Re: ATM New Feather Touch Focuser?

[Michael Lindner <mikel@att.net>]

Roy Diffrient wrote:
> 
> I haven't yet seen one "in the field".
> 
> > Did someone try the new Feather Touch Focuser?
> > How is it compared to the "old", now outdated one?

I've had the good fortune to try both the old and new ones. They are
both simply wonderful. I couldn't say that I noticed a difference
between the two, but I was not comparing them against one another (and I
tried them months apart on different scopes). You could talk to
starlight about "trading in" your old one for a new one, or simply sell
the old one and put the money towards the new one.

The difference is that in the new one, all 4 bearings and the shaft ride
against an undercut flat on one side of the drawtube, like this

           _   drawtube   _
          =/______________\=  <-- bearings
    []===========================[]  <-- shaft

These are simply the finest focuser I have used (not that I've used
every focuser there is, mind you). For what it's worth, I own a Moonlite
crayford, and while it is no feathertouch, it's the second best crayford
I've ever used, and it's relatively inexpensive.

--
Mike Lindner