Hi there. Came for the pretty pictures, staying for the engineering and character building. 
Am wondering what preferences people have for buying/selling all the various parts to adapt something strange to everything, and everything to something strange. It is surprising to the olde newbie how many gaps remain in the optic train. Out of desperation I was prepared to bribe someone for accurate information to solve backfocus, tube, filter, adapter, threads, camera assembly.
With open arms I jumped into the pit of time and money 12 months ago after a lifetime of envy watching everyone else … would like to know of any (wishful fantasy) one stop shops (anywhere) that deliver global for adaptors, spacers, male/female M72/M54/M48 threads to the little guys. Have scoured our local market (Australia) - all 8 major outlets have some of this, some of that, and are very brand dependent.
Would like to know if there is a retail store or buy/swap and sell that has these and ships global -
M72 (female) to M48 (male) - explorer scientific don't ship global; used for FF/FR outlet
M54 (female) to M48 (male) - focuser outlet to tube extensions and eventually camera
2 inch filter drawer to step up or step down adaptors male and female
Any reference that defines the various 2" uses across all the brands in male and female threads
I will gladly give up my seat every day of the week for those who paved the way that get us to this point. More time than I dare admit to has been spent looking for parts to mount something or adapt something. Just saying.
(as a solution, our workshop sources billet alloy products in rounds and plate and would end up making our own out of desperation if this absurdity continues I still envy all the dedicated sleep and money deprived souls who brave the harsh elements in pursuit of excellence. I hope one day I too will be the proud owner of an APOD)
Am wondering what preferences people have for buying/selling all the various parts to adapt something strange to everything, and everything to something strange. It is surprising to the olde newbie how many gaps remain in the optic train. Out of desperation I was prepared to bribe someone for accurate information to solve backfocus, tube, filter, adapter, threads, camera assembly. With open arms I jumped into the pit of time and money 12 months ago after a lifetime of envy watching everyone else … would like to know of any (wishful fantasy) one stop shops (anywhere) that deliver global for adaptors, spacers, male/female M72/M54/M48 threads to the little guys. Have scoured our local market (Australia) - all 8 major outlets have some of this, some of that, and are very brand dependent.
Would like to know if there is a retail store or buy/swap and sell that has these and ships global -
M72 (female) to M48 (male) - explorer scientific don't ship global; used for FF/FR outlet
M54 (female) to M48 (male) - focuser outlet to tube extensions and eventually camera
2 inch filter drawer to step up or step down adaptors male and female
Any reference that defines the various 2" uses across all the brands in male and female threads
I will gladly give up my seat every day of the week for those who paved the way that get us to this point. More time than I dare admit to has been spent looking for parts to mount something or adapt something. Just saying.
(as a solution, our workshop sources billet alloy products in rounds and plate and would end up making our own out of desperation if this absurdity continues
I still envy all the dedicated sleep and money deprived souls who brave the harsh elements in pursuit of excellence. I hope one day I too will be the proud owner of an APOD)
Will reach out to them. Found this article at Agena Astro which looks pretty handy.