Discmounts

[OneCosmos (Chris)]

hi just wondering if anyone in the Brisbane area owns a DM6? I’m considering one of these would would like to see one first.

Cheers,


Chris

[GrahamL]

Have just recieved a DM4 and am briz a bit , Am going to get a bag made for the tripod /mount before i take it anywhere, very well made piece of kit .
Does have some weight to it with extender /saddle /dovetail /encoders the 6 would be much larger I guess , runs close to 3k landed with all the bits and customs gouging.

[Wavytone]

Chris,

I’ve had a brief play with one as a push-to setup with an f7 130 APO on it, plus encoders and SkySafari; it was good but possibly a bit stiff and would have suited a longer refractor OTA. It also had a high-end AP tripod under - the stiffness of the tripod matters a lot and I would suggest at least a Berlebach Planet or Geoptic Hercules is necessary. These are both significantly better than say the steel tripods from Skywatcher or iOptron, and better than the Losmandy LW tripod.

Whether a DM6 is right for you depends largely on what scope you plan to put on it, encoders etc.

I would say push-to is fine for scopes with focal lengths under 1500mm and magnifications up to 200X - but above that you really need a mount that tracks - altaz or eq doesn’t matter.

[Wilso]

Sorry live in Adelaide,
My DM6 when new was a bit stiff.
Probably took about 6 months of use to bed in properly, after that I was able to back off the tension to absolute min. Also removed the handle as well!
Nice and smooth now, only really use my TSA 102 which isn't that large a scope either.
The DM6 is a heavy duty mount, should be able to handle large scopes as long as they are balanced properly. Serge from Nexus thinks it's over engineered - which is a good thing.

[OneCosmos (Chris)]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think for a couple of reasons I’ll stick with a tracking mount which rules the DM6 out. I have a 1200mm DL 152mm refractor on a tall pier in the observatory with an EQ8 which is excellent for imaging and tall enough for visual. What I want however is to use the scope visually at dark sites. The short travel pier that ships with the EQ8 is fine for imaging but hopelessly short for visual use with a refractor.

I have thought about a Berlebach Planet as it is 54” tall and they can make it taller on request and that can be used with the EQ8. Of course without some kind one f pier extension it would probably hit the legs and I don’t think anyone makes a pier extension for the EQ8?


I also wondered about the astrophysics portable piers which can be 60” tall but don’t know how they would be with the EQ8.


What solutions do people use for visual astronomy with long refractors?

[Wavytone]

Options are the Berlebach Planet, Geoptik Hercules (not tall enough), AP Eagle 6. A Losmandy heavy duty tripod - the one for the G11 may suit but possibly not tall enough

Or if you are handy with tools, make one - the triangular Berlebach Planet head can be purchased and make your own simple legs to suit, however as one who has one, the Planet is simply monumental and a gorgeous piece of kit.

Alternately take a length of 6” pipe for a pier and a bag of quickcrete, dig a hole and you have a useable pier in half an hour. Removing it could be a problem.

[AstroApprentice (Jason)]

I highly recommend an Avalon T-Pod - incredibly sturdy with large load capacities, beautifully machined, but still remakably light, plus a useful carryl handle and threaded holes for adding accessories. Folds away into the supplied padded carry bag and is perfect for portable setups. They are now making Baader-branded ones as well.
https://www.baader-planetarium.com/e...um-tripod.html
http://www.avalon-instruments.com/products/t-pod-tripod

[Wavytone]

T-Pod is not tall enough as per Chris’ Post... for a refractor that size the observer will be lying on the ground... which might not be a bad thing armed with a nice think sheet of foam rubber.

The only tripod that I know was tall enough was something I sold a while back - a Wild Heerbrugge military theodolite tripod that when fully extended was about 70” tall. There’s one on EBay now for $385 or so. But probably not stiff enough for this scope - will be a bit wobbly in azimuth

[AstroApprentice (Jason)]

It still might not be tall enough, but for anyone interested the T-Pod 130 reaches up to 130 cm (51") and an extension pillar adds 20 cm (~8")
https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop...d-tripods.html

[nicosk (Nicos)]

Another option if one were to go with the T130 (which I have and love) is to get the Avalon to Losmandy extension adapter, the 12" Losmandy Extension adapter then fit whatever mount on top.

That gives 160 cm plus whatever is added by the mount. An observing chair is a must as well as it allows one to sit comfortably quite low.

[OneCosmos (Chris)]

Originally Posted by nicosk

Another option if one were to go with the T130 (which I have and love) is to get the Avalon to Losmandy extension adapter, the 12" Losmandy Extension adapter then fit whatever mount on top.

That gives 160 cm plus whatever is added by the mount. An observing chair is a must as well as it allows one to sit comfortably quite low.

That looks interesting. Do you know though if it could take an EQ8 on top?

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

TS lists the payload of the T-130 at 100kg...so half of that is eaten up by your EQ8 head...

[nicosk (Nicos)]

Originally Posted by OneCosmos

That looks interesting. Do you know though if it could take an EQ8 on top?

Not sure. Unitronitalia lists accessories for the T-Pod and they have no mention for EQ8 adapters:

http://www.unitronitalia.com/prodott...AV&type=007#20

EDIT: I am sure a local machinist could fashion an adapter from Losmandy to EQ-8, just a thought!

[nicosk (Nicos)]

Originally Posted by Camelopardalis

TS lists the payload of the T-130 at 100kg...so half of that is eaten up by your EQ8 head...

EQ-8 head is 25.3 kilograms, not 50 - the payload capacity is 50 kilos:

https://www.altairastro.com/skywatcher-eq8-mount.html

[OneCosmos (Chris)]

Hi all,

This is now quite an old post and I was really grateful for all the contributions. I didn’t buy any tripod at the time for various reasons but I am now returning to this and do have some news that may interest.

I have had some email correspondence with Avalon who have now made an EQ8 adapter for someone and are happy to do so for me too. I don’t know they are commercially listed yet but they are available I guess. The price is 180 euros. That flange would attach to the Avalon extender bringing the height to 59” which is more than tall enough. In fact I may need steps for things low down!

My only concern now I suppose is whether it would be stable using the EQ8. I’m not so much thinking of vibrations etc so much as will a gust of wind at Astrofest blow it over! It also has to remain rock solid for imaging of course.

[Kunama]

Chris, I would probably go with the Berlebach Planet for your use and ask them to set the leg angle wider than the standard 23º.
The EQ8 is 25Kg + 20Kg of counterweights + close to 20Kg for your scope all kitted up on a pier extension is starting to get very close to the max on the T-Pod.
(I have used both the T-Pod and Planet)

(The best tripod for your use is actually neither of the above but a Takahashi TMT70300 for the EM400 with a custom adapter, SWL 450Kg !!!)

[Wavytone]

Chris there's a Planet listed in the IIS classifieds, if you want it.

[OneCosmos (Chris)]

Originally Posted by Wavytone

Chris there's a Planet listed in the IIS classifieds, if you want it.

OMG how flukey is that. Yep I’ve pm’d him