Deforking my C8

[louie_the_fly]

I'm going to remove my C8 from its original fork mount and mount it on an EQ5 goto mount. Thing is, what is the best / easiest way to mount it? I thought tube rings, but how secure are they? I don't really want to strip it down to drill holes in the tube.

Also need to know:

1. Whats the difference between an EQ5 & a HEQ5 (with or without goto)
2. What type of dovetail do I need

Thanks.

Louie

[rogerco]

You don't need to drill any holes as they are already there and you can buy dovetail bars that fit. My experience is that the EQ5 is barely good enough for a C8, I know the difference between my EQ5 and the EQ6pro with the C8 is like chalk and cheese.

[Foxinsox]

Agreed.
I think better off staying with C8 standard mount fork mount unless you can go EQ6

[pdalek]

The lightest, cheapest and most secure mounting is to fit a dovetail bar using the existing holes.

The HEQ5 is more robust and has a greater load capacity than the EQ5.
Both mounts use a narrow dovetail described as V, Vixen or CG-5. There are numerous manufacturers: ADM, Losmndy, Farpoint, Celestron, etc.
Genuine Celestron CG-5 dovetail bars are a spare part but hard to get new. Can find on eBay from sellers who have swaped over to the larger size.

The wider dovetail is the D, Losmandy or CGE and is produced by many manufacturers.
The genuine Celestron CGE bar is easy to find, does not use curved spacers like the other brands, and is also just a little narrower so that it will not clamp securely in an ADM saddle.

The NEQ6pro is a much stronger mount. It can take either V or D dovetail bars. The older EQ6 takes only V.

Personally I would opt for a wide dovetail and NEQ6pro.

[Astro_Bot]

Just an amplification of your point ... and apologies to the OP for getting a bit off topic:

The EQ6Pro was supplied by default with a V saddle, but a D saddle can be bought after market (Orion or Skywatcher part).

The newest NEQ6Pro's ("W" model) have a dual saddle - earlier NEQ6Pro models had a V saddle though some also had a D saddle included in the box - again, the D saddle could be bought after market. AFAIK, all new NEQ6's should have the dual saddle, but it would pay to check.

According to Astro Baby (http://www.astro-baby.com/EQ6%20rebuild%20guide/EQ6%20Development%20and%20Software% 20Releases.htm), there was a period when the designations EQ6 and NEQ6 overlapped, so there may even be "EQ6Pro" mounts out there that came with a D saddle in the box.

Post-2009 saddles won't fit pre-2009 mounts due to a change in the adapter base shape/profile and pre-2009 parts only seem to be available from Orion (the Orion Atlas EQ-G is a re-badged EQ6/NEQ6).

[louie_the_fly]

Thanks for all the info. In the immortal words of Vinnie Barbarino, "I'm so confused".

I think I'll look at the NEQ6.

[raymo]

Hi Louie, I personally think that the other respondents are suggesting
that you spend more money than you need to.I have an HEQ5 Pro GO TO
and it is more than capable of carrying a C-8. At the moment I am using
an 8"Newt with an 80mm guidescope, an auto guider, and sometimes
my DSLR piggybacked as well, and it is quite happy. You will save
hundreds for other goodies. Just my opinion.
raymo.

[Astro_Bot]

I'm not. I haven't suggested a purchase either way. Maybe you meant "... some of the respondents ...". ;)

[raymo]

My humblest apologies Astro_ Bot, I wrote before I had my
brain into gear. It just seemed that Louie was being steered
to a larger,heavier, and more expensive mount than he needed, unless he intends to go to a larger scope later, of course. In fact it was only two
of the three respondents recommending the 6. My apologies again.
Again it's only my opinion
raymo

[Merlin66]

Stewart,
I de-forked my Lx200 8", fitted a Losmandy dovetail plate and bought a Geoptics dual saddle (similar to the ADM version) for my HEQ5pro.
They lived and worked together for spectroscopy for over two years...no issues, no problems (BTW the Lx200 8" OTA is MUCH heavier than the C8)
Just my 2c

[AstroJunk]

I have put 3 club 8" LX50's (Cheap mounted LX200 forerunner) on to HEQ5 mounts and they became superb instruments after the simple conversion using a std vixen bar. Much better than the original mounts and a dream to use.

Go for it!

[louie_the_fly]

Thanks everyone for your input. I know of a 1 year old Skywatcher HEQ5 in Adelaide for a reasonable price. That's if it's still available. Just got to phone the guy about it. Think I'll do that tomorrow arvo.

I don't intend to go any bigger with this type of scope, but I would eventually like to get a larger aperture truss dobsonian.

Cheers

Louie

[louie_the_fly]

Well I did it. I ended up buying a HEQ5 Pro. Was going to look at a 2nd hand one, but my wife said "just buy a new one". Bless her cotton socks. It arrived today.

So the thing is, apart from taking it out of the box, and reading the books, are there little tips or tricks that I should know about?

It all appears pretty straight forward. But then again, so does walking after drinking 8 beers. :lol: