My DiY 1. A Bridge Mounting

[DragosN]

I want to present in a series of articles some of my DiY, ATM, or what ever you wanna call it. I will start with a bridge mounting, for two telescope on a mount. 

I always like to see the sky both in detail, but also in wide field. So, three years ago I've build an accessory to my SkyWatcher EQ5. A ''bridge'' or a saddle. Because this bridge allow mounting the telescopes with the common center of gravity much closer to the mount axis, a bigger weight can be put on the mount.

In the picture there are a SkyWatcher Maksutov-Cassegrain 150/1800mm, the one with white edges, and a RFT, 123/430mm, with black edges. Both telescopes, with heavy, 2'' accesories, weight about 15kg. The bridge weight 2kg, being made from aluminium and textolite, glued, and secured with a lot of screws. One of the mounting plate, the one near the Mak is fix, the other can be ajusted manually to make it strictly parallel. As you can see, only one 5kg conterweight is enough to keep the mount in balance. The bridge is wide enough to permit a full rotation around the Dec axis.

Also in this pictures can be seen the handle made for the SW Maksutov. Because I didn't want to make new hole in its body, I've made a handle that can be attached to the finder shoe.

Now, everything, excepting the RFT is gone to new owners. The Maksutov was replaces with a Celestron C8, and the mount with a Vixen SPDX. Only the bridge wasn't replaced, yet.

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice work. Interesting variant of dual mounting bar

[RT65CB-SWL]

as per Micheal's comment.

[Gina]

Yes indeed - nice one

[DragosN]

Thank you, Michael, Philip and Gina. If there are any questions, I will ask as soon as I can.

[DragosN]

Mean time, I have started the work for a new bridge, and I have added an inprovement. The center connection to the mount can be moved sideways, to ensure a proper lateral balance between telescopes of different weight. In the case presented here, both has almost same weight, so was no need for this.

[RT65CB-SWL]

hi Dragos, are you going to show us photo's of the 'new' bridge mounting when it is completed?

[DragosN]

Yes, I will, but I don't know when it will be. I hope will be next week, even in an unfinnished shape, cause I want to have it at the eclipse. One side for camera with a lens, another for C8, on a smaller mount. A photo-video one. And the bridge is smaller, and lighter, to carry it very easily.