Celestron Astromaster Low Profile Focuser

thingiverse

The stock focuser on the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ telescope doesn't have enough back focus in order to attach a DSLR camera to it. Everything online says that you either need to replace the focuser with something with a lower profile (which I couldn't find anything online that was compatible) or you have to move the primary mirror significantly forward. So, I set out to try to design a lower profile focuser that would allow a DSLR to focus and would re-use as much of the existing hardware as possible. This re-uses the eyepiece holder, the focuser knobs, the metal plate that tightens the focuser knobs pinion gear against the rack on the eyepiece holder, the metal coverplate, the 2 screws to hold those pieces on the focuser and the 3 screws and nuts to attach the adapter plate to the scope itself. I printed in PLA at .2mm layers. It prints in two parts and is held together by 6 M3x10 screws and 6 M3 nuts. There are two versions of the adapter plate. One has a border to hold the nuts, the other doesn't. I printed the version without the nut holders and found it a bit of a pain to get the screws threaded on the nuts. I have not printed the other version yet, but it should make it easier to get the screws and nuts to lined up. The other part is the Focuser itself. It's got a couple of included supports that will need to be removed in order to get everything assembled, but they should come away easily.