Telescope Reviews: Who invented the barrel safety undercut?

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Equipment Discussions >> Eyepieces

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SteveG
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/27/06

Loc: Seattle, WA

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Paul G]
#5530104 - 11/20/12 01:01 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I think we can all blame Tele Vue for the continued use of the undercut whether or not they invented it. What I don't understand is why they continue to when well over 90% of their customers would like them to stop.

It's not even 90% in this thread, not sure where you are getting that idea. I agree with Jon, the undercut causes me no problems. Using an equatorial mount I often find the diagonal pointing at the ground after a slew so I can see its utility.

Not sure why you would blame TV; I've seen undercuts on a variety of premium and nonpremium brands, including Zeiss.

FWIW, I ran a poll here on CN a couple of years ago. The Like/Don't Like was about 2 to 1 in favor of no undercuts or tapered barrels (66%).

Post Extras:

Sarkikos
Postmaster

Reged: 12/18/07

Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5530162 - 11/20/12 01:24 PM

Jon,

Quote:

Quote:

My Baader Zoom is good enough for 90% of what's up there. Optics or objects? I'm more concerned with the objects.

For the big stuff, I switch to my wide field ES eyepieces. For really dim stuff, I might try a good ortho, XW or XO.

Mike

It all depends on your mind set... If one limits the objects to those that are visible with a 8-24mm zoom, then yeah... but that doesn't work for me.

Jon Isaacs

Now, did I say that I limit myself to objects that are visible with a 8-24mm zoom? In the very post that you quote here, I state that I will switch to other eyepieces if the object warrants it ... but only if the object warrants it. That's my whole point. I let the objects dictate my mind set, not the optics.

Mike

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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Sarkikos]
#5530219 - 11/20/12 01:45 PM

Quote:

Now, did I say that I limit myself to objects that are visible with a 8-24mm zoom? In the very post that you quote here, I state that I will switch to other eyepieces if the object warrants it ... but only if the object warrants it. That's my whole point. I let the objects dictate my mind set, not the optics.

Mike

You did say that 90% of the objects you view reasonable in an 8mm-24mm Zoom. 90% of the objects I view would not be optimal in an 8-24mm Zoom.

I don't mind swapping eyepieces, the night is long, there are many clear nights in a year and I am not in a hurry.

Jon

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Sarkikos
Postmaster

Reged: 12/18/07

Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5530378 - 11/20/12 03:00 PM

90% reasonable? Yes. 90% optimal? Maybe not. Objects, not optics, have higher priority for me.

There are not so many nights for me at a dark site! I'm always doing a cost/benefit analysis.

Mike

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Jeff Morgan
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/28/03

Loc: Prescott, AZ

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Scott99]
#5531753 - 11/21/12 09:17 AM

Quote:

The occasional anti-undercut thread is welcome and always entertaining!

Yes, it is kind of a pointless venting since TeleVue seems so intent on ignoring what the majority of their customers want in this matter.

Perhaps if a competitor (ES?) went smooth sides they would learn the error of their ways very quickly.

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Starman1
Vendor (EyepiecesEtc.com)

Reged: 06/24/03

Loc: Los Angeles

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Jeff Morgan]
#5531867 - 11/21/12 10:19 AM

Every time I pull the Paracorr out of the focuser to put a filter on the bottom, I appreciate the smooth side and the easy slide out of the focuser.
Then I change the eyepiece in the Paracorr and start mumbling about compression rings and undercuts.
Put me down as a smooth side lover.

Edited by Starman1 (11/21/12 10:20 AM)

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Doug Culbertson
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/06/05

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Starman1]
#5531912 - 11/21/12 10:40 AM

Quote:

Every time I pull the Paracorr out of the focuser to put a filter on the bottom, I appreciate the smooth side and the easy slide out of the focuser.
Then I change the eyepiece in the Paracorr and start mumbling about compression rings and undercuts.
Put me down as a smooth side lover.

+1 I keep thinking about taking every single compression ring out of my focusers, diagonals, and 1.25" adapters and replacing the screws with nylon screws. Fortunately, the 2" tube on my Moonlight has no compression ring, and uses a nylon setscrew. I like that.

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Sarkikos
Postmaster

Reged: 12/18/07

Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Doug Culbertson]
#5532042 - 11/21/12 11:32 AM

When I asked about "compression rings" earlier, what I meant was the twist-lock type of adapter, such as this:

Baader Planetarium 2 Inch Deluxe Clicklock Eyepiece Extension

... or this:

Antares 2" Twist-Lock Eyepiece Adapter

... or this:

Orion 2" Precision Centering Extension Adapter

I like these twist-lock gizmos. Now these DO keep your eyepieces and such securely in the focuser. I'd like to see all undercuts done away with and instead twist-locks put on all focusers and any adapters which accept eyepieces and other accessories.

So do undercut eyepieces get hung up on these twist-lock fittings? If so, that's a real shame.

More reason to hate the undercuts.

Being forced to retrofit nylon screws in focusers seems like a step backward to me.

Mike

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Sarkikos
Postmaster

Reged: 12/18/07

Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? new

[Re: Sarkikos]
#5532061 - 11/21/12 11:39 AM

My old-school Burgess Binoviewer came with nylon set screws. I was able to upgrade to twist-lock fittings. Much, much better! IME, the eyepieces are still easy to insert and remove. And there is a huge improvement in centering the eyepieces and ease in merging the images. Now I can bump the power up to 600x if I want! I don't want to do that very often, but if I do, I can enjoy a clean, merged image.

Mike

Post Extras:

Doug Culbertson
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/06/05

Re: Who invented the barrel safety undercut? [Re: Sarkikos]
#5532230 - 11/21/12 12:59 PM

Quote:

When I asked about "compression rings" earlier, what I meant was the twist-lock type of adapter, such as this:

Baader Planetarium 2 Inch Deluxe Clicklock Eyepiece Extension

... or this:

Antares 2" Twist-Lock Eyepiece Adapter

... or this:

Orion 2" Precision Centering Extension Adapter

I like these twist-lock gizmos. Now these DO keep your eyepieces and such securely in the focuser. I'd like to see all undercuts done away with and instead twist-locks put on all focusers and any adapters which accept eyepieces and other accessories.

So do undercut eyepieces get hung up on these twist-lock fittings? If so, that's a real shame. More reason to hate the undercuts.

Being forced to retrofit nylon screws in focusers seems like a step backward to me.

Mike

Mike,

We are referring to the standard ubiquitous flexible brass compression ring that tightens when you turn the setscrew. you know, the ones that come standard on almost every focuser and diagonal in existence today.

I don't believe that the twist lock type of adapter that you are talking about will hang up on the undercuts. I have one 1.25" adapter that I bought from someone on CN a couple of years ago, and it's a collette type that tightens on the eyepiece when you turn the top; sort of like the twist locks. I have no trouble when using an eyepiece with this adapter.

FWIW, I have ordered a 2" Baader Click-Lock adapter for my EON 120, to replace the compression ring adapter that comes on the focuser drawtube. Hopefully it will be an easy replacement, and will end that dreaded star diagonal flip when slewing the mount.

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