Struggling to remove tube from dob mount

[Terranaut]

Recently purchased an 8" dobsonian mount from Guan Sheng Optical. Was happy with how snugly it wedged into the mount but have struggled to get it out again. Lifting the optical tube lifts the whole apparatus, it wont come out without someone putting downward pressure on the mount.



It seems impossible at the moment to get it out by myself, which is a shame because I wanted to transport it with no other help.



Its difficult to stand on the mount at the same time as lifting. Its practically impossible to do steadily.



There are pieces of felt glued to the fork. It doesnt seem like these are meant to be removed and are meant to prevent damage to the mount. But im wondering if i should remove them and/or add some lubricant to the join


Open to any ideas

[JA]

Some close up pictures might help with responses, but failing that ensure that the telescope altitude pivot axis has no form of axis brake activated.

Best
JA

[Startrek (Martin)]

My first scope back in 2017 was a 10” f5 GSO ( Bintel ) Dob
Photos attached
I remember having trouble removing the tube out of the timber boxed support cradle , even when backing off the tension knobs which allowed the tube to tilt up and down in Altitude. The axis block was really tight in the cradle due to the felt liner.
My wife had to help me. It required 2 people on each side of the tube to wiggle it out, more like shake it out !!
Hope this info is helpful

Cheers
Martin

[Terranaut]

Thanks Martin, did it get any easier to remove? I was hoping to do some solo observing. Ive purchased some straps with handles from bunnings, hopefully it gives me some more leverage, we'll see.

[doug mc]

Would help to spray a little silicone spray on the felt strip's on the mount. Silicone spray also helps with the felt liners in aluminium window frames.

[Jasmine423 (Jasmine)]

Hey everyone!

I’m pretty new to this whole astronomy thing, and I recently got myself an 8” Dobsonian from Guan Sheng Optical. Super excited, but now I’m hitting a bit of a snag (literally) with the mount, and I could really use some advice.

The optical tube fits really snugly into the mount, which seemed great at first – super secure and all – but now I can’t seem to get it out without a battle. Whenever I lift the tube, the whole mount comes with it. It's wedged in there so tightly that it won’t budge unless someone is physically holding the mount down. I was hoping to be able to transport it on my own, but right now, that seems pretty impossible.

Here’s where I’m stuck:

The Felt Dilemma: There are these felt strips glued to the mount, and they seem to be the main culprit behind the tight fit. Are they meant to be removed, or do they serve a purpose I shouldn’t mess with? I don't want to damage anything by pulling them off.

Lubricant – Yes or No?: I’m wondering if adding some sort of lubricant to the joint might help loosen things up a bit. If that’s a good idea, what’s safe to use? I definitely don’t want to damage the mount or the tube.

Solo Handling Tips: I’m also curious if anyone has any good strategies for managing a Dob on your own? It feels awkward to move by myself, and I don’t want to risk damaging the scoe or the mount.

I've attached some pics of the setup if that helps, and I’m all ears for any suggestions!

Thanks in advance – every bit of help is appreciated!

Clear skies, Jasmine

[Pierre_C]

Hi Jasime.

I have a similar telescope.

I think the felt is there to ensure a snug fit but can be removed. Cloth tape can be put back in its place if the gap becomes too wide. It will still need to fit snuggly otherwise there will be some wobble when viewing objects.

I would leave the just the bit of felt on the horizontal in place as it helps the scope slide into place when putting it back in.

Another thing to check is that the base is not pinching the actual telescope inward from both sides. This may also contribute to difficulties removing it. If this is the case, then the bolts on the sides of the box above the base can be adjusted to reduce the pinching.

For carrying, I have found that the 'Apertura Lifting Strap for 8-12" Dobsonian Optical Tubes' works well.

I hope you are enjoying your new scope.

Regards,
Pierre C.