New mount

[I.C.D]

G'Day All,
I have just got a new EQ6 Mount ,the trouble is my Meade SN8 keeps moving or falling off the mount .Do I have to get a new dovetail bracket to mount it or am I doing something wrong in installing it.
If I can't find an answer to the above I am thinking of drilling a hole through the mount plate and bolting it that way to stop it from falling .
An OTA can only hit the floor so many times before it is damage .

Ian C

:mad2::help::(

[Ian Robinson]

Don't own a EQ6 but .... are you forgetting to tighten (enough) the clamping screw/s that grip your dovetail bar ? Didn't the mount come with an instruction manual ? Here's the online version http://www.opticstar.com/download/Astro/Doc/mounts/Skywatcher/HEQ5-EQ6-manual.pdf

Use some elbow grease on it to make sure it's a good tight grip if you don't the OTA will slide off the top of the GEM's head.

[h0ughy]

do yourself a favour and get a losmandy style mouning plate and a eq6 puk to suit and ditch the other stuff

I have one of these http://www.admaccessories.com/D_Series_Saddles.htm

http://www.admaccessories.com/products/DSAD-EQ6.jpg

[I.C.D]

I can ashore you Ian that the bolts were tight . The trouble is that I have found out that Meade has made all their equipment slightly bigger or smaller then everyone else so their can be no swapping of parts .But as the old saying goes "THEIR IS MORE THEN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT" and I did find that way ,thanks for your help
Ian C

:rofl::thumbsup::thanx:

[I.C.D]

Thanks Dave for your help I found out that the dovetail for the Meade is 87 mm long ,the EQ6 saddle is 97 mm so the Meade dovetail was not fitting the EQ6 and the locking screws were locking the Meade dovetail to two flat sides and not in the dovetail it self which allowed the ota to fall out of the mount when was on it side
Again thanks

Ian C
:thumbsup::D:rofl:

[Garry]

Hi Ian,
I've got the same rig as you and had the same issue, except I never put the OTA on the mount until I changed the dovetail. I could see that the danger of the OTA falling out was greater than I was comfortable with. I bought a replacement dovetail from ScopeStuff
http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_l5db.htm
This worked seamlessly and fit the spacing of the old dovetail and made it easy to remount my guidescope as well. Everything is now rock-steady and there is no danger of the OTA popping out of the mount.
Clear skies,
Garry

[I.C.D]

G'Day Gary,
Thanks for the reply ,yarh I was a little slow on the uptake as I was told that the OTA meade bar would fit the eq6 and as things happen so fast it took a while to work out was happening and why .I found out late that the mount should have come with the right bar and they are sending me one, so all should be right from now on.
But I am still a little shell shock from it all it not a nice feeling to see the OTA laying on the floor at your feet


Clear Skies
and good viewing

Ian C
:thumbsup:;):D