HEQ5 Pro puck upgrades?

DJT (David) · #1 22-11-2012, 07:59 AM

Wondering I'f anyone has a recommend for upgrading the puck on a heq5. Am aware Altair astro do one in uk, but wondering if there are any other suppliers people use (if at all).

My issue is that my setup has a slight "wobble" and I have worked it down to the top of the mount.

and what appears to be the puck or how the vixen style bar is gripped by the dodgy knobby things.

About to put on a side by side bar but not that keen if I still have this problem.

Advice or recommends appreciated

Thanks

chaffingbuttock (Matthew) · #2 10-12-2012, 10:29 PM

Hi David,

I'm also considering replacing the puck to allow for a losmandy style dovetail as per advice given to me by Brendan from these forums. I found this which might be of interest to you:

http://admaccessories.com/D_Series_Saddles.htm

Now I'm trying to do this on the cheap and looked a bit further and found the puck alone for $25 here:
http://admaccessories.com/Miscellaneous_Adapters.htm
and as far as I can tell, I don't see why I need to spend the extra $85 for a saddle when I can direcly attach a dovetail plate to the puck. The puck has 1/4-20 holes spaced 2 inches apart by centre and according to this page:
http://admaccessories.com/D_Series_Universal.htm
there are 2-inch spaced holes every 1.5 inches along these plates. So anyway, my thinking is to buy a $25 and a $65 DUP15 plate and screw the 2 together, since I'm unlikely to have multiple things on different dovetails to need the saddle.

I'd appreciate any input on whether this is feasible or not, having never seen either component. I'm just going based on the descriptions.

Merlin66 (Ken) · #3 11-12-2012, 06:43 AM

David/Matthew,
Fixing things directly to the Puck I think would be bad news...no flexibility and balancing the OTA could be a PITA.
I changed my saddles on both the HEQ5 and NEQ6 to the Losmandy style. Works 100%
David, I'm surprised your finding some movement in the puck area of the mount. The holding screws bite into a "wedge" reccess and should be very firm. Are you sure it's not some Dec worm residual play?

gbeal · #4 11-12-2012, 07:20 AM

Losmandy style, either from ADM, or Cassidy (mine is Cassidy).
Both are well worth the extra.
Gary

chaffingbuttock (Matthew) · #5 11-12-2012, 08:57 AM

Hi Ken,
I don't own a scope yet... getting there though - how will balancing the ota be a pita? I thought you just connect the clamps and slide the ota back and forth until its balanced or is it not that simple? I figure you can balance it on the puck on a table or something, then once its balanced, connect it to the mount. Can also move the guide scope back and forth to help fine balance too. In terms of flexibility, I'm only looking at owning the one scope for now and the foreseeable future, so I'm not expecting to change things on the top end at all. I came into this hobby knowing how expensive it could be, I'm just trying to not spend unnecessarily where possible. Ta

alistairsam · #6 11-12-2012, 09:57 AM

Hi Mathew
In the page for the puck, they've mentioned that the pucks are designed to. E bolted to saddles and dovetails
In your case, I'm guessing you want to bolt the dovetail bar directly to the puck without the saddle and keep the ota rings bolted to the dovetail bar so you can slide the tube through the rings for balancing?
Were you planning to use a vixen dovetail bar or the losmandy type?
Either way, it might work provided the bolt heads are recessed
But I think the larger surface area that's in contact with the puck when you bolt a saddle on it may Provide more rigidity than a vixen bar on the puck
Cheers

chaffingbuttock (Matthew) · #7 11-12-2012, 10:05 AM

Thanks Alistairsam,

yep, that was my intention.I was hoping to use the losmandy one as it was wider and apparently provides more stability - i have the original vixen saddle for the heq5. You bring up a good point regarding more rigidity though. Does that mean I should consider a longer saddle, as the one that comes in the first link I posted looks rather small already. They also have a 20 inch dovetail that is 0.75 inches thick (compared to 0.5 for the other ones).

Cheers

Merlin66 (Ken) · #8 11-12-2012, 11:24 AM

Matthew,
Which scope and set-up are you considering???
Yes, you can slide the OTA in rings...if you have rings (ie for an SCT on a dovetail= no rings) ...it also means undoing the rings etc when you want to remove the OTA from the mount for storage etc.....

chaffingbuttock (Matthew) · #9 11-12-2012, 11:40 AM

Hi Ken,

I'm looking at a refractor in the 4-5 inch range. Not too sure at the moment which one exactly, but considering the astrotech AT111ED (triplet) or maybe something like a skywatcher ED100/120. Good point about having to take the dovetail off when storing though. Didn't think about that. I guess I was just planning on leaving it all connected and put some sort of table cloth over it to keep the dust off.

I'm actually not sure what other gear / setup I'm looking at as I'm only slowly accumulating (very slowly). Want to do photography and will start with a few eyepieces for some visual too. I don't want to hijack this thread, but I appreciate all the input.

Cheers.

Merlin66 (Ken) · #10 11-12-2012, 11:43 AM

Unless you're eating your porridge every day and doing regular weight training.....I don't think you'll be lifting a 5" refractor and the HEQ5 around very much!
The scope would have to be removed.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #11 11-12-2012, 11:56 AM

I know it's not an EQ series mount, but I've replaced the standard Celestron head with an ADM Saddle Adapter on my CG5 so I can have D-series dovetails on all my OTAs and they can go on both mounts.

Ken, I wouldn't think of lifting the CG5 (not as heavy as an HEQ5) with my 127ED on top of it. You'd have to leave the counterweights on to stabilise it and that's another 15Kg.

chaffingbuttock (Matthew) · #12 11-12-2012, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin66

Unless you're eating your porridge every day and doing regular weight training.....I don't think you'll be lifting a 5" refractor and the HEQ5 around very much!
The scope would have to be removed.

it's spinach! I meant that for the most part, it would sit in the lounge and when i wanted to move it outside to use, i can then just unscrew the entire puck and reassemble it outside. kind of the same as taking off the dovetail only then everything is already balanced!

Merlin66 (Ken) · #13 11-12-2012, 03:32 PM

IMHO you'll quickly find putting the puck/ dovetail/ OTA on and off is a royal PITA! and dangerous to your mental health and nervous system! You need a minimum of three hands....
A proper saddle and dovetail is the way to go.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #14 11-12-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin66

A proper saddle and dovetail is the way to go.

... and ADM or Robin Casady tip-in saddles are easier to work with than Losmandy slide-in ones.

2stroke (Jay) · #15 11-12-2012, 06:25 PM

deepspace products sells the D sattle for $109 for the heq5, why would you go dodgy and save only a few $'s ?

Merlin66 (Ken) · #16 11-12-2012, 06:28 PM

Andrew,
You really need a safety clamp on these things!
I'd never try to move and mount the C11+spectroscope without one!

DJT (David) · #17 11-12-2012, 11:57 PM

Wondered what had happened with this thread. It lives!

I went and bought the ADM saddle for the vixen which arrived the other week.

Am much happier with the setup now. it's very solid and it appears that there is an improvement in the tightness of the stars. Best I have seen since starting this game so happy as a sandboy.

As for my original concerns about play, turns out its most likely a dec backlash thing so am going to leave as is. As the puck seems to have done the job, no need to mess around adjusting the mount right now.

Still trying to tighten up the rest of the rig though and get rid of as much flexure as i can so upgrading guide rings and ota rings is also on the cards.

Cheers