Connect finder dovetail to camera tripod?

[Bendy (Ben)]

Hi everyone

I'm off camping next week and am hoping to do some viewing but don't want to lug the 10" dob with me. I spied the 50mm finder on the dob (standard skywatcher one) and wonder if it's possible to mount it to a camera tripod e.g. via the tripod screw? There's no obvious thread on the finder dovetail unfortunately...

Would appreciate any advice here. I figure that such a rig will be better than naked eye (I don't have a pair of binos unfortunately).

Regards

Ben

[Emc2 (Jon)]

Hi Ben,

Some finderscope shoes do have a tripod thread for mounting, but not all unfortunately. Some of the triple finderscope mounting bracket do have this feature and at least you would be getting some kind of upgrade to your equipment.

[Bendy (Ben)]

Thanks Tom. Can you recommend a particular brand? I haven't had any luck in locating one. Elastic bands are looking the best option for attaching the finder to the tripod at this stage

[sil (Steve)]

Big Strong Elastic Band brand recommended

Camera tripods use a standard 1/4" thread you can buy cheap nuts at Bunnings to fit and epoxy under a piece of wood to attach to tripod. On top of the wood screw in some screws so their heads are 5mm above the surface and space them a little wider than your dovetail and it will slide in and be held firm. use two screws for sides of dovetail and one as an end stop. dead easy to knock up.

Why not just use a camera? Seriously a camera is the same thing basically as a scope: an optical tube assembly coupled to a viewing mechanism. Got an old film camera with telephoto lens? then you just look through the viewfinder. No power needed or anything.

[doppler (Rick)]

You can always just hand hold the finder the magnification is about the same as binoculars.

[JA]

Hi B,

This solution is not pretty, just pretty-quick......

Your finderscope base and tripod base are both flat. If you can't use the tripod screw, then screw out the screw so it doesn't create a high spot, and use GAFFER tape to hold the finderscope base to the tripod base, or perhaps even stiff wire through the hole and around the finderscope base. If the tripod has a removable base plate, even better, tape it to that and you should be able to mount/dismount the base/scope.

Gaffer tape has saved me on more than one occasion like this.

Best
JA

[Bendy (Ben)]

Thanks guys, some great suggestions there will see what I can knock together. Would definitely prefer to have it mounted rather than hand-held - the wobbles can be a serious buzz-kill!

[Bendy (Ben)]

We have success! Nut + coke can + lacky band = dovetail/tripod adapter...