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Subject: [M]: Corrector won't budge! help
From: Gary McKenzie
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Fri Nov 28 00:29:00 1997

>Hi everybody,
>
>I tried to remove the corrector of my 8"LX200 partly >>>>>>>>>>>>I pulled
on the secondary housing as hard as i dared but the
>corrector still wouldn't budge. Now what?
>
>Also, I tried cleaning cleaning the front surface of the corrector with
>rubbing alcohol and cotton wool... TERRIBLE!! the alcohol left ugly marks
>and the corrector was full of cotton fibres... What did I do wrong?
>
>Thanks!
>
>darren

Hi Darren,

To remove the corrector plate when stuck you need a highly expensive
special tool :) To construct it simply get an old soft plastic toothbrush
and carve the end of it such that it is shaped like a very thick
screwdriver,use this to gently prise the corrector loose. According to a
friend of mine who services scopes and binos for a living, this is quite
safe. The plastic will not likely snap as a piece of wood may. You should
lever the corrector at several places around the edge until it pops free.
Make sure you note where the corrector sits relative to the scope, and also
mark the bits of cork and their locations in case they fall out.
Interstingly, celestron scopes are notorious for having stuck correctors,
much less common for meades (again according to my friend)

Rubbing alcohol is not very pure, alcohol is available in varying grades.
In Australia at least the top 2 grades differ only in their water content -
I use the 2nd highest grade to make herbal tinctures for my business, and
to clean my scopes/eyepieces :). I used to have some problems with the
alcohol leaving streaks until I realised that since alcohol dissolves fat
VERY easily and I was using tissues dipped in alcohol held by my bare
fingers, that the alcohol was dissolving minute amounts of body oils from
my skin and depositing them on the lenses/correctors etc. Now I use a
disposable plastic glove and have no streaking problem.

hope this helps
Gary

You know, if you achieved enlightenment while drinking beer, the beer would
probably spurt through your nose......................................