Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

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Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#1

Post by Sky Tinker »


During 2018, I toyed off and on with the idea of getting one of these mounts, and for my smaller telescopes. A few years before that, I had begun day-dreaming about a 127mm Maksutov. As luck would have it, Explore Scientific was conducting what I suspect to have been a promotional offer at the time...
kit3b.jpg
kit3b.jpg (32.42 KiB) Viewed 5127 times
...a 127mm f/15 Maksutov, with a "Twilight Nano" mount, and both for only $299 in May of 2019; can't beat that. Its time, for both, had come, and together. I knew that the mount was unsuitable for the Maksutov beforehand, of course, and no matter.

This thread is about the mount only, the "Twilight Nano"...
mount2.jpg
mount2.jpg (34.33 KiB) Viewed 5127 times
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#2

Post by Sky Tinker »


The mount upon arrival, before unwrapping, and full of hope and promise...
3.jpg
Unwrapped...
7.jpg
I tried it out, outdoors, just as it had arrived. It was okay. However, before it had even arrived, I already knew that it was slated to go "under the knife": the altitude-axis, exploded...
2.jpg
...straightforward enough, not too terribly difficult, not at all. That is one HUGE nylon-washer. I've never seen one that large.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#3

Post by Sky Tinker »


I had some cleaning to do beforehand, initially. You do have to pop this off for access...
icon.jpg
icon.jpg (21.07 KiB) Viewed 5119 times
It's of a soft plastic, with an adhesive on the other side. Just don't compromise the adhesive after removing it, and clean and de-grease the surface where it goes prior to re-attaching it.

Yucks; I use charcoal-lighter fluid, the type used for grilling food outdoors; works a charm...
1.jpg
All of the factory-grease was removed, and for the next step. First, I removed the altitude-arm from the azimuth-assembly...
4.jpg
...then to remove the factory-paint from the bearing-surfaces...
scrub.jpg
Who paints bearing-surfaces??? I've encountered this incompetent, indiscriminate practice on other entry-level mounts as well.

scrub2c.jpg
There, and as it should've arrived in the first place.

When I got the paint off of this part, a grey film was revealed...
scrub3.jpg
...a primer perhaps, and for the paint???

scrub4b.jpg
scrub4b.jpg (19.83 KiB) Viewed 5119 times
Flip...
scrub5b.jpg
There, and as it should've arrived in the first place.

After I got all of that done, I got out the Super Lube...
Super Lube2.jpg
...and applied it discriminately, and sparingly. It doesn't take much. Never ladle it on, like the factories do with their glue-grease.

The altitude-axis is rather easy to renovate, and as you have just seen. After putting it back together, and adjusting the tension, it was like a whole other mount.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#4

Post by pakarinen »


Interesting. First light yet? Curious what you think of both the Mak and the mount with the Mak on it. I do like the "steering lever".
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#5

Post by helicon »


Seems like a good deal at @299. Thanks for showing us the tear down and rebuild.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#6

Post by Sky Tinker »


pakarinen wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:54 pm Interesting. First light yet? Curious what you think of both the Mak and the mount with the Mak on it. I do like the "steering lever".
Oh, yes, the "steering wheel". It was bent upon arrival...
guiding rod.jpg
guiding rod.jpg (34.31 KiB) Viewed 5064 times
I took a small, butane torch, and straightened it.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#7

Post by Bigzmey »


Thanks for the dissection Alan. Looks like lighter version of Orion's Versago II.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#8

Post by Sky Tinker »


One more thing about the altitude-axis...
clamp2.jpg
clamp2.jpg (31.85 KiB) Viewed 5054 times
That's the lock-nut there, which allows the user to adjust the tension. It is not covered by anything, save the dovetail-bar of a telescope when attached.

