Yeah - three posts in and your ranting already and giving Brendan some what for. Nice work
.
I have yet to give Alignmaster another crack because of various things but hopefully this weekend. I would love it to work for me and if it does I will be chuffed. I do agree (if this is what you mean) that learning the skill of drift alignment can't hurt but the more time I have for imaging the better as far as I am concerned. And hell, I have a lot of other things too learn anyway!
Question: when you setup your mount - get the tripod base level, attach the mount using the primary locking shaft etc. When you go to polar align and you need to use the azimuth bolts to rotate the mount a bit I find I can't unless I loosen the locking shaft. I can see that should be the case but I will be buggered if that is mentioned in any texts I have read. No problem really but I do wonder about the level of the mount when I have noticed that tightening that locking shaft actually splays the tripod legs out a bit more thereby possibly stuffing up the level if the ground is a little rough i.e paving bricks etc.. end rant.
Cheers
Dave