Nexstar Wedge (8i)

ausmensan (Simon) · #1 08-07-2009, 06:45 PM

Hi,

Has anyone built their own wedge to suit a Nexstar 8i scope? If so, I would be very interested to see how it was done. The real deal seems a bit pricey for me, so I thought it might be an interesting exercise to see if one could be built.

Any ideas or suggestions welcome!

Cheers

Simon

tempestwizz (Brian) · #2 08-07-2009, 09:18 PM

Hi Simon,
I have no experience with Nexstar stuff, but given my experience with a Meade LX90... if you are thinking of using a wedge to allow imaging, it is a painful route to travel down. After moving through the proprietary devices, I built my own with thick plate steel, and built a concrete/steel pier to mount it on, but eventually came to the conclusion that Alt/Az mounts are just not capable of being re-born as EQ mounts.
With the Meade LX90, the whole weight of the OTA plus guide-scope, cameras etc was suspended off the mount like a spring. The forces on the bearings were not what they were designed for. (visual use) In fact there is an upward pulling on the bearings rather than their designed (downward) aspect. Despite my best efforts, I could not get what I considered to be good results from the 2000mm focal length. I did get barely acceptable results using the LX90 as the guide scope,with an Orion ED80 as my imaging scope - for up to 2 minute exposures.
I bought a Takahashi EM200 GEM mount. End of problem. ( at least mount related.)

HTH,

BC

GrampianStars (Rob) · #3 09-07-2009, 06:57 AM

Simon (AusMen)
take a look at this thread
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ead.php?t=2432
and here
http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/Astro...dge/Wedge.html
You'll love a wedge of sorts

basic engineer skills and you can make one
I've still got a basic Meade wedge which I beefed up for an 8' lx200
very solid and works a treat

look around and you might find one for under $100

ausmensan (Simon) · #4 13-07-2009, 11:29 AM

Thanks for all the great information, after doing a bit of research, it seems that adding a wedge may not give me what I need for astrophotography, but it looks like an interesting exercise for a build project.

So, cheers again!

Simon

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #5 13-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Hi Simon,

Here is another one that we just built recently for an ETX125, it is mounted onto a EQ3 tripod, but can be adapted to any tripod/scope by just resizing the plate steel and drilling appropriate mounting holes. It took my father about 2 days to design and build.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=45795

Can send a more detailed plan if necessary.