That completes the altitudinal aspect of the mount, and now for the azimuthal. You don't need to do what I've done, as the motion of the azimuth-axis is satisfactory. But I wanted to crack it open nonetheless, and renovate its innards. Also, I felt it was a bit too stiff to my liking, but it's not as critical as that of the altitude-axis, and therefore optional. Right after I finished renovating the altitude-axis, I was set to do the azimuth next, in quick-succession, but there was one thing that, initially, had brought me to a dead-stop...
5.jpg
That's where you attach the entire head to the tripod's hub. It was confirmed, later, by myself, that the plastic plug with the threaded brass-insert had been screwed into place at the factory, but with glue added to the plastic threads. Therefore, it wasn't about to come out, easily in any event. And what do think lies under that plug? The lock-nut, which must be removed in order to disassemble the axis. You can just see the tip of the bolt through the brass-insert, and with the lock-nut surrounding it; the nut unseen, but I know it's there! Also, note the glue-grease oozing out from underneath the spindle; all the more reason to crack it open.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#9

Post by Sky Tinker »


Thoughts...
thoughts.jpg
My OCD was at a fever-pitch, albeit undiagnosed. I was not about to permit the factory to keep me from reaching that lock-nut. In the end, I dug it out; neatly of course...
5b.jpg
I even managed to save at least some of the threads. With that out of the way...yucks...
5c.jpg
...yet another, gigantic, nylon-washer in addition. I didn't even know it was there until I examined the spindle more closely, whereupon I prised it up and off...
5d.jpg
That was all cleaned up easily enough...
5e.jpg
The spindle has, what I thought at first as being of plastic, a black-anodised aluminum sleeve that fits over its shaft, which would become of great importance later...
spindle2b.jpg
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#10

Post by Sky Tinker »


I didn't want to remove the paint the way I had before, by sanding and scraping it off. Instead, I used my eco-friendly paint-stripper...
stripper.jpg
stripper2.jpg
Before and after...
azimuthal bearing5.jpg
Incidentally, with the roughness of these bearing-surfaces throughout the mount, the large nylon-washers were scratched up a bit. I smoothed them with #0000 steel-wool and lemon-oil, as best as I could; and just as I had used to smooth and polish the bearing-surfaces themselves.

Holloway House.jpg
I would never use that on "fine wood", as indicated on the label, but it does make for a great machine-oil on the cheap. That bottle is quite old, yet it's almost full still.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#11

Post by Sky Tinker »


I could have reinstalled this...
5ba.jpg
5ba.jpg (15.37 KiB) Viewed 5010 times
...sturdily enough, but then I would have that same problem of not being able to adjust the tension for the azimuth, for it would be sealed as before.

I took the plastic plug to my local hardware, sized it, and picked out a threaded-steel insert...
spindle3.jpg
Note the parts sitting there on top of a board of oak. Test-fitting...
spindle5.jpg
The oak plug was veneered with bronze-sheet to keep the oak from splitting, and with J-B Weld...
spindle8b.jpg
spindle8b.jpg (37.82 KiB) Viewed 5010 times
spindle10.jpg
But how to secure the oak plug into the spindle?
spindle14.jpg
That's where that aluminum-sleeve came into such great importance...
mount head.jpg
...for now the plug is removable for adjusting the tension.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#12

Post by Sky Tinker »


This is the set-screw on the side of the tripod's hub...
set-screw.jpg
set-screw.jpg (21.91 KiB) Viewed 5007 times
It was not tightened upon arrival. Still, it secures the mount-head to the hub all the more, in addition with the clamp-knob on the underside.

I didn't want the tip of the steel set-screw digging into the aluminum-sleeve of the spindle, so I place a short brass-rod in between them...
set-screw2.jpg
set-screw2.jpg (17.16 KiB) Viewed 5007 times
How is the mount now? Ask them...
telescopes2.jpg
...although the Maksutov will grumble a bit.

Thank you for looking.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#13

Post by gregl »


Two thumbs up, Sky. I'm with you on taking toys apart. Things are often made better and you've done a great job here. As to the greaseglue, I find it is often used to cover up for sloppy machining. Look for it in "rebuilt" auto parts, for example.

We're looking forward to your next adventure.
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#14

Post by LDW47 »


4307FA5F-5EAD-45E5-84EB-E12A00558303.jpeg
[/image]This is a great write but luckily with my newly arrived yesterday and with my largest refractor, an 80mm, f11.4, that I will ever mount on it attached I am not, initially, having any performance problems as described here ! Just lucky I guess but I will keep watching for anything to arise.
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#15

Post by LDW47 »


Sky Tinker wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2020 4:39 am
pakarinen wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:54 pm Interesting. First light yet? Curious what you think of both the Mak and the mount with the Mak on it. I do like the "steering lever".
Oh, yes, the "steering wheel". It was bent upon arrival...

guiding rod.jpg

I took a small, butane torch, and straightened it.
Hopefully when you straightened it with the heat you didn’t cause fatiguing in that cheap metal ? It may come back to haunt but really with the lighter scopes you don’t need those handles to operate !
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#16

Post by LDW47 »


gregl wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2020 6:00 am Two thumbs up, Sky. I'm with you on taking toys apart. Things are often made better and you've done a great job here. As to the greaseglue, I find it is often used to cover up for sloppy machining. Look for it in "rebuilt" auto parts, for example.

