Posts Made By: Bernard Kean

You are not alone John. I was really bummed when S&T stopped publishing Nightsky too!
Buck

Bill
Why not call Televue about rebuilding it? There are shims for the pinon gear and pads around the draw tube that I'm pretty sure can be replaced. The focuser can easily be removed and sent up without the tube.
This way you keep the honey all stock.
Just my $.02
Buck

Paulo
There is a TV85 with mount up on Amart that would fit the bill pretty good.
Buck

Maurice
FeatherTouch by Starlight Instruments and JMI come to mind.
Buck

Hi Peter
You can use simple Scotch Tape to snug the adapter to the ID of the focuser tube. Usually one wrap all the way around will usually be enough, don't overlap. Then do the same for the laser or if the adapter has the brass ring inside just barely tighten the screw so the laser can still turn. Once you get a snug but not tight fit you need to unsert the laser without tightening and lightly push it flush to the face of the adapter and rotate it to see if the laser is well collimated. If you haven't checked laser collimation nothing is going to matter. I've tried 2 Lasermates and both were badly out of collimation. My Howie Glatter is dead on and has stayed that way for a few years now. Once you get the slop out and sure the laser is collimated then you are ready to check and adjust the focuser collimation.
Hope this helps
Buck

Adam
You could make a screen out of PVC pipe for the short term and a well placed, fast growing tree for the long term. Good small arms fire for immediate relief...well, just kidding of course, well, not really, I would never do such a thing.
Buck

Hi Bill
IMO a good 80mm to 100mm widefield APO compliments a newton perfectly. There are several TV85's on Amart right now that would fit the bill. I use a TV NP101 on a Gibraltar as my grab-n-go. Out the kitchen door in one trip, a few eyepieces in the next and I'm ready.
Buck

Michael
You pretty much got it. Usually some minor blemish that keeps it from passing inspection and becoming a first line product and sold. These are usually very minor and doesn't effect the performance. I've had 2 Televue blem eyepieces and dang if I could find the blem and they worked fine.
Buck

I keep mine caped and stored in a foam lined Tool Case from Lowes. While in use I have them in the eyepiece caddy on my Gibraltar mount OR in a small try hanging on the front of my Starmaster. I dust them off before capping them returned to the case and only clean them when they get noticibly dirty or smudged up. If I have to clean the in the field I dust them first and use those small Ziess Optical wipes if real bad or just fog with breath and wipe with a soft Kleenex. Enough acholol in there to clean them good....just kidding. Once in a while on a nasty day I'll clean them all up but clean them with the least possible means needed for each eyepiece. As far as keeping track of them, I don't like to get out more than 5 maybe 6 at a time because thats about all i ever need for any one night. If I need something else I pull it from the case. I'm with Micheal and have to chuckle about the never touched eyepieces. Now mind you I take care of my equipment but even with my careful care just using an eyepiece they do get dirty and need cleaning. So when someone says it was they main eyepiece for the last year and never touched it.....right. Anyway thats my $.02 and I'm sticking with it.
Buck

Jay
I needed about 10# to counterbalance a Denkmeier BV with eyepieces in a SM11" f/5.4.
Buck