Source for focuser knobs?

I have a Celestron SP-C6, a 6" f/5 reflector made in Japan. It works
well with a CG-5 mount,and it's a great public star party scope for
the Moon, but the focuser knob needs to be replaced. I tried Ace
Hardware but no luck. The knob is about 3/4 inch in diameter, is
threaded inside for the focuser shaft and also has a set screw.
Unfortunately the plastic near the set screw is breaking down and it
won't hold tight while the focuser is turned.

Does anyone know a good source for a replacement knob for this scope?
The shaft is quite small for the size of the knob.

Thanks,
Mark Pippin

I just noticed today that Orion has four different types of knobs =
listed...

http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?it...ODUCT&path=3D=
1%2C2%2C6%2C30&KickerID=3D396&KICKER


-Florian

Same style plastic knobs are simply unavailable, plus why would you
want them they are likely to break again the same way.

You can find direct replacement aluminum knobs these give you more
control since they are larger here
http://www.mercurysupportsystems.com/

or extra large plastic knobs that like the aluminum above give more
control here
http://www.scopestuff.com/




(Mark Pippin) wrote in message . com...
I have a Celestron SP-C6, a 6" f/5 reflector made in Japan. It works
well with a CG-5 mount,and it's a great public star party scope for
the Moon, but the focuser knob needs to be replaced. I tried Ace
Hardware but no luck. The knob is about 3/4 inch in diameter, is
threaded inside for the focuser shaft and also has a set screw.
Unfortunately the plastic near the set screw is breaking down and it
won't hold tight while the focuser is turned.

Does anyone know a good source for a replacement knob for this scope?
The shaft is quite small for the size of the knob.

Thanks,
Mark Pippin

(Mark Pippin) wrote in message . com...
I have a Celestron SP-C6, a 6" f/5 reflector made in Japan. It works
well with a CG-5 mount,and it's a great public star party scope for
the Moon, but the focuser knob needs to be replaced. I tried Ace
Hardware but no luck. The knob is about 3/4 inch in diameter, is
threaded inside for the focuser shaft and also has a set screw.
Unfortunately the plastic near the set screw is breaking down and it
won't hold tight while the focuser is turned.

Does anyone know a good source for a replacement knob for this scope?
The shaft is quite small for the size of the knob.

Thanks,
Mark Pippin

Mark, you can also try:

http://www.focusknobs.com/

Tom T.

On 1 Nov 2004 06:56:39 -0800, (J. Cartolano) wrote:

Same style plastic knobs are simply unavailable, plus why would you
want them they are likely to break again the same way.

You can find direct replacement aluminum knobs these give you more
control since they are larger here
http://www.mercurysupportsystems.com/

or extra large plastic knobs that like the aluminum above give more
control here
http://www.scopestuff.com/

The FF-1 fine focuser from Mercury is also an alternative to full
focuser replacement at much higher cost, from outfits like
Feathertouch. It is more utilitarian than the latter, but does work.
-Rich

On 1 Nov 2004 11:05:15 -0800, (Tom T.) wrote:

(Mark Pippin) wrote in message . com...
I have a Celestron SP-C6, a 6" f/5 reflector made in Japan. It works
well with a CG-5 mount,and it's a great public star party scope for
the Moon, but the focuser knob needs to be replaced. I tried Ace
Hardware but no luck. The knob is about 3/4 inch in diameter, is
threaded inside for the focuser shaft and also has a set screw.
Unfortunately the plastic near the set screw is breaking down and it
won't hold tight while the focuser is turned.

Does anyone know a good source for a replacement knob for this scope?
The shaft is quite small for the size of the knob.

Thanks,
Mark Pippin

Mark, you can also try:

http://www.focusknobs.com/

Tom T.

I think these are superior to the Orion. I've got the Orion on their
little 80mm ED and a pair of the focusknobs on my 5" refractor and
the focusknobs are more substantial.
-Rich

Thanks Tom, this might be a better bet than what I have seen so far.
The scope is a little odd in that it has a focuser that shifts the
position of the secondary mirror back and forth along the major
optical axis of the scope rather than lifting the eyepiece up and down
like a standard R&P. There is only one focus knob, and not a lot of
clearance to add a larger knob, although that would certainly help.

This page discusses the scope and shows the unique focuser
arrangement:

http://home.att.net/~telescopebluebo.../celestron.htm

Mark Pippin


(Tom T.) wrote in message . com...

Mark, you can also try:

http://www.focusknobs.com/

Tom T.

(Mark Pippin) wrote in message . com...
Thanks Tom, this might be a better bet than what I have seen so far.
The scope is a little odd in that it has a focuser that shifts the
position of the secondary mirror back and forth along the major
optical axis of the scope rather than lifting the eyepiece up and down
like a standard R&P. There is only one focus knob, and not a lot of
clearance to add a larger knob, although that would certainly help.

This page discusses the scope and shows the unique focuser
arrangement:

http://home.att.net/~telescopebluebo.../celestron.htm

Mark Pippin



Mark, my experience with them is that if they don't have what you want
- they'll make it.

Good luck...

T

For closure...

I wrote to focusknobs.com but never received a reply. I ended up
finding a number of short aluminum quarter inch "dowels" for lack of a
better term in my garage with the proper threads to fit the end of the
existing shaft. Ace Hardware had a plentiful supply of knobs that fit
the quarter inch aluminum dowel. I filed a flat on the dowel to
better secure the new knob's setscrew and voila... I am in business
with a very functional focus knob.

Mark Pippin



(Mark Pippin) wrote in message . com...
I have a Celestron SP-C6, a 6" f/5 reflector made in Japan. It works
well with a CG-5 mount,and it's a great public star party scope for
the Moon, but the focuser knob needs to be replaced. I tried Ace
Hardware but no luck. The knob is about 3/4 inch in diameter, is
threaded inside for the focuser shaft and also has a set screw.
Unfortunately the plastic near the set screw is breaking down and it
won't hold tight while the focuser is turned.

Does anyone know a good source for a replacement knob for this scope?
The shaft is quite small for the size of the knob.

Thanks,
Mark Pippin