We're looking forward to your next adventure.
It sure doesn’t do much good to any warranty !
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#17

Post by gregl »


LDW47 wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2020 8:22 pm
gregl wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2020 6:00 am Two thumbs up, Sky. I'm with you on taking toys apart. Things are often made better and you've done a great job here. As to the greaseglue, I find it is often used to cover up for sloppy machining. Look for it in "rebuilt" auto parts, for example.

We're looking forward to your next adventure.
It sure doesn’t do much good to any warranty !
Warranty, schmarranty. We tool guys gotta see what's inside! :P

As to the bent shaft, the worst case is that he'd have to make a new one. No big deal, really. A friend with a lathe could do it in a few minutes. (And maybe Sky has a lathe?)
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#18

Post by LDW47 »


Make me a better one while your at it, lol !
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#19

Post by Sky Tinker »


gregl wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:46 pm
LDW47 wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2020 8:22 pm
gregl wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2020 6:00 am Two thumbs up, Sky. I'm with you on taking toys apart. Things are often made better and you've done a great job here. As to the greaseglue, I find it is often used to cover up for sloppy machining. Look for it in "rebuilt" auto parts, for example.

We're looking forward to your next adventure.
It sure doesn’t do much good to any warranty !
Warranty, schmarranty. We tool guys gotta see what's inside! :P

As to the bent shaft, the worst case is that he'd have to make a new one. No big deal, really. A friend with a lathe could do it in a few minutes. (And maybe Sky has a lathe?)
I had gotten one of those Grizzly mini-lathes many years ago, but I never got to make use of it, and now it's stored away, and inaccessible at present. In any event, I've had no problems with the part in question.

As for a telescope kit's warranty, if it's something that the manufacturer can replace, then I go with their warranty. If it's something that I can remedy, as in this instance, and to a far greater degree than they could ever hope, I then forfeit the warranty, and with great pleasure.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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Re: Explore Scientific "Twilight Nano" Alt-Azimuth Mount

#20

Post by Sky Tinker »


LDW47 wrote: Sat Jan 11, 2020 8:21 pm
Sky Tinker wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2020 4:39 am
pakarinen wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 1:54 pm Interesting. First light yet? Curious what you think of both the Mak and the mount with the Mak on it. I do like the "steering lever".
Oh, yes, the "steering wheel". It was bent upon arrival...

guiding rod.jpg

I took a small, butane torch, and straightened it.
Hopefully when you straightened it with the heat you didn’t cause fatiguing in that cheap metal ? It may come back to haunt but really with the lighter scopes you don’t need those handles to operate !
I thought I had tempered the metal with the torch, and you're saying that I didn't? Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But no matter, as that handle would be good only for guiding something smaller and light in weight; a pair of binoculars, or a camera, perhaps.
"Look, son! Up there!" His son shouted back, "I see it! What is it?" The father regaled, "The galaxy! Andromeda! Our origin, our destiny!" And so the boy was hooked, and for the rest of his natural life.

"Desserts tend to corrupt, and absolutely delicious desserts corrupt absolutely." - Chef Acton

Alan :Astronomer1:

Apochromat: Takahashi FS-102 4" f/8 - Achromats: Meade S102 102mm f/5.9, Antares 805 80mm f/6(flocked & blackened), Meade "Polaris" 70mm f/12.9, Sears(Towa) #4-6340 50mm f/12(flocked & blackened) - Newtonians: Orion 6" f/5(flocked & blackened) - Catadioptrics: Explore Scientific 127mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain, Celestron "PowerSeeker" 127mm f/8 "Bird Jones" reflector(modified, flocked, blackened, and collimated!) - Mounts: Meade LX70(EQ-5), Astro-Tech Voyager I alt-azimuth
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