GSO Focuser Review
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- Опубліковано 8 тра 2024
- This is my review of the GSO focuser. This Crayford type focuser is quite common and is found on many scopes too. You can see in this video in detail what kind of tilt can be introduced into a system. It's not terrible but it's not as good as the other focuser I have tested.
- Наука та технологія
I bought a cheap pawn shop C6-N Newtonian for $125 that included a TeleVue 2x 1.25 Barlow worth $125 by itself. To make a long story short I sent the mirrors in to get recoated, but had it refigured too and got an unbelievable 1/12th wave and .98 Strehl. Being a retired aerospace engineer I redid the scope and first thing was install a JMI Crayford. I worked my way through engineering school at UC Riverside by working in my brother's metal shop, which he still has.
I replaced the .060 steel vanes with .022 thick Titanium and instead of being 3/8th wide I made them a tapered .70 to .50 at the center and put a 100mm radius curve on each vane going counterclockwise. Reduced the diffraction spikes to 30% of what they were. Rolled a strap of .125 thick aluminum by 1.5" wide in front and tig welded the strap so it shrank to a friction fit. Put the bolts to hold the vanes through the strap so the front is stiff and doesn't flex. Put a 1.00" strap on the rear and drilled and tapped six 1/4-20 holes to hold the primary once collimated in place using 6 nylon bolts. It holds collimation pretty well now.
Guys in my club love to use it for astrophotography. I've been offered $3000 for it and it still says Celestron on the side.🤣 I'm leaving it to the optics guy who sold me and helped me install the JMI focuser since he really loves it. He actually bought the JMI reflector focuser at a garage sale for $30 and sold it to me new in the box for $200. He has a wife and kids and could never afford a Takahashi+ quality scope like this. I know it's only a 150mm mirror, but it is like looking through a AstroPhysics refractor. I'm not an experienced AP amateur, but he is. He did a photo of M1 that is a rival of Hubble and what I like about his photography is that he doesn't over-process his photos.
Great video. I originally put a GSO Crayford focuser on my Meade 10" and in the end, couldn't wait to get rid of it. I found the tension screw on the bottom hard to get just right and it would invariable loosen over time, especially in cold weather and when the scope pointed upward, the imaging train would just slowly slide backwards and I was constantly having to make adjustments. I think I'm definitely in the roll your eyes group 😅. CS
Nice to see you back and striving😊
Great review, thanks for providing the detailed analysis of the flexure!
As one of the people he referred to as "rolling his eyes at the GSO focuser", I must admit, it is not bad at all. There are better, but have not really had any issues with the focuser.
I do like seeing these tests I've got a Bresser 127 L which I use for white light solar but the stock focuser is junk as its the pre hex focuser, so I'm on the look out for an upgrade for it I'll have to look around I guess.
Nice.
Great info, I will bet you that racked farther out would even so much worse? GSO are ok budget focusers only and lite duty for imaging!
I’m new to astro and have recently bought an 8” f/5 Ts-Optics newtonean (GSO branded) that also has a Crayford focuser, but it looks a little different than yours.
Should I want to change it later on then which type should I go for? And do you have a specific one you recommend?
in practice, does this GSO focuser work adequately? I think that I have such a version on my Skymax 180 to test in the future... (mostly visual and planetary, as I don't own a cooled camera/NB filters at the moment)
One thing you forgot to mention about focal reducers is the reduced image circle
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Uh oh right as I was checking the tracking on my replacement GSO focuser for my old celestron 150r lol
Trashed mine and replaced with Baader Steel Track. The gso would slip all the time with camera weight and then would be very difficult to focus because it would slip. So you then have to disconnect the Eaf and tighten the focuser, refocus and reclamp the Eaf. PIA. They should be illegal.
My experience and solution exactly. GSO focusers are only suitable for visual use.
Scopes are cheap, i have a 6 inch f4 newt. It works fine
Ben have you gotten the 122 yet? It was supposed to arrive on Monday the 6th.
Yes it is here again.
Why when you are clearly facing certain death with Duke Stage IV cancer are you still playing with toys?
Isn't it time now to do those things you have not done, while you still can?
What I mean is: there is a half life to a terminal diagnosis. The first half is hope and putting off and living as if a miracle will come (I do pray for that) but the second half is not so fun, at all. And by my reckoning you are well and truly sick and into that section.
I have donated to you as many have.
We have not had an update
Considering what I know, and I know too much.. I wish I didn't... you are so very sick that one day and soon someone other than you will make an announcement and it's likely you have asked her to already make it or think about it.
May I urge you to save up for the or ask around for help, to experience the flight to space? Reach out to Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos for a flight.
You should do that. You deserve it. I think you do.
They would of course challenge your illness which would be an easy task.
I look forward to seeing it. I for one will send aUs$10,000.
I get a CT scan soon and then I will give an update. I feel good at least. Will see what the scan says.
You didn't tell us what the original diagnosis was, you said stg IV. Enough said really. Except, some of us might know a thing or two too.
I am not offering miracles. They don't happen. You might, however make the data available such that those of us whom might know more than we say we are as followers be able then to reach out as professionals subject to our own anonymity?
Just asking. This might be a real factor for you and sometimes even if it is beyond our scope, beyond our school, beyond our mandate, beyond our station or best yet, beyond our specialty, we may know someone whom can help.
Without the data we may not be able to.
That is all.
I do wish you well.
Mind your own business. If Ben is doing what he loves then the more power to him.
@@ozicryptoG What ARE you "offering" exactly? Without being so cryptic. You are anonymous already with such a name and if you have anything to help this incredibly brave young man, do so! I'm sure he doesn't need false hope however as he has an extremely positive attitude already. I admire him more than he'll ever know. I would celebrate a miracle in whatever shape or form it came in because it is hard to watch a guy who's so much passion, determination and much of life still to experience, go through this.
Ben, everything has been said already so I need not repeat myself and others. Stay positive, keep fighting and look forward to a time this is all just a bad memory. We may not say much but we still root for you. All the very best for the CT scan.
@@ozicryptoG A video will be released today about it.