WARNING - Bendy EQ6 Altitude Bolts

[UHF]

I just found this thread after making a right royal mess of my new EQ5, I only found out that the bolt was bent when I look up the end of the mounting screw hole that holds the head onto the mount and noticed the thread dancing around.

I ended up clamping the bolt into a vice in my shed and twisting the head off as I didn't know how to get to the back of the bolt. Luckily the thread in the head remained healthy but the bolt is seriously butchered.

Does anyone know what thread this is, looks metric but I have nothing that size to try it in.

Looking at that diagram and comments, its a pretty shoddy design and will get worse with time even in hardened bolts as its such a long bolt.

I understand that the altitude only needs adjusting if you move around with your scope, so for my back garden and local club/field, I can set and forget, or just remove it every now and again for inspection or the inevitable replacement!

Really not something I expected when paying so mnumch for something, and I thought I was buying decent kit for my first scope and mount.

[Ubbe]

I have done the same with my bolts on the CG5!!

Replaced them with RF steelbolts, no more probs!

/Jonny

[ajohnson]

I think what philming is reffering to is an epoxy putty like Milliput. I don't know if it's still made in the UK but it's blooming hard, though I still feel a steel face plate could work here to stop the epoxy being scooped out under load. I have a 300PDS and it needs all of it's weights to balance. OK once set up the counterbalance etc should neutralise the load a little but that's a lot of point pressure even for an epoxy putty.

I bought my NEQ6 2nd hand and despite the seller telling me some story about how his dad (who owned it) had died before he got to use it I note that some gorilla has had what looks like pliers on the ALt bolt, this is bent all to hell and I have a concern the thread has been damaged, I also think it's been dropped or had a weight dropped on it in storage. For me the AD bolts seem to be the starting option here as replacements, for those who have found cheaper alternatives, by all means share the supplier's name with us.

For now I have the "locking" bolt screwed right in and have placed a small plate on the lug to get the mount to 52 degrees as a temporary fix, I may not be 100% alligned for the next week or so but close enough for observing at a star party tomorrow, though tonight is looking good.

I have closely looked at the rocker at the bottom of the mount and note the bolts seem to have ridden over it and chewed it at some point echoing many of the observations here so thanks for the suggestions on Aralditeing a plate on here, any recommendations on thickness? Should this also be filled as a wedge to improve the angle? The diagram on philming's post makes this look like a quite a big wedge and taking it on a step, I'm almost inclined to use epoxy putty and push the end of the bolt into the block while it's soft to mark out a cup for the bolt to keep it in line.

[fwm891]

Are the EQ6 azimuth bolts just as soft as the altitude bolts?

My new mount came with the bolts out anyway. I've changed mine to allen headed machine bolts, so much easier with two allen keys to adjust either axis.

[laser_jock99]

........for those who have found cheaper alternatives, by all means share the supplier's name with us.

Clamp handles from RS p/n 478-692 £2.78 each

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/levers/0478692/?searchTerm=478-692&relevancy-data=636F3D3126696E3D4931384E525353746F636B4E756D6265724D504E266C753D656E266D6D3D6D61746368616C6C26706D3D5E5C647B337D5B5C732D2F255C2E5D5C647B332C347D2426706F3D313426736E3D592673743D52535F53544F434B5F4E554D424552267573743D3437382D3639322677633D4E4F4E4526

Plus you'll need some M10 x 120 high strength bolts to saw to length and fix into the female clamp handle. As has been previoulsy said the end of the new bolt needs to be shaped into a dome with a file or bech grinder and preferably smoothed off with fine emery cloth.