After about a month of waiting, due to my ordering just before Chinese New year and Easter, my CEM60 arrived last Friday, via Adelaide dealer. As there is a bit of a dearth of info on IIS re these mounts, I thought I'd try and add some. Pics below and will try to provide ongoing details as I get it up and running over the next few months.
My initial impression is quite positive. It came in a sturdy metal carrying case, all up less than 20Kg to carry (plus two separately-boxed counterweights, @ 9.5 and 4.5 Kgs. No tripod, which suited me, although apparently there is a suitable one available on their website, as has been mentioned elsewhere on IIS.
Includes AC power supply plus DC cable, GoTo Hand Controller with PC input and ASCOM, etc, etc. As shown in the user guide, it comes with GPS and a USB 2.0 hub built into the mount, with cabling access holes.
Next step is to finish my ROR observatory and install the mount on my trusty pier. But that's a story for another time.
Hi Mike
It certainly looks great.
I cant wait to hear how it works so please make getting your observatory up and running a top priority☺
I just came back (I am at the Tabby property for a couple more days) from looking at my planned ob site (again) and may even waddle up later with the crow bar and test for bed rock...but I am thinking even a floating pad and pier will be better than a tripod particularly when I consider the limited demands I make with relatively short focal lengths and maybe going over to fastar style imaging...
But your mount really appeals as I think it is just such a better design than anything else.
Good luck.
Alex
Hi Brian, Rainer, Dennis, Rick, Alex, Joe and Jim,
Thanks for the encouraging words, I'll do my best to keep all updated on progress. Just got back to my Downs dark site from a weekend in Brisbane, so will try tomorrow to setup the pier with mount and 10" truss Newt for a photo shoot....
Alex, I'll also take a shot of the 1.5x1.5m cement slab I am planning to put my second pier on for a C8 Hyperstar. Going to use your "Cube" concept with fibro sheet. I've had the C8/Hyperstar for about 5 years now, very happy with it.
Jim, Yes, the nice case is part of the deal, I'm quite impressed with the overall value. I'd always pictured iOptron as makers of little "exotic" mounts, but this one seems a nice fit capacity-wise, halfway between the EQ6 and the EQ8 at 27Kgs and good bang for the buck at around the $3K mark, delivered.
Last edited by mldee; 01-05-2018 at 02:31 PM.
Reason: removed duplicate
I went to the Hyperstar web site and it seemed like I time travelled well into the past...it looked abandoned...the forum entries were so far back it made me wonder if they were still in business.
I have made up my mind to get an 8 inch with hyperstar after I soet out a few things..perhaps a mount as well...but I ask have you had anything to do with hyperstar recently (or anyone reading this)...
Alex
I went to the Hyperstar web site and it seemed like I time travelled well into the past...it looked abandoned...the forum entries were so far back it made me wonder if they were still in business.
I have made up my mind to get an 8 inch with hyperstar after I soet out a few things..perhaps a mount as well...but I ask have you had anything to do with hyperstar recently (or anyone reading this)...
Alex[/QUOTE]
Hi AlexThis setup at the link looks good. Cheers, Richard.
Hi Richard
Thank you for thinking of me and posting the link ... I have had a peak and it sure looks great.
Certainly gives me something to think about.
Alex
Also what do they make fibro out of these days?
Alex
Hi Alex,
Must admit I haven't bothered much with the Starizona website for some years, as I had little reason to visit. I suspect your impression is probably all part of the unfortunate economic experiences much of the US has been suffering for some years now. I hope they recover.
The Hyperstar I bought new from them in 2011 did what it was supposed to do, so that was that. I'm not a greatly skilled astrophotographer, more a happy snapper, but the odd occasions to use a very fast widefield setup has given me much satisfaction. My problem stems from buying too many toys and not enough use of them all.
I would think the two major factors for me are (1) My ability and creativity and (2) my rather ancient black tube C8 optics. If you get a more modern HD OTA and Hyperstar as Richard mentioned above, your results from Tabulam should be pretty satisfying. Main thing is that you need a good subject; a wide field pic of stars is just that; a lot of stars.
As to fibro: made from pressed fibrous cement these days. No problems.
Last edited by mldee; 01-05-2018 at 08:20 PM.
Reason: punctuation
Finally got the mount on my trusty old pier for some photos, with the 10" truss Newt to give some scale. Must admit the more I see the mount, the better I like it.
All stainless steel hardware, smooth powder coat finish, weighs about the same as my AzEqQ6 and has lots of small "extras" like 4-port USB hub, GPS, internal wiring channels, etc. Some pics follow, please note that I didn't bother attaching the balance shaft for the photos.
I did have to drill two holes in the pier baseplate to take the two stainless attachment bolts, although there is a central ~10mm hole in the mount base that could be used with a short bolt.
Finally got the mount on my trusty old pier for some photos, with the 10" truss Newt to give some scale. Must admit the more I see the mount, the better I like it.
All stainless steel hardware, smooth powder coat finish, weighs about the same as my AzEqQ6 and has lots of small "extras" like 4-port USB hub, GPS, internal wiring channels, etc. Some pics follow, please note that I didn't bother attaching the balance shaft for the photos.
I did have to drill two holes in the pier baseplate to take the two stainless attachment bolts, although there is a central ~10mm hole in the mount base that could be used with a short bolt.
Thanks Mike - looks like a good mount. Interesting to see the various connectors on the saddle.
I have to ask though - in the picture you posted that I have reposted, I can see quite significant paint scraping in the elevation track. Was that how it was delivered, or did it slip during adjustment and caused the elevation tensioning plate to scrape the paint off?
Is there any other mitigation from slip in elevation like the common and traditional jack-bolt? Or does it rely solely on friction - of what I assume is symmetrical on both sides - of these plates tensioned down with the vertical bolts?
Just the result of my impatience. The elevation adjustment is actually a very robust rear-access 10mm jackscrew/wormdrive affair, you can see the screw adjustment large alloy knob to the left of the red area you outlined. Of course I had to try turning it without bothering to realise there were also two friction locking nuts , one each side, both screwed down a bit at the factory but not enough to stop a determined rotation of the adjustment knob by yours truly...I never was much of a one for RTFM first
Actually seems a bit pointless to put paint on an area that will be subject to friction, even if it's only a lock.