Opinions on Omegon Twinmaster Mount

[RedSpot]

Hi All,

I'm a purely visual observer these days and my AZ4 mount has handled pretty much everything that I've thrown at it ....... up until now.  I got my Equinox 120 about a month ago and the AZ4 is just a bit on the light side for this, especially at higher mags.  I am now looking for a more heavy duty Alt-Az mount and I had been looking at the SW Skytee 2 as a good solution, thanks to the heavy payload limit and the slo-mo controls.

However, I now have the opportunity to get a brand new Omegon Twinmaster mount and tripod (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Omegon-Twinmaster-AZ-Mount/dp/B00EJ6TM0A)  for £200 which looks an awful lot like the SW one to me.

I hadn't heard about it previously, has anyone got any experience of this mount?

Cheers,

Stephen

[RobertI]

Never heard of it but it sure does look identical to the skytee 2. if you are buying from a reputable dealer they can probably advise?

[RedSpot]

I'm 99% certain that it is Rob so I'm going to jump in.  It's a voucher that I've got which expires tonight so no time to check with the dealer.  I'll stick a post on here when it arrives with the result. 

Cheers,

Stephen

[RobertI]

Great let us know how you get on, i am very pleased with my Skytee 2 and i'm sure you will be (especially at that price!).

Rob

[Cornelius Varley]

I'm 99% certain that it is Rob so I'm going to jump in.  It's a voucher that I've got which expires tonight so no time to check with the dealer.  I'll stick a post on here when it arrives with the result. 

Cheers,

Stephen

I think the mount as advertised on Amazon doesn't include the tripod. This is the listing for the mount on the shop's own website http://www.astroshop.de/azimutal-ohne-goto/omegon-montierung-twinmaster-az/p,33076which states that the tripod is not included. If your AZ4 has the 1.75" steel legs then these will fit the new mount.

[RedSpot]

Darn it, you are quite correct Peter so not such a good deal after all.  Still I've left the order as is.  At £197 for the mount head, I reckon that's still a sizeable saving on the Skytee2.  I do have steel legs on the AZ4 but I'll probably pick up an EQ5 tripod at some point just to keep both mounts complete.  I'll report back when it arrives.

Stephen

[John]

If it is the same mount as the Skytee II (which it does look very much like) I'd strongly recommend upgrading at least one of the dovetail saddles before putting your Eqinox 120 on the mount. The standard items tend to strip their threads rather easily and it would be awful if your nice scope ended up on the floor.

[RedSpot]

Thanks John,

I'd seen the other forum thread on the saddle problem so assuming everything else is in order, I'll definitely be looking at an alternative saddle solution.  Certainly not worth the risk if the standard fit ones are dodgy.

Cheers,

Stephen

[RedSpot]

Just to round off this thread then.  The Mount arrived and it is indeed identical to the Skytee 2, in fact it is a Skytee 2.  Indeed, the box and packaging that it is shipped in has Skytee printed on it.  That being the case, the usual Skytee strengths and weaknesses that have been written about extensively in other threads apply.  As John mentioned, the standard saddles are the usual miserable state of affairs so they will be getting modded as soon as possible.  Other than that, I am very impressed by what is otherwise a very well engineered and substantial mount.

Cheers,

Stephen