The Postman Calls...

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The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

Solar scope mods start here... The postman kindly delivered me a Tal100RS refractor today - a 100mm f10 scope. Nice peice of kit - quite a bit smaller than my 127mm frac, looks really small side by side... The focusser end looks to be quite easily 'adaptable' to allow a PST etalon to sit 200mm in focus. Will keep you all updated as to progress... :)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Merlin66 »

That's a nice choice for the PST mod.
What are you using as an ERF


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peter drew

Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by peter drew »

I've made a couple of Tal 100RS PST mods recently, they make a really good solar instrument. Just needs around 75mm cut off the main tube. :) (Picture on my blog pdrew.co.uk)


MjrTom

Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by MjrTom »

Nice one Mark :)

Ultimately a PST mod is what I have in mind for my Vixen SP102M 102mm f/10 Achromat.
Excuse my ignorance but is it possible to use the scope for both solar and night time astro?
I take it you would need to use an extension tube to give you enough out focus?

I look forward to hearing your progress with the mod. :)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

Thanks guys! :)

Not sure what ERF going to use yet - gonna be done in stages. My good lady wife today has started to get roofers in to quote for our kitchen roof to be retiled - looks like we're gonna have to fork out in excess of a grand to get that done :pinch: - there's a few options ERF wise i'm considering...

How did you find cutting the tube down Peter? I was planning on making a jig and using the bandsaw at work for the reduction, but after diassembling the scope today I see there is a 'collar' on the end of the tube that the focusser is fixed on i wasn't expecting, guess I could tap a thread into the tube itself though or fix via bolts internally. Lots of options!

I'm hoping telescopehouse has one of their 10% sales over easter to pick up the PST a bit cheaper than usual.

I want to be up and running come summer time though ;)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by peter drew »

Mark. Once the Tal tube is cut down, because the backplate carrying the focuser assembly fits over the main tube, all you have to do is to drill and tap M4 holes through the existing ones in the backplate. Edit. The picture of my Tal mod is on the gallery page of my website, the picture on the blog is the 6" F10. I used an earrly 90mm Baader ERF on the Tal but you can get away with a 75mm D-ERF.


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by andreahaku »

You don't really need to cut the tube.

I didn't with my Vixen A80M. I simply removed the focuser and then made an adaptor to accomodate the 2" PST nose piece.

It works great and you can turn it back into a "regular" telescope in 1 minute ;)

I posted a couple of articles in the "Solar Scope Modifications" section and you can also find pictures in my blog.

Please, don't cut that nice scopes! :D
Andrea


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

You don't really need to cut the tube.

I didn't with my Vixen A80M. I simply removed the focuser and then made an adaptor to accomodate the 2" PST nose piece.

It works great and you can turn it back into a "regular" telescope in 1 minute ;)

I posted a couple of articles in the "Solar Scope Modifications" section and you can also find pictures in my blog.

Please, don't cut that nice scopes! :D
Andrea

The focusser on the Tal is held on with a screw on retaining ring, the adapter is one of the ways i'm considering as if can get away without cutting down the tube I will. Want to spend some time this weekend weighing up the options...


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by MjrTom »

Cheers for the info, I shall do a bit of investigating myself as well ;)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

I think, after much dismantling and deliberation this morning, I will get a 90mm x m1 to 50mm x m1 step ring manufactured to attach PST etalon to the Tal100, rather than cutting down the tube. After bit of measurung with the ol tape measure, the end of the threaded retaining ring that the focusser goes onto would seem to be 790mm behind the lens (who's fl is 1000mm) - screwing a secondary adapter here, with the thickness of the adapter, should position the etalon pretty darn spot onto the magic 200mm inside focus needed. These folk http://www.epsilon-telescopes.co.uk/index.html are less than an hours drive away from so shall give them a call to if can sort out necessary maching...

The Tal100RS seems on first impression to be a lovely scope, so ideally would like to keep it 'intact' as much as possible for lunar work etc. It should make a lovely holiday scope - fits perfectly in the boot (trunk) of the car...

Will keep you all updated... :)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by andreahaku »

Good decision!
Keep us updated.


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

The Lunt wedge wont come to focus with the Tal, grrrr! Can't rack the focusser in anymore - maybe I will cut the tube down... Decisions Decisions!!!! :silly:


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by andreahaku »

Ciao Mark,
I red about the short focus of the TAL. That's why I'm about to take a TS 102/1100 instead of the TAL100RS.
Unfortunately you just confirmed that.
You have two options... Change the focuser with a shorter one or cut the tube. I think that one or two cm should be enough.
Keep us updated ;)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Merlin66 »

Cutting a little off the OTA would solve the white light focus, and could make your PST adaptor simpler in design????


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

Cutting a little off the OTA would solve the white light focus, and could make your PST adaptor simpler in design????

Yes, if I could use the Tal as an 'all round' solar scope as opposed to just Ha then would be good. If I could focus with the wedge I would get an step ring adapter made to connect etalon at 200mm before focal point. Cutting it down is a relatively straightforward job i can do at work on the bandsaw...


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by peter drew »

To cut or not cut the Tal tube depends on what your plans for it are. I cut mine because I wished to use a black box, with or without original internals so that the PST could easily be reused and also to use the scope for white light or nightime viewing, several options in one :) My black boxes that have no original internals, I have machined an aperture into the rear face which takes either the usual Coronado diagonal or a standard one with Ha components fitted. The Tal Crayford focuser has a very long travel so these options are all possible.


