The new TR2 Telescope Rail...oh dear.... (1 Viewer)

[cousin_itt]

Hi,
Has anyone else bought the new balance rail, the ones that can fit ATS/ATM, ATX/STX, STS/STM?

I've been waiting for a mere 7 months since the previous model was pulled for a redesign.

Swoptics were good at keeping in touch about the delays, honoured the original price and delivered swiftly.

However, that's were the good stuff ends.
This thing is bad, maybe I've got a duff one, but I'd expect Swaro quality control to be excellent.

Anyway, there's so much play between the plastic housing and the metal rail that this ends up being less stable for side to side wobble than the original all metal balance rail.

The instructions aren't fab either and have diagrams that show an additional (non-existent) lever on the opposite side to the single sprung push button. The sprung button is responsible for locking position. I guess if there were no side to side wobble, it would just about be substantial enough. It still allows a little front to back wobble but that isn't very significant in terms of digiscoping.

I guess I'm going to have to send it back but would be interested in anyone's experience with it.

 

[Tato]

I will test this evening when i will came back to home but first test has not evidenced this problem.

Bye bye

 

[cousin_itt]

Thanks, Tato.
South West Optics have been great. They're sending another one that they've just received from Swarovski. They've tested it in the shop and say it doesn't wobble It should arrive tomorrow.

 

[Tato]

Just tested, i think your item doesn't ork properly. My one do not have lag between the two parts.
Only if the rail is @ all extension position you can remark a little joke but the rail system is very good in my opinion.

Kind regards

 

[zuiko]

Just got mine today after waiting 2 months for it.

No sideways play at all. Plastic pieces make the item not very heavy.

Two small issues. I have the 65 and 95 and attaching requires removing the tripod adapter screw and using another screw provided to fix.

This screw needs to be tightened quite firmly otherwise it scrapes the baseplate when moving the scope assembly on the rail.

Obviously one can lose the adapter screw if one is swapping etc. I have all swarovski gear including tripod so no issues with baseplates etc.

It's a great bit of gear and my tests show it to be fit for purpose. Highly recommended.

 

[cousin_itt]

Second one arrived. New instructions.
Just as much wobble.
Oh dear.

Granted, my 128rc is a tad stiff when panning (which I'll look into adjusting) but I loose all its smoothness as I start to move left or right. The scope moves for a small amount with no resistance then the base plate finally connects with the rail and the tripod head begins to pan.

Another negative point, which leads me to suspect that this was designed by the work-experience student, is that when there is no digiscoping kit attached and the rail is in the farthest back position, the whole set up is still slightly front heavy. (I was using a 45x eyepiece on an ATS80HD and the shade hood was retracted.). It's realistic to expect this rail to stay on the scope during non-digiscoping use, bearing in mind that some Swarovski digicoping adapters are designed to slip over in situ eyepieces.

The hacker in me has found that I can slip a strip of 1mm thick PTFE sheet between the base and the rail and this sorts out the majority of the issues and still lets it slide. I shouldn't need to do this!!!
Guess I'm going to have to put a video together to show Swarovski and South West Optics what is going on.

On both the TRII that I have here the plastic base is marked with 'Rev. 1d' could anyone confirm that they're on the same revision?

Thanks.

 

[Tato]

'rev 1 d' also mine here in Italy

 

[cousin_itt]

Cheers for having a look, Tato.

 

[proudpapa56]

Got mine today and so far so good. I think it will be fine.

 

[Frank HJ Cuypers]

I have exactly the same issues with the TRII and my ATX-95.
When mounted, the telescope is slightly wobbly; stability is better without it. Does anyone have a more stable solution for a TLS APO/MicroFourThirds mounted on the ATX-95?
Without a camera mounted, you must indeed extract the rail as far as possible and even then it is still front heavy.

Also a word of advice; the rail has no security lock and slides easily out of its frame. It happened to me when carrying the tripod+scope on my shoulder. When I accidently turned the scope so that the eyepiece pointed down, it slid out of the frame and fell on the ground... I now put a plastic strap around it for security; not a nice view, but it works.