[Satchmo]

[QUOTE=Paul Haese;1155916 I have it on good authority that silicone cannot cause pinched optics because it is pliable and does not act as a brace. It is not stiff enough to cause problems.[/QUOTE]

I have to correct that one Paul from my own direct experience - Silicone is absolutely capable of warping optics -it is only warping on a sub -micron level we are talking here . This is my own practical experience of testing optics on and off silicone mounts in a highly sensitive bench star test . Diagonals are also susceptible to warping if not mounted just right if silicon used . I would always recommend optics to be free floating both from the edge and back for the best possible level of support without possibility of induced strain at different angles of altitude .

It is certainly possible to pull off a silicon mounting but it willl rarely be as good as a free standing optic and can certainly end up much worse if it is not done right.