[JimmyAstro]

Hi Nik & Alan,

Thanks for your responses.

I certainly won't be buying many things brand new, as my budget dictates this!

The only thing I have bought new so far has been the EQ3 OnStep (prebuilt built) system, this was necessary as I am not very electronically / mathematically minded and building myself would have slowed this element down considerably.

I now have an EQ3-2 and have finally added my main final component (I know there will be other little things in the future), the optical tube to the collection! I have bought the Orion 80ED from Unique (Hugh), but now need to find/buy either a Moonlite Focuser or a cheaper GSO/Synta variant.

Thanks for the offer Alan, I had already agreed to buy Hugh's Orion 80ED before your offer came through, I am hoping that I can perhaps get a cheap generic focuser for now (maybe $100 - $150) to fill that void. So your $600 offer would have put me well over budget. In relation to the guide scope, I already have a 30mm f4 guide scope which I will be using a gifted Celestron Nexguide Autoguider with.

I think my main question for everybody in this thread was a sanity check about using either the 80ED refractor, 130mm newtonian (i.e. 130PDS), or 150mm Newtonian (i.e. 150PDS) on the EQ3-2. Am I going too far over in weight for the EQ3-2/class of mount? My research is that I am certainly getting close to the limits with any of those optical tubes, but I have certainly seen people take great wide field images with such combinations. I think the key will be lessening weight as much as possible (i.e. eventually moving to smaller astro style camera), but most of all ensuring exceptional balance on all axis.

So complete setup (minus focuser) is as follows:

Orion 80ED Optical Tube (minus focuser) - Used - $300
SVBony 30mm f4 Guidescope - Used - $35
EQ3-2 (with Skywatcher Deluxe Dual Drive Tracking, HC + ST4 Port) - Used - $295
OnStep Goto System (Prebuilt + Motors & Brackets) - New (eBay) - $280
Celestron Nexguide Autoguider - Used - $0 (Gift/Extended Loan)
Raspberry Pi 3 (For use with Stellarmate, EKOS, Astroberry etc) - Used- $0 (Already Had)
Canon 50d & Sony a6000 Cameras (+ Timer Controllers) - Used - $0 (Already Had)
Canon & Sony Camera T-Adaptors - Used - $25
Samyang 135mm f2 Manual Focus (EF Model + Sony Adaptor) - Used - $0 (Already Had)
Old Laptop & Tablet - Used - $0 (Already Had)

Grand Total now around $935, so still just under my $1000 budget limit at the moment. Which is looking more not like a reality once I add a focuser!

I just need to wait my 30 days of new membership before I can put an add in the Wanted area for either a cheap Moonlite or other compatible (i.e. GSO/Synta) focuser.

Regards

JA