Just got to know that there is another option out there for upgrading of your current focusers to better, smoother, sleekier, and beefier ones - Baader Steeltrack.
There are four models, of which all boasts new designs with adjustable shield, carrying 4 pc HD-roller bearings for smooth operation - NT (newt), SC (schimdt cass), RT 2" (refractor), RT 3" steeltrack focusers.
Inner focusing tubes have massive steel bars imbedded into the tube to serve as hard races for the HD-bearings. Bottom side of the moving tube also carries an embedded, lasercut-plate of stainless steel, to work as a pressure plate against the crayford driving axis. A separate locking screw may be clamped onto the bottom pressure plate to lock unwanted lengthwise tube movement (critical for imaging). The tip of that screw is equipped with a rotating pressure block - to not harm the steel-plate with some non-rotational part.
All points of contact between the fixed outer shell housing of the focuser and the inner moving tube are rock hard, and will not give way under heavy loading (DSLR, CCD cameras, off-axis guiders, etc). And all steel-components as well as all bearings are designed for longevity. The completed focuser is much stronger than low cost focusers where the steel bearings run their own races into the softer aluminium counterpart over time.
A very heavy duty 1:10 reduction gear, all made of stainless steel and brass serves for a smooth operation. The micro drive wheel is milled to accept a belt drive - for expanding into a motor driven focuser in the future, whereas the bottom plate of the gear case features dove-tail grooves all around, for accepting an optional motor compartment holder.
Anti-reflection grooves inside the tube are carefully painted with flat matt paint to avoid any reflections from grazing beam of light, and cutting down internal light reflections tremendously.
Each focuser type features a full size 2" clamp with brass clamp ring, to ensure secure lock to accessories.
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