Suggestions Needed

[Martin Pugh]

Hi all
it has been suggested to me, that the removal of my Losmandy DAs might go a long way to either eliminating or reducing differential flexure.
I have a FSQ106 in a pair of Parallax rings. These rings attach to the DAs and the DAs slide onto a Losmandy DUP (male-male) dovetail (which then goes into the Versa Plate)

What I have been told is that there are dovetails out there which are drilled to match the mounting holes on the rings - so they can attach directly and the DAs can be disposed of.

Can I find any? Can I hell! I know what you are thinking - drill the Losmandy DUP - but I just dont have the kit to do this properly.

Any pointers?

thanks
Martin

[Doomsayer]

Hi Martin
I assume you have a big camera hanging off the FSQ like a Proline - ie your main imaging scope on the PME? I also assume that the Parallax rings are the conventional '3 bolts against the OTA' type?

Snug fit saddles bolted to a decent dovetail plate are the best way to avoid flexure. They do not allow any adjustment of the scope axis other than by shims or machining however. The FSQ106ED doesn't have alot of tube length for a pair of rings or saddles. I made up a pair of saddles with over and under heavy dovetials for a firiend's FSQ106ED. I guess that since the versaplate is about 20" long any such saddles would have to be set high enough to clear the OTA/CCD above the versaplate.

guy

[Hagar]

You could try:
http://www.robincasady.com/Astro/index.html
http://www.bttechnologies.com/bt_dp.htm
http://admaccessories.com/

or get what you want made by:
http://www.starstuff.com.au/services.html

[Martin Pugh]

Great, thanks for the tips.

cheers
Martin

[Doomsayer]

Hi Martin
I couldn't find a photo of the completed unit by itself. But this photo shows the heavy duty dovetail/saddle rings on an FSQ106ED. The two dovetails are milled from 1" thick plate. I have plans to make another one for myself which has a dovetail below and a female dovetail mount on the top, making it even easier to secure a piggyback scope. I use fixed saddle mounts to carry my guidescope atop the RC truss - one of those Orion x-y stages carries the ST402 guider.

guy