Damn, broke my finder mount

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KathyNS Canada
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Damn, broke my finder mount

#1

Post by KathyNS »


I was packing away my C-11 after attempting to image Jupiter. (It's time to get back to DSOs now.) As I was fitting it into the foam liner of its case, I stupidly grabbed the finder to adjust the position. SNAP! :cry: The finder mount broke at the base, on either side of the slot that holds the screws to mount it to the OTA.

If anyone has a mount for a Celestron 8x50 Polaris right-angle finder on a C-11, I'm interested!

In the meantime, I think I'll try some JB Weld, and slip a pair of washers under the screw heads to reduce flex on the glue joint.
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#2

Post by Ozman »


That IS bad luck! But JB weld works pretty good. I do have lots of spare parts, but not that one, sorry. If it were a Meade, I think I have one of those but they are made differently.
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#3

Post by Juno16 »


Sorry to hear that Kathy. Maybe scopestuff might have a replacement?

Thanks,
Jim
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Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#4

Post by JayTee »


Hi Kathy,

Can you supply a picture? I may have something but without seeing exactly what you're talking about I'm not certain.

Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#5

Post by KathyNS »


Here are a couple of pics. As you can see, the mount was a break waiting to happen: there wasn't much metal holding the bits together. I am surprised it lasted this long. The scope is at least 30 years old.
P1150759-800px.JPG
P1150761-800px.JPG
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#6

Post by Gordon »


Scope Stuff has something that might help.

http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_rdpb.htm

You might be able to grind or file down what's left of the base and then use a 'vixen' style mount to fit it to.

Have you contacted Celestron directly to see if they have a replacement?
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#7

Post by KathyNS »


I have JB Weld-ed the base. It's out in the workshop now, setting up in clamps. I'll try it once it's set, with a pair of big fender washers to spread the load onto the good metal. It should work (she said, hopefully).

If I need a new mount, I can probably use one of the Vixen style mounts in your link. It would have to be the single-hole one, since the other spacings wouldn't work. But, rather than grinding down the existing mount, it would make more sense to get a new one that has the vixen dovetail already. It'll be easier to fit new rings to the existing finder scope than to modify the base.

As a separate project with this finder, I am modifying the illuminator for the reticle to run on 12 volts. The batteries for the original illuminator are no longer made. Although you can get an okay replacement, the microscopic incandescent bulb is burned out, too. So I'm going to install an LED and wire it for 12v, with a dimmer. I'll never use the scope without having plenty of 12v power, so it makes sense.
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#8

Post by pakarinen »


Bummer. I have an 8x50 mount I intend to sell, but it's for a C8.
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#9

Post by KathyNS »


Well, I guess I'll be buying a generic finder mount. :( I left the mount in clamps for 48 hours for the JB Weld to set up well. But it wouldn't handle the force required to insert the finder into the O-ring, even though I was trying to push against my own fingers so as not to strain the joint.
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#10

Post by Star Rider »


Gorilla glue will fix the world! Try that.

Clear skies,
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#11

Post by KathyNS »


If JB Weld won't fix it, it's a goner. I have ordered a replacement.
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#12

Post by KingClinton »


You could always give it a braze weld, file it down and paint over it, good as new.

This of course all depends on the type of metal it is made from.
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#13

Post by KathyNS »


KingClinton wrote: Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:06 am You could always give it a braze weld, file it down and paint over it, good as new.

This of course all depends on the type of metal it is made from.
It appears to be pot metal. I have seen it done with pot metal, surprisingly successfully. But I have already ordered the replacement, so repairing it is academic.
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#14

Post by KathyNS »


The replacement finder mount arrived today from All-Star Telescope in Alberta. It is from Stellarvue, their 50-60mm mount. The mounting shoe is wide for large-diameter OTAs, and the mounting holes matched the holes from the old mount.

Note how the dovetail rail is drilled with some extra holes. This was handy for the short Celestron 8x50 finder: I just moved the front ring back one hole.
P1150872-1000px.JPG
P1150873-1000px.JPG
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Damn, broke my finder mount

#15

Post by Lady Fraktor »


I use the similar Antares rings though the base fits into a standard Vixen shoe instead.
I have also used these rings to mount a PST to the side of my 150mm f/8 telescope tube.
https://www.ontariotelescope.com/50mm-f ... p_144.html
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