Telescope Reviews: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head

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Equipment Discussions >> Refractors

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EdTheEdge
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 04/10/09

Loc: Lomita, CA

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: joelimite]
#5359535 - 08/09/12 10:23 AM

Me too well over a year ago.....

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5359632 - 08/09/12 10:58 AM Attachment (46 downloads)

Here is a close of the new riser. A bracket was made of aluminum and than a finder bracket, think it was an SV was attached to the bracket. I found some matching screws off of a laser holder and I painted the aluminum bracket with a black felt pen.

Bill

Bill

Edited by Bill Cowles (08/09/12 11:08 AM)

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Bill Cowles]
#5359685 - 08/09/12 11:22 AM Attachment (36 downloads)

Here is one more image showing how the finder bracket was attached to the SV finder bracket and the need for longer screws to tighten the finder. Hope this helps, because it really works.

Bill

Post Extras:

joelimite
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/01/08

Loc: Fayetteville, AR

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Bill Cowles]
#5360408 - 08/09/12 06:02 PM

That looks great, Bill! Pitch it to ES. Maybe they'll market it

Post Extras:

spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Bill Cowles]
#5626085 - 01/16/13 12:06 PM

Quote:

I had a friend build a longer stalk for my ES 127ED as I had a very hard time using the finder it it's original location, next to the ota.

Bill

Hi Bill,
I've gotten an extra mount along with some rectangular aluminum, it order to do some 'surgical engineering' on my ES finder bracket/holder. My question to you is by how much was yours lengthened in order to make it more / comfortably usable?
Thanks
Bob

Post Extras:

csrlice12
Postmaster

Reged: 05/22/12

Loc: Denver, CO

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5626225 - 01/16/13 01:43 PM

I swapped out the finderscope on my Omni102XLT with my Orion 9X50 RACI from my dob.....just ordered another 9X50 RACI. Anybody know where you can get the Celestron Omni Blue and White paint? I'd like to paint the new RACI Scope/holder with the Celestron colors (just nit pickey I guess).

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5626258 - 01/16/13 02:02 PM Attachment (23 downloads)

Check the image with the bracket in my hand. The main part is a SV finder bracket and the lower part was just an aluminum wedge to fit the ES bracket slot, so maybe 4" or 5", just enough to keep my head off the OTA. Since then I'm ready to try the original SV finder, which is a RTA finder with reversed image and illuminated reticule. Because of Winter, probably won't be able to try for awhile.

This spring I hope to add a MoonLite focuser, which has 2 finder brackets, so might keep the ES finder on the ES mount and add a RTA to the MoonLite bracket. I can't use the SV bracket, not standard and would need for the modified ES bracket. Having 2 finders would also add more weight to the back. Having seen how nice it is to have brackets on either side of the OTA, it really makes it easier to use on an EQ mount. I never saw the advantage till I saw a MoonLite focuser with the 2 finder brackets.

Bill

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5626264 - 01/16/13 02:04 PM

Bill

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5626273 - 01/16/13 02:12 PM

The problem with the ES 127 is there is not a finder shoe, but a slot, so simply adding a finder is not an option and the reason I had to have a home made piece to fit the slot. It's hard to believe ES didn't see the problem, with their excellent finder, that is a straight through design. Our clubs ES152 does not use a straight through finder, so maybe they did see the problem and future ES127's will have a different finder. Some of the latest posts say the current ES127 doesn't even come with a finder, but don't know what kind of finder bracket shoe it might have.

Bill

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spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Bill Cowles]
#5626356 - 01/16/13 03:07 PM

Right, I got that. But I'm going to use a peice of aluminum and add it to the post. I can add an inch or 3" or anywhere in between. So I was wondering how much height was added. The clamp, shoe, etc, is not a problem for me.
Thanks
bob

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5626402 - 01/16/13 03:32 PM Attachment (18 downloads)

Does this help?

Bill

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5626406 - 01/16/13 03:35 PM Attachment (17 downloads)

Here is another shot of the new bracket with ES finder.

Bill

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Arizona-Ken
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/31/08

Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Bill Cowles]
#5627073 - 01/16/13 09:45 PM

I found that an Orion 9X50 RA finder fits the rings perfectly on my ES127.

Arizona Ken

Post Extras:

Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Arizona-Ken]
#5627491 - 01/17/13 06:28 AM

Quote:

I found that an Orion 9X50 RA finder fits the rings perfectly on my ES127.

Arizona Ken

Straight through finders work well when the finder is at the sky end of the scope as is the case with most Newtonians but most refractors mount the finders close to focuser end which makes them awkward to sight through. I hope that Explore Scientific someday soon changes the standard straight-through finder for a RACI.

Jon

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spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: Bill Cowles]
#5627993 - 01/17/13 12:29 PM

Quote:

Here is one more image showing how the finder bracket was attached to the SV finder bracket and the need for longer screws to tighten the finder. Hope this helps, because it really works.

Thanks, that gave me a good idea on how hight I should make it........

Post Extras:

spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5628302 - 01/17/13 03:25 PM Attachment (14 downloads)

Quote:

Quote:

I had a friend build a longer stalk for my ES 127ED as I had a very hard time using the finder it it's original location, next to the ota.

Bill

Hi Bill,
I've gotten an extra mount along with some rectangular aluminum, it order to do some 'surgical engineering' on my ES finder bracket/holder. My question to you is by how much was yours lengthened in order to make it more / comfortably usable?
Thanks
Bob

Here's my progress so far. Thanks for the pictures, guys!
Cut with a hack saw at the seam...

Edited by spongebob@55 (01/17/13 03:32 PM)

Post Extras:

spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5628310 - 01/17/13 03:29 PM Attachment (16 downloads)

2- come up with a design, instead of a square block of 6061.

Post Extras:

spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5628312 - 01/17/13 03:29 PM Attachment (12 downloads)

3- scribe and get out the hack saw.....

Post Extras:

spongebob@55
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/26/11

Loc: Bergen Co. New Jersey

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head [Re: spongebob@55]
#5628313 - 01/17/13 03:30 PM Attachment (13 downloads)

4- rough cut, then file, then 60grit sand, then hand block plane for edges and square. Whew. This material is hard.

Post Extras:

Bill Cowles
MacGyver

Reged: 04/16/06

Loc: Utah

Re: ES finder too close to OTA or I have a huge head new

[Re: spongebob@55]
#5629763 - 01/18/13 11:31 AM

Looks good, but images are a little small , should make using the finder much easier.

Bill

Post Extras:

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