LX90 Modifications

This is an adaption of a very popular idea. The standard focusing knob is quite small, which can make accurate focusing difficult, especially at high magnifications. A common solution is to use plastic lids from jars of various products (e.g. peanut butter) to increase the diameter of the knob, making very fine adjustment possible.

The fine focuser modification fitted to the scope. The sticker is my rather poor attempt at humour...

The Mark II fine focuser, made from a jar lid, gives even better control.

My first model used a plastic reel which was originally blue and wrapped with solder. The inside diameter is a perfect push fit, after a little filing. I painted it with silver model paint which, whilst a far from perfect match, stops the real from sticking out like a sore thumb. I eventually glued and screwed a jar lid onto the solder reel, painted it up and printed out a sticker. This allows even finer focus and has a better feel than the rims of the solder reel.

A very simple one, this. The small, raised triangle on the side of the fork arms is used as a reference to level the OTA during set-up. Unfortunately, it's practically invisible in the dark, as it's the same colour as the rest of the moulding. This is quickly fixed with a touch of model paint - I didn't have any white, so silver had to do. A neat result can be achieved by masking the surrounding area off with three bits of tape before painting.

There's no missing that arrow now!