I didn't get any traction with my post in CN forums so thought I'd try here.
In the past 6 weeks I've been updating my 18 year old gear. Sillily I procured SXP mount first thinking I was going for a particular type of scope but in the end picked up a Mewlon 250CRS OTA. Talking various ppl, it's still possible to marry the two but requires a somewhat more careful planning - the SXP is rated a max payload of 16kg although I'm told is a conservative figure. The Mewlon 250CRS OTA alone is 12.3kg, leaving a 3.7kg buffer for rings, mounting plate, eyepieces (may have to sacrifice a diagonal even).
The Takahashi rings are 3.2kg and the plate is presumably another 1.4kg. I'm therefore looking at other options. Parallax rings are approx 2.3kg and so now I'm hunting for a light but strong plate that can couple between the SXP mount & the Parallax rings. The SXP mount takes M8 pitched bolts in 35mm apart :-
http://www.kyoei-osaka.jp/pic-labo/vixen-sxp-top.gif
So here are a few questions :-
1) What's an acceptable distance between the rings for an OTA whose length is 895mm that's bottom heavy? Naturally longer is better but also heavier. Would a 200mm length plate do?
2) I've been recommended ADM plates but I don't know if the ADM plates have coupling bolt positions that match the above SXP (which I believe are also Takahashi standard)
3) I'd like to avoid the use of a dovetail adapter to save weight, and slide the OTA up & down within the tube rings for balancing. Is there anything wrong with this logic?
Any further advice you're able to offer (aside selling/trading in my 6 week old SXP mount)?
TIA