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

The postman called again today, but I was out! :angry: Grrrr!!! This time he left cards telling me my 110mm baader D-ERF and M50 - 2" adapter for the back of the PST etalon had arrived - unfortunately it's bank holiday weekend now here in the UK so won't be able to pick them up until tuesday. All the bits are starting to fall into place... :)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by swisswalter »

Oh Mark

that's a pitty, bank holidays. We have them here too and rain and snow for four days :(


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Richard »

Hi Mark, is it the 2" wedge? My lunt 2" one wouldnt focus on the ED80 with the filter stack on it, so got a revelation ED 2X barlow, and unscrewed the lens, which then I fitted behind the ND3 filter, so now focuses fine on the DSLR and the Sun fills the full frame.
The whole filter stack is kept as is, so it just tmounts to the Canon like a lens. The stack is a one piece low profile 2" t mount, continuum filter, UV/IR filter, Barlow lens then the ND3 filter....


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Caymanpete »

Mark,
It all went quiet...... I, for one, am waiting on your assessment of the TAL. In the meantime, a couple of questions - who did you buy the TAL from? And did you get the adapter machined yet? I may want one myself and doubling up the order might reduce costs.
Pete


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Richard »

Or 3... I could be interested in one aswell...


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

Hi folks - a bit of an update on this project... It has been going slow as the main components have had to be bought over time to spread the cost, plus last week we had an entire new roof put over our kitchen and ceiling replastered (all expense I didn't really want to fork out but had to)...

Tal refractor came from First Light Optics http://www.firstlightoptics.com/tal/tal ... embly.html - I have since cut 100mm off the tube using a hacksaw and reattached the focusser - an easy job, took about 15mins. Now the Lunt wedge easily comes to focus on it.

The Baader ERF arrived a couple of weeks ago, and made a cell for it using acrylic and a laser cutter. This is designed to tilt ERF to avoid reflections, and the whole unit sits with an intereference fit in the dew shield of the Tal100. Very tidy.

The PST nosepeice came from astroboot here in the UK, whereas the rear 2" adapter came from AOK Swiss. Only yesterday I re-tapped the hole for the tightening screw on the AOK to allow it to be further in, and used the lathe to take 20mm off it - making it 20mm shorter (obviouislly). I have a 2" to SCT adapter that goes in the back of this to allow me to fix my moonlite focusser, this also had 20mm taken off it with the lathe.

The loan PST at work also came back to me yesterday (nobody wants to borrow it with the awful weather we've been having in the UK), I easily unscrewed the black box from the etalon, however the eatlon from the tube is proving much more stubborn, so this weekends job is to remove that with the boas I bought and assemble the whole thing together. Next week is pay day so plan is to buy PST of my own that can be disassembled and used in place of the loan PST - that will have to be going back out on loan asap...

Soooo, things are moving slowly with this, but if all goes well mechanically and weatherwise I might actually have a first light this weekend - fingers crossed! :)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by keithatrochdale »

It would be nice to see some pictures of this conversion please


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Richard »

Sounding good Mark, one question though, I have unscrewed the tube and eatlon (like yours, the gold tube is still attached to it, seems a bit stuck), anyway, the eatlon screws into my SCT crayford with no adapters needed.
So when I manage to remove the tube and fit the astro boot nose piece, that would fit into the TAL 2" focuser? (with the cut down tube.....)
And then the BF5/10 diaganol in the SCT draw tube....(with a ERF up front of course on the TAL)
Just thinking outload. If this would work, you then have the tal scope, which you could fit the ERF and (eatlon/SCT focuser/BF) onto the focuser and hava a HA scope.....or.......tal scope and just fit the lunt white light diaganol to the focuser....... (thinking of a quick set up, and nice to use one scope for a few things)....


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Merlin66 »

Richard,
A couple of comments.....
The PST thread is different from the SCT (50mm x 1 v's 2"x 24tpi) - I'd recommend adding a couple of wraps of plumbers teflon tape to the PST threads...
The etalon must be positioned 200mm in front of the prime focus and the final focus will be 200mm behind the etalon. With the SCT focuser you may still need some spacers to achieve the 200mm
If everything works out, then sure you can remove the "Ha assembly" and just use the TAL as a "normal" telescope - again probably a couple of spacers will be needed to make up for the cut OTA.


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Richard »

Cheers Merlin, sounding like a plan..


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

Bit of quick update here...

It's friday night, and i'm in between pubs :whistle:

The etalon was released from the PST today :evil: it is now sat, in place, in the Townley PST Mod Scope, all i'm waiting for is some cloud breaks tomorrow for first light... The terrible news is Mrs Townley is away at her sisters for the weekend which means I am home alone :ohmy: After a few coffees in the morning a normal, more sensible, service will resume whereby will respond properly to all questions and definitely get some pictures of the whole project up for all to see...

I'm really looking forward to the world of 100mm Ha B)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Richard »

Looking forward to it.....
Have a great night Mark.... :blink:


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Skywatcher ST80 modded,

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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by marktownley »

Coffee drunk, pst mod installed, up and running - OMG!!!! :o

Going to view & image now - full report later... :)


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Re: The Postman Calls...

Post by Richard »

:woohoo: Can't wait........hope there are loads of breaks in the clouds for you....


Coronado PST DS,

Skywatcher ED80 Pro Apo Refractor + White light with Lunt 2" wedge.

Skywatcher ST80 modded,

Canon 1000D

Vixen GPDX Skysensor 2000, CG4, CG5GT

Philips SPC900NC webcam, Long Ex & Amp Off Mod

Philips SPC900NC mono chip webcam.

+ Collection of Vintage Hawaiian Ukuleles.
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