[raymo]

Its a good job you didn't waste your money on the stainless legs version, or
even the EQ5, because you would still have had vibration. A 980mm f/l
scope really requires an HEQ5, and even then it will still vibrate when you
touch it to focus it. Your best bet,[ as has already been stated] is the ply board with holes cut in it for holding eyepieces, and hang 5 or 6 kgs under
the tripod. You can also dampen the vibration somewhat by drilling a hole
on the inside of each leg about half way up the leg, and pouring sand into the legs, and seal the holes with silicone afterwards. Anti-vibration pads under the tripod's feet also help. An electric focuser from Skywatcher for about $90-100
is great, as you don't have to touch the scope and wait for the vibes to stop.
Another often overlooked point is that the further apart you can put the tube mounting rings, the less vibes you will get. A good idea is to get the 300mm long dovetail bar, then you can place the rings about 250mm apart which
will help immensely.
raymo