GC - South Aus
30-06-2014, 01:37 PM
G'day All,
Well I have been sat back for sometime now admiring :sad: the mount's of those around us who have the finances to afford the likes of Paramount Me/Mx and AP1200. I longed for a mount that could carry at least a 12" SCT or Newtonian.
I had also been admiring those that are a little more in my price range, which I also wouldn't be able to afford until after some several years of saving. I was still a long way off! These include the likes of Losmandy G11 and the new Skywatcher EQ8 (the EQ8 framing up as my more likely purchase).
I was starting to get a little depressed as I knew I would have many years of saving my pennies ahead of me. Until I stumbled on a heavy duty mount being sold online by a nice chap in the ACT (will remain unnamed, as I have not sought approval to disclose his name). I couldn't believe my luck when my wife said I could buy it (must have caught her on a good day!).
So the weekend just gone I woke early to drive from Adelaide to Nhill (Victoria) to meet the nice chap from the ACT who drove down to meet me (weather was atrocious). A deal was done and I returned home the same day, eventually got around to setting it up this morning.
This mount is custom built, from the 70's, in the style/patent of the legendary 'Bill Schaefer' mounts. It was imported from the US by this chap when he migrated to Australia. It is built like a tank, a real monster!
It came with the following:
Two stepper controller boxes (i.e. one spare)
Laptop with Mel Bartels Scope Software Installed
Meade CAT 2048 encoders and controller
Heavy duty tripod
1.5" (1 5/8"= 42mm diameter) solid steel counterweight shaft
So many counterweights (that I might not ever use)
2 x spare stepper motors
Homemade handpad
Best of all it has a gold anodized 10" across (30" in circumference) Ed Byer precision RA gear and worm drive
This mount has previously held a 16" Newtonian with no struggles and can hold 160+ lbs. :eyepop:.
I have attached some photos of the mount set-up today (excuse the mess - still renovating).
Whilst this mount might not have all the 'bell's & whistles' of the newer ones listed above, it does have super smooth stepper movement/control. The Ed Byer's worm drive and gear is a dream!
For $1800 (in short the best money I ever spent) this is all my dreams come true!
Cheers
Gav
P.S. I will attach some photo's of other people's OTA's on a Schaefer Mount in another entry
Well I have been sat back for sometime now admiring :sad: the mount's of those around us who have the finances to afford the likes of Paramount Me/Mx and AP1200. I longed for a mount that could carry at least a 12" SCT or Newtonian.
I had also been admiring those that are a little more in my price range, which I also wouldn't be able to afford until after some several years of saving. I was still a long way off! These include the likes of Losmandy G11 and the new Skywatcher EQ8 (the EQ8 framing up as my more likely purchase).
I was starting to get a little depressed as I knew I would have many years of saving my pennies ahead of me. Until I stumbled on a heavy duty mount being sold online by a nice chap in the ACT (will remain unnamed, as I have not sought approval to disclose his name). I couldn't believe my luck when my wife said I could buy it (must have caught her on a good day!).
So the weekend just gone I woke early to drive from Adelaide to Nhill (Victoria) to meet the nice chap from the ACT who drove down to meet me (weather was atrocious). A deal was done and I returned home the same day, eventually got around to setting it up this morning.
This mount is custom built, from the 70's, in the style/patent of the legendary 'Bill Schaefer' mounts. It was imported from the US by this chap when he migrated to Australia. It is built like a tank, a real monster!
It came with the following:
Two stepper controller boxes (i.e. one spare)
Laptop with Mel Bartels Scope Software Installed
Meade CAT 2048 encoders and controller
Heavy duty tripod
1.5" (1 5/8"= 42mm diameter) solid steel counterweight shaft
So many counterweights (that I might not ever use)
2 x spare stepper motors
Homemade handpad
Best of all it has a gold anodized 10" across (30" in circumference) Ed Byer precision RA gear and worm drive
This mount has previously held a 16" Newtonian with no struggles and can hold 160+ lbs. :eyepop:.
I have attached some photos of the mount set-up today (excuse the mess - still renovating).
Whilst this mount might not have all the 'bell's & whistles' of the newer ones listed above, it does have super smooth stepper movement/control. The Ed Byer's worm drive and gear is a dream!
For $1800 (in short the best money I ever spent) this is all my dreams come true!
Cheers
Gav
P.S. I will attach some photo's of other people's OTA's on a Schaefer Mount in another entry