Stripping LX200 down.

[Mac]

Well i've finally got round to setting the lx200  back up with the williams on top.
After checking the lx200 it appears that i have had a family of snails inside the tube.
Cant work out how they got in as the ends have been sealed and technically there shouldnt have been any way for them to get in but they have.
The inside looks like a snails raceway, the main mirror appears ok apart from a small blob on the edge

Has any one had a front corrector plate off and is it pretty straight forward to do?
I'e looked on youtube and found a C14 strip down which is pretty similar but none for the lx200,
It looks pretty straigforward but was just wondering if there were any pitfalls.
I know the optics and tube should have an alignment mark on them but thats all i can find.

Mac.

[RobertM]

I can't believe all the hassle you've had Mac, laptop full of water and now a family of snails !  I think that beats Tony's spiders by a long way.

Removing the corrector plate (I've only had experience of Celestrons) can be easy to do but often they stick themselves in position over time which a small distortion of that end of the tube can free - be very careful though !  Take photos during the removal process including the positions and thicknesses of any centering wedges.  I also found this page which might be useful http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/cancelled%20account/lx_corre.htm.  There doesn't seem to be that much out there for Meade SCT's though you could try the Yahoo SCT group.

I hope you get it sorted out successfully.

Robert

[The Thing]

Baby snails are very small.

I have done everything to my LX90, I don't think the LX200 is tooooo different.
If you have never removed the corrector, make sure it is marked with tippex and a line on both the glass and the support. Also do the secondary as everything needs to go back as it was. Look at these pages, they may help. I wrap it in a linen tea towel for protection.
Make a paper disc with a cut out for the draw tube to protect the mirror.
Remove the focuser assembly. Disassemble and regrease and adjust to take out backlash.
Remove the circlip thing that stops the mirror falling off the draw tube.
Remove the mirror - you can also remove the drawtube sleeve and focuser rod from it. Mark them first if there is any doubt how they can go back together. Clean with de-ionised water and makeup remover pads.
Now you can clean the tube. I flocked mine, huge improvement but does hold dampness so you can get mist inside the OTA. I leave the dew heater on all the time the scope is outside to minimise the chance of this.
Re-assemble without snails. You may want to regrease the drawtube, stops the flop. I used Dow Corning Vacuum Grease but Mark and Robert think it makes focusing too stiff (C11's).
Collimate.
Yippee! Ready to go. I can do the lot in about 2 hours if I have the kitchen to myself.

Have fun. Hope that helps.

[MarkS]

Snails inside the tube 

Never heard of that before!

I can do the lot in about 2 hours if I have the kitchen to myself.

[julian]

Mac I did my LX200 10" in 1hour 58 minutes
I will pm my number over, you can give me a call.

Julian

[Mac]

Cheers for those replies, I'll get all of that sorted after my trip to cornwall.
I should have a bit of spare time them.

Julian I might take you up on your offer if you fancy a sunday dinner.

Mac.

[julian]

ok   

[RobertM]

If you're taking the mirror out I would coat the inside of the tube with with Matt flat black paint.

Robert

[ApophisAstros]

think my brother in law had an lx200
  drove quite well,never saw it in bits though!!

rog