If it's a Crayford GSO (looks like the animal) creation - it should be excellent! I have those on my ST80, my AR-5 127mm F/9.3 (BIG!) Achromatic Refractor, my 150mm F12 Mak, and my 12" LX90 SCT (Meade) (MONSTER!). All work flawlessly. One caution:

There's a variant of these called Linear. They cost about ½-again the price. Different mechanism. Supposedly even smoother and may hold more weight without slippage. I got news: How the HECK can you improve on what is already too smooth for any room for complaint? And just how much 'weight' are you planning to hold? Are you wanting to attach an Olympic-class barbell-set to your eyepieces? Everytime I heard of people grousing about "it won't hold my x,y,z! Waa! Waa!" the problem was they didn't understand how to use the bolts that hold the GSO-Crayford in the first place. They usually DON'T come with a set of illustrated instructions (should). I'll explain how and snap a few photos. Problem solved. But.....

The Linear has had a few complaints of 'deformed' knobs binding, lack of a foot-print to attach the shoe for a finder-scope/red-dot, etc. And a few other here and there. These have been verified in my view. So I don't suggest the 'Linear - series' focuser. Here are they:

http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_frl2.htm

People have had to resort to drilling holes in their OTA itself to mount a shoe for their focuser. While the GSO Crayford has a place built-in to fit same perfectly. That's a BIG +++ in my Encyclopedia Galactica.

The model you show above looks like it's an excellent focuser. At £145.00, you poor folks' are paying considerably more than we are here in the Untied Snake-pit. Are the all costing that much in the UK? Whatever - these are excellent focusers! They leave the come-with ST80 focuser waaaaaay back in the weed-patch. The stock-focuser, properly cleaned of all the glue they come-with & adjusted, is servicable. I thought you'd already done this to your ST80, Mak? Do tell?

Anywhose - you'll be a Heaven with one of these baby's!

 

Are you wanting to attach an Olympic-class barbell-set to your eyepieces?

hehehehe

 

Obama finally instituted medical-care for all here. Now Trump has been working furiouslyto take it away from those who truly are in dire need - and give us nothing but a shiny, new name: Trump-care. And greatly cut taxes on the wealthiest, and using the equivalent of '3-Card Monty' - to raise taxes on the poor and middle-class (so there will only be poor people here and the super-rich), and let us all die starving and freezing with no safety-net left. Can you say: 'Revolution'?

 

Yeah - I do (now that I'm being more anaylitical with the photograph) notice some rather apparent differences to my GSO-model on my ST80. From bolt-holes to angles in the design, etc. The focuser-knobs are quite different, too. Anywho - my advice stands regards avoiding the 'Linear' variants.

I should write-up a set of instructions on how to go about using these with Cassegrain-type scopes. Most people who get one, have no REAL idea of what to do next - which is install the thing on the back of the scope, insert an eyepiece-of-choice, and then use the main focus-knob on the scope to achieve rough-focus with your Crayford's focuser racked-out about ½-way, and then don't touch the main-focuser on the telescope again. Now do your fine-tuning work with your new Crayford - focuser!

If it won't achieve focus in the future, what did you change? This will likely be traced to using a new variety of eyepieces which have very different lens' arrangement in them than any other eyepieces us 'normal-folks' usually use. Then just do the same as before - Crayford racked-out ½-way. Set rough focus with the main-focuser on your Cassegrain. Etc.

OH MY GOD ALMIGHTY!!! DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAWAII ENDURED TODAY??

Gotta Run -

evaD & luaR --------------------------<POIT!>

 

I don't think I've ever seen a Synta quasi-Crayford here in the Snakes. Now with my curiosity up, I'll keep a more active eye open for one. Mine are absolutely GSO. And I wouldn't want anything other than a GSO for my intentions. I want to get my MallinCam and my monochrome Astrovid StellaCam II going this Spring.


First seen in 2003, these remain one of the finest of all. Turns a 12" aperture into a 60-inch in terms of light-gathering power. Taken just about straight-away from CIA spy-satellites after they were forced to de-classify such toys after the declared 'end' of the Cold War. Kicking & screaming all the way!

It's probably wired with high-explosives awaiting a certain code to be input. Then one of my eyepiece-cases will blow-up on my table!

Now who could be calling me at this hour.....?

 

I have an older blue-tube SW ST80. The lenses were in disarray and need me to re-arrange and troubleshoot them. I'm using an Orion ST80 which is the one I put a GSO Crayford on. My intention for the SW ST80, once it's up and running perfectly again, is to haul it to a local park for an evening of outreach and talk to any and all interested peoples.

Then when the 'right' bunch - with an inqusitive kid in tow - find me - They just won the scope, mount, and those Kellner EP's I bought for the $12US. And, if I can find 'em, I'll toss in a mint, never used Meade 4000-Series 26mm Super-Plössl I have several of (they came stock with the 2 Meade telescopes I've bought over the years. I only need one myself. Already had one.

As I have monocular-vision (heriditary situation), no bino-viewers for me. Won't work. But I can see the same as other people - but even better for astronomical-observation purposes. I can focus everything into one eye, while willing the other to cut-out all stray light on the other side of my vison and create a sort of "dark-bubble" over my other side. Quite a convenient, little feat!

 

That's the beauty of the GSO Dual-Focus 10:1 Crayfords - they come with the shoe and hardware built-in. At least mine did. I got that one from Agena - do check it out with what you're looking at. I wouldn't want to suggest drilling into the OTA. A high-speed drill and cobalt-bits would work - but they're also capable of causing a disaster if you're not a good mechanic & craftsman.

I am, but that's a rarity 'round these parts.

There's a few exceptions of this. Here's a pal of mine - master wheelsmith (really!):





I'd post some of my handcrafted custom bikes, but they way too big for this 2MB puppy.

 

Here's a lil' something from the Townsville Astronomy Group, Inc. of Australia. It's called "Tuning up a Synta Crayford focuser" -
https://astronomytsv.org.au/education/articles/tech-tips/item/tuning-up-a-synta-crayford-focuser

Looks a bit different as not showing a dual 10:1 type focuser, but the bolt/screw patterns might be useful. Even for a Kiwi! (insider joke in Aus.)

 

Looks like it would work at least. All my GSO 8 X 50mm RACI Finders came with one. Pity you don't live about here - I'd gladly toss you one. Not sure if I still have an original ST80 stock-finder.....Thanks for reminding me to look into that!

 

I was just thinking aloud for my project of restoring my older 'blue-tube' SW ST80. It came with a toy-finder (at least I call it that) as stock - a 6 X 26mm. Was wondering where I put the thing...? Whatever - I'll dig it out of it's current 'hiding-place' and clean it and attach for whomsover I give the scope to.

My aim is to addict a new, young family to the wonder of our nighttime sky and introduce them to science for both pleasure and to give their kid an edge in a field our public-schools' here in the Snakes rarely pay any real attention to these days.

Now to figure out a mount/tripod...

Later!