Shopping around for a crayford Newtonian focuser

[Akarsh Simha]

I’m wondering if anyone has a JMI, Feathertouch or Moonlight or other American-made Crayford focuser on an old telescope that they’ll sell me for a decent price :)

Regards

Akarsh

[Paul Alsing]

Akarsh... this is the focuser that I bought to upgrade Deb's old #56 20" Obsession...

https://agenaastro.com/antares-low-profile-focuser-gear-drive-reflectors-dual-speed.html

... and it is really nice. It is currently out of stock at this vendor, but a search turns up a couple of places that claim to have it in stock. Within the limits of sanity, it is a great substitute for a Feathertouch. Probably not American made.

\Paul

[Akarsh Simha]

On Tue, May 27, 2025 at 1:03 PM Paul Alsing <pnal...@gmail.com> wrote:

Akarsh... this is the focuser that I bought to upgrade Deb's old #56 20" Obsession...

https://agenaastro.com/antares-low-profile-focuser-gear-drive-reflectors-dual-speed.html

... and it is really nice. It is currently out of stock at this vendor, but a search turns up a couple of places that claim to have it in stock. Within the limits of sanity, it is a great substitute for a Feathertouch. Probably not American made.

\Paul

Thank you, Paul! That's actually within the price range that I'd be able to buy new. I was looking for "American made" for the sake of quality of machining (like the alignment of the tube and its travel axis), but Antares is a reputed brand and if you haven't seen any issue with it that's a very good sign.

I will wait for a few more suggestions, if any, and pull the trigger once I'm back in California!

 

On Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 1:40:49 AM UTC-7 akars...@gmail.com wrote:

I’m wondering if anyone has a JMI, Feathertouch or Moonlight or other American-made Crayford focuser on an old telescope that they’ll sell me for a decent price :)

Regards

Akarsh

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[Aris Pope]

I have the same focuser on my 10" imaging Newtonian. Very nice focuser with no slip! I did add a piece of gaffer tape on the sides to cover the gap where the focuser base meets the OTA.

Aris

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[Akarsh Simha]

On Tue, May 27, 2025 at 3:20 PM Aris Pope <arispo...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have the same focuser on my 10" imaging Newtonian. Very nice focuser with no slip! I did add a piece of gaffer tape on the sides to cover the gap where the focuser base meets the OTA.

Have either of you observed any "walking" of a laser collimator as you rack in and out of focus? My concern of course is that I have a very long focal length (3 meters) and even the slightest misalignment will throw the collimation off substantially.

Regards

Akarsh

 

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[Aris Pope]

I have not checked.

Aris

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[John Pierce]

That looks like the same Chinese focuser Orion sold.  They are decent enough for what they are...

[Akarsh Simha]

Oops, the Antares focuser is out-of-stock on Agena and Camera Concepts. Agena cites tariff uncertainties as the reason.

Anyway, I may just salvage the focuser from my 18-inch and kick the can down the road.

Very tough to find a decent focuser of late.

Regards

Akarsh

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[Aaron Turner]

Oh, I've got a 2" moonlight single speed just sitting around. 2.3"
throw with 1.25" adapter. LMK if interested.


--
Aaron Turner
https://synfin.net/
My father once told me that respect for the truth comes close to being
the basis for all morality. "Something cannot emerge from nothing,"
he said. This is profound thinking if you understand how unstable
"the truth" can be. -- Frank Herbert, Dune

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[Aris Pope]

This is basically the same. Antares and Omegon  are the same as my Orion Low Profile Dual Speed focuser. 

https://a.co/d/iDuWatm

Aris

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