side by side setup

[troypiggo]

Looking for a side by side arrangement for a C8 SCT and ED80. Not sure what the correct term for the piece that goes in the dovetail.

Something like this: http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/heavy_duty_dovetail_with_dual_plate s2.jpg from http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/ is $90 for the heavy duty one, which I assume you'd want to minimise flex etc? Is that a good price? Where else can I find them? I'm having trouble searching for them.

My mount is a HEQ5 Pro, so that's the Vixen style plates, yes?

[gbeal]

Both Losmandy and ADM make them.
I have argued before on the merits of piggyback as opposed SBS. Try a search of the earlier threads. $90 seems quite cheap though. The Losmandy DSBS is about US$200 used, and HEAVY.
Gary

[peter_4059]

Troy,

Try these:

http://www.starstuff.com.au/eqsbskits.html

http://www.admaccessories.com/V_Series_SBS.htm

http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/welcome.htm

Bintel Dovetail Mount (Vixen Style)

[troypiggo]

Thanks guys. Off to do some reading...

[Bassnut]

Your heading for grief there Troy, why do you want side by side??. As Gary said, the real deal mounting gear is heavy, and it needs to be good, very stiff. I tried on top and side by side, the extra weight and flexure side by side was a nightmare (assuming you mean guide scope next to imaging OTA), never again for me.

[mick pinner]

the problem is the mount HEQ5, side by side is the ideal set up but not with flimsy plates. weight is only part of the issue, it's where the weight is placed that makes the difference. an ED 80 on top of a C8 would have the effect of weighing 2-3 times it's actual weight because of it's distance from the pivot point.

[Merlin66]

I regularly use the dual bar to hold two ED80's ( one Ha and the other White light) for solar observing. Easily holds my 6" Cometracker and 4" Genesis. Balance's using two counterweights and seems more "stable" than mounting on top of each other.
Just my 2c

[Alchemy]

i have a couple of the plates plus the brackets... surplus unrequired stock. PM if interested.

[troypiggo]

Thanks for all of the thoughts and recommendations all. I see the points for and against, and I guess I need to do some more thinking about it all.

Clive - thanks for the offer. I'll let you know when I've decided which path to take.

[Tandum]

I use the Losmandy V SBS (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7821) plate and have had no problems with it. It's for a Vixen type dovetail. It's a lot lighter than adding an extra 20Kgs of counter weights and it's a lot closer to center as well. I believe I have some intermittant flexture problems but it's more likely to be crappy plastic screws on the guide rings rather than the SBS bar arrangement. I can also fit a load of stuff between the scopes like, camera control boxes, dew heater control boxes, USB hubs etc etc.

[Merlin66]

I bought a couple of Vixen style clamps and mounted them on a piece of 100mm x 10mm x 450mm long aluminium bar ( cost next to nix from your local aluminium supplier- and they cut to length!); bolted a 250mm Vixen rail underneath and now have tremendous flexibility in positioning it on the HEQ5pro mount. Balancing between the scopes and along the rail is very straight forward.
Images available.....

[pmrid]

I hope I'm wrong but it looks to me from the site mentioned that a full assembly with a dovetail bar and 2 saddles would cost $235, not $90.
Peter

[Visionoz]

That's about right, $235 for the lot to do the SBS thing - have one of this and has worked a treat with VC200L & 80mm Equinox plus EOS 40D & Starshoot AG - must find the right balance point first!

Cheers
Bill

[g__day]

I pefer the Losmandy heavy duty side by side bars - if you can't afford Cassidy plates. Their is no flex and that's the critical need!