Well, I've found that those scopes that do not use rings are usually pretty level wrt the dec axis - it's actually the use of rings that makes their adjustment necessary. Go figure!
Really? Most ring systems are cast or sintered and as such there is little about them that could be described as "precise". If your scope has a dovetail bolted directly on to it then it's usually a very good fit and so has been made to tighter tolerances and will sit parallel to the optical axis.
Really? Most ring systems are cast or sintered and as such there is little about them that could be described as "precise". If your scope has a dovetail bolted directly on to it then it's usually a very good fit and so has been made to tighter tolerances and will sit parallel to the optical axis.
If you look at the first picture Dave you will see that I have replaced the original GM-8 mount head with a G-11 (longer bearing plate which should help with flexure and offer more support for the Dovetail plate). The original head (its a round "C" series mount plate) is the mount head on the left side of the dovetail on top. I then used a GM-8 "D" series head on the right.
It is probably overkill, but this setup allows me complete control over positioning of the scopes fore and aft and side to side for good balance. I'm gradually marking mounting plates and dovetail plates with the points of balance for the different imaging equipment setups I may be using at any time. So swaping them over and re-balancing is relatively easy.
Using Losmandy gear it goes without saying that its nice and stable but also that its not cheap. I managed to save a bit by getting the dovetail plates machined free through a friend and buying the additional plates from the US.
One disadvantage of doing it this way is its not light. This setup adds quite a few lbs to the system. If you were to buy the same system from Losmandy it would add an additional 7.25 lb to the mount. Then there is the weight of the additional dovetail plates, around 2 to 2.5 lb each. But boy is it solid You could swing a C-11 of this baby with a 4" refractor for a quide scope np at all. Assuming your mount could take it of course
If you look at the first picture Dave you will see that I have replaced the original GM-8 mount head with a G-11 (longer bearing plate which should help with flexure and offer more support for the Dovetail plate). The original head (its a round "C" series mount plate) is the mount head on the left side of the dovetail on top. I then used a GM-8 "D" series head on the right.
It is probably overkill, but this setup allows me complete control over positioning of the scopes fore and aft and side to side for good balance. I'm gradually marking mounting plates and dovetail plates with the points of balance for the different imaging equipment setups I may be using at any time. So swaping them over and re-balancing is relatively easy.
Using Losmandy gear it goes without saying that its nice and stable but also that its not cheap. I managed to save a bit by getting the dovetail plates machined free through a friend and buying the additional plates from the US.
One disadvantage of doing it this way is its not light. This setup adds quite a few lbs to the system. If you were to buy the same system from Losmandy it would add an additional 7.25 lb to the mount. Then there is the weight of the additional dovetail plates, around 2 to 2.5 lb each. But boy is it solid You could swing a C-11 of this baby with a 4" refractor for a quide scope np at all. Assuming your mount could take it of course
I agree Paul that is a very solid setup. Hopefully I will get something together of a similar nature
Oh. Right then. You won't want to see these then, will you
Arthur,
No total waste of time .
OMG thats awesome . Whats the blue bit hanging off the Meade N6????
I can see how you slide that bar to balance the Yaw of the system.
Nice pier, and construction details on that one???
now I notice that you have the Skyscan ,and not the synscan. how did you setup the computer link. Can you sync the camputer with the scope? Will that Sync the mount at the same time?
I am like a kid in a lollie shop, what to look at next.
Hey , hang on a minute is the Megrez II the guidescope? what have you got in it?
Ambermile that is a sweet looking setup you got there, whats your opinion of the EQ6. It looks to ge a nice mount and I think I will have to get one soon.
BTW, is that a bucket of plaster in the background, I am looking for some more ceiling fixers?
Arthur,OMG thats awesome . Whats the blue bit hanging off the Meade N6????
That "blue" bit is an Artemis, actually an ART-285AL, I'll have you know...
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0ughy
I can see how you slide that bar to balance the Yaw of the system.
Nice pier, and construction details on that one???
Simple - there's a 24" lump of 8"x4" square section cemented into the garden with a drilled and tapped (M20) flange on top. The little bit of the pier you can see is 8"x4" with a flange drilled on the bottom and a plate on top. This is bolted to the bit in the ground and the mount sits on another plate on top - adjusted for level by the four bolts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0ughy
now I notice that you have the Skyscan ,and not the synscan. how did you setup the computer link. Can you sync the camputer with the scope? Will that Sync the mount at the same time?
Oh yes, proper kit It is ver. 2.04 ISTR, just plug the two together really. Scope should be aligned first and then just put it into RS232 mode. Computer then can communicate and it's then just a case of telling the computer where the mount is pointing. On this syncing thing, I realised last night it's no big omission if you can get a list of the alignment stars. There's usually one near where you are pointing so you can do a quick one star align on the closest one to your target and away you go. Bit like the HPP but you have to do it manually.
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0ughy
I am like a kid in a lollie shop, what to look at next.
Hey , hang on a minute is the Megrez II the guidescope? what have you got in it?
Umm, yup, that's one of the Megrez semi's in there. It has a QC Pro in the hole in the pics which I took out of the original case and fitted into an old 50mm camera lens case I had laying around.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rumple
BTW, is that a bucket of plaster in the background, I am looking for some more ceiling fixers?
Truth be told, I believe that is Dried Fish Blood and Bones for the roses Incidentally, that SN-6 is about to go off to somewhere as soon as I can find a buyer - looking at an SN-8 now...
Yes, I like the EQ6, it's soooo quiet after the coffee grinder LX200 and tracks real well. Not actually got any LX pics with it yet as every time I get set up something goes wrong. Last time it was a dead PSU (after I had converted all the leads to fit!).
Right, quick note here - I said I was "doing away" with the SN-6 so today I've taken it off the mount. Not too sure when the SN-8 will get here so I dug out an old friend
It is an Orion (UK) prototype f/5.6 158mm doublet refractor and I really do love it! Last year it was set up next to a 6" Starfire and stood up pretty well - losing out in contrast and also a bit of colour at higher mags but hey, you don't get an f/5.6 refractor to look at planets It really excels at DSO's and that's why I bought it.
Sadly, the prototype never made it to production (costs I suspect - although the doublet is Chinese it is not Synta and the focus assembly is cast in aluminium) so this is the only one around. It was purchased from a workshop sale at Orion a couple of years ago and I got it early last year. Even then I was a WO "disciple" so stripped it and repainted to match. Mesed up the gold though
the df30 or the k5 or uz8 was what i was thinking you could use on each of the three scopes or cameras to try and align whilst flat.
let me know any way and i can sample 3 off and send over
Dave,
I have a circular one (not quite like the one shown) that I use on the tripod, its not attached, there is no where to put it. I have the older mount, and there is nowhere to put it. I did think of the triangular brace but that doesn't mean the mounting flat is parallel to the earths surface! That really then brings up another topic, is the base machined level? That goes for all scopes I would think?
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
I managed to save a bit by getting the dovetail plates machined free through a friend and buying the additional plates from the US.
You could swing a C-11 of this baby with a 4" refractor for a quide scope np at all. Assuming your mount could take it of course
.
. Whats the blue bit 
Incidentally, that SN-6 is about to go off to somewhere as soon as I can find a buyer - looking at an SN-8 now... 
