Solarmax 40 ss

[andyg]

My first post - please be gentle!

I've bought a second hand Solarmax 40 SS. It's as original with helical focusser and I'm generally happy with it however I'm a fiddler!

Stupid questions:
1) Is there an easy way of tuning out any of the backlash in the focusser? Mine isn't bad but it's by far the worst thing about the scope. The mods I have seen with crayfords seem to introduce extra difficulties with respect to the internal elements - or am I getting confused? Although it's against my religion, is there a description/diagram of the helical focusser anywhere before I start unscrewing things ...?

2) Is there an easy DS option for the SM40? The PSM40 seems possible but does it have a simple adapter to mate onto the SM40?

Thanks

AndyG

[marktownley]

hi Andy.

I just took mine apart and reassembled, that removed some of the backlash but not all. The focuser is the weak link in the chain unfortunately.

Regards double stacking a simple step up/down ring is all that is needed, these are only a couple of quid off fleabay.

Welcome to the forum btw

Mark

[andyg]

Thanks for that.

Any idea what size the step ring is?


AndyG

[Merlin66]

Andy,
I'm assuming your SM40 has an external front etalon.
The double stack etalon should come with a T-max tilt adjustment I think it needs a M55 thread and the front of the etalon may be an M52....
Maybe someone else can confirm.

[swisswalter]

Hi Andy

welcome to that wonderful site. Have sun, fun and mod

[andyg]

Thanks for the advice. Not sure whether it's worth DS the 40mm but it's an idea for the future.

AndyG

[marktownley]

I think I may have to start investigating getting a crayford on the back of mine, i've rebuilt and reassembled the stock helical several times but it always defaults back to slack and sloppy after a while...

[swisswalter]

Hi Mark


if you change the focuser then at least get a monorail. I'm not at all happy with the standard crayford. However it may cost you a pair or so of shoes ;-)

[marktownley]

Ha ha ha! I'm in the good books at the moment as have been making the most of the poor weather and getting some chores done around the house that have been put off since the summer. Proof of the pudding is that she has bought me a tri-band ERF for Christmas from Oliver, that means I will have 2 of them now, can only mean there is more modding to come for next year :whistle:

[swisswalter]

Oh Boy

great news. Having two tribands means you have to have two refractors above 80 mm ;-) . That is a great Invitation to by my 203 mm TMB ;-) :cheer: B) :woohoo: :whistle:


Hug her for that organising of the triband

[marktownley]

Lol, I would love to buy the 203TMB, but in the mean time I think I will settle for a high Strehl 80mm f6 and a 152mm f6, there are lots of possibilities with these two scopes...

[swisswalter]

Hi Mark

very good choice. You will se after installing them you need something around f/8 and f/10. You know where to look about them ;-) don't you?

[marktownley]

203 is definitely too much where I live, all but once a year. F6 is a good number for PST mods for keeping the focal length down, f10 is nice though, i agree, that's why I have the Solarmax40 for those days of really bad seeing or when I want to get a quick low res overview (it works in all 3 wavelengths now )

[Pedro]

Walter: is your TMB203 for sale?

Pedro

[swisswalter]

Hi Pedro

yes indeed. We can work out the Details over Walter ät nanosys dot ch