws. Reason being, I'd like to reposition where the rings clamp onto the scope for better balance, but the ideal position is right over these screws. So if I can get relativley flat screws that are flush to the OTA, I figure this would solve that little problem.
Secondly, I'm looking for an M12 flange lock nut to use for my mount's altitude bearing.
I've checked my local home hardware as well as a couple of other hardware stores in my area and can't find these things. Does anyone know what type of store would sell them?
--------------------
Terence- Skywatcher 4" F/5 achro, red dot finder
- Starhopper 8" dob, Telrad + Antares 8x50 RACI finder
|
grendel
sage
Reged: 04/12/09
Posts: 469
Loc: Canterbury, Kent, UK
|
|
you want somewhere like this:-
http://www.gearsuppliers.com/
|
Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3963
|
|
McMaster-Carr and Reid Supply are two sources I use extensively for supplies... the former for hardware, the latter for knobs.
BTW, there's no really dumb questions here!
--------------------
Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Some bino’s from Miyauchi 5x32 Binon's up through Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from a Stellarvue 80mm NHNG up through a couple of 8” reflectors…
And a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Shiefspiegler!
Some good friends, made here on C/N.
Oh- several cats and a wonderful wife!
Anyone want a cat???? :-O
"When your work speaks for itself- Don't Interrupt" -Gamble Rogers
|
Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5211
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
|
|
Try a local Fastenall center or other fastener supply center. Woodcrafters and McCallister-Carr also carry knobs and other hardware. You should be able to find exactly what you need there.
Taras
--------------------
15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
One curious cat
|
Luigi
Postmaster
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 5272
Loc: MA
|
|
If we told you where to find them, they wouldn't be hard to find, would they.
--------------------
17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
|
Gary Fuchs
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/22/06
Posts: 921
Loc: Easton, PA, USA
|
|
Small outfit, nice guys. Micro Fasteners
Gary
|
MitchAlsup
sage
Reged: 08/31/09
Posts: 302
|
|
Small parts,
However, wehen I built my scope, I had to make a couple of screws (and other thread objects), and I had to make all of the bracketry. One screw, in particular, has a 3/8th thread into a 1/4" aluminum bracket, then has 1/2" of pure shank, then has a 1/4" thread which is used to lock the three brackets together durring assembly. Don't try this without access to a lathe.
|
Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3963
|
|
Quote:
If we told you where to find them, they wouldn't be hard to find, would they.
Funny!!
Sources such as these that are being posted should be collected into a sticky- and posted into "Best Of ATM". This question comes up not infrequently, and the same answers get provided... time after time- after time...
Wes
|
Gary Fuchs
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/22/06
Posts: 921
Loc: Easton, PA, USA
|
|
I think there should be a sticky to point people to the stickies. I can never remember to look there.
|
tezster
member
Reged: 07/14/09
Posts: 74
Loc: Missisauga, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Wow... thanks for all the suggestions! I will look up the links provided.
--------------------
Terence- Skywatcher 4" F/5 achro, red dot finder
- Starhopper 8" dob, Telrad + Antares 8x50 RACI finder
|
John Jarosz
Astro Gearhead
Reged: 04/25/04
Posts: 2298
Loc: Chicago area, IL
|
|
Ha!
Quote:
Funny!!
Sources such as these that are being posted should be collected into a sticky- and posted into "Best Of ATM". This question comes up not infrequently, and the same answers get provided... time after time- after time...
If it's a sticky, then we won't be able to post the same answers over and over again. How else do we ATM's pad our post count? 
--------------------
6" F4.6(w/Paracorr) GEM reflector, 8" F11 Dall Relay Scope
6" F5 RFT Refractor, Garrett Gemini 20x80 LW
|
arpruss
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/23/08
Posts: 964
Loc: Waco, TX
|
|
Quote:
McMaster-Carr and Reid Supply are two sources I use extensively for supplies... the former for hardware, the latter for knobs.
Reid's knob selection is probably better and the quality may be better, but Amazon (specifically, Small Parts, in Amazon's Industrial and Scientific store) seems to have knobs for much better prices. For instance, 1/4-20 three-prong thru-hole knobs (I use a lot of these) cost about $1.30 each from Reid, while Amazon has five for about $2.70. And the shipping is free for Prime customers (or, I guess, for $25+ orders, if one isn't a Prime customer).
30mm M4 screws on Amazon are $1.60 for a pack of 50, with free Prime shipping. Hard to beat that at a local hardware store, I suspect.
Amazon also has the M12 flange nuts, but without free shipping. $48 plus shipping for 500, $14 plus shipping for 25, or $0.37 plus $6.54 shipping for 1 (that last one is actually sold by Reid through Amazon).
--------------------
Coulter Odyssey 13.1" split-tube
Coulter Odyssey 8"
Home-made 7.8" F/4 dobsonian travel scope
Home-made 68mm F/5.3 achro (typically used as finder on 13.1")
Skymaster 15x70
BPTs4 8x30
32mm Plossl, 30mm GSO SV, 30mm Rini, 27mm Kellner, 13mm Hyperion, 6mm TMB/BO Planetary, Owl 2X Barlow
Palm TX with AstroInfo and RescoViewer
|
Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3963
|
|
Wow! I'm a huge Amazon shopper (yes, Prime, too!)- but never even thought about hardware on there! Thanks for the tip!
Wes
|
tezster
member
Reged: 07/14/09
Posts: 74
Loc: Missisauga, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Just a quick update - I found what I was looking for at my local Fastenal. They didn't have the flange lock nut in stock, but they've ordered it for me.
Thanks again for everyone's help!
--------------------
Terence- Skywatcher 4" F/5 achro, red dot finder
- Starhopper 8" dob, Telrad + Antares 8x50 RACI finder
|
|
11 registered and 9 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: Don W, Mike I. Jones
Print Thread
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Thread views: 204
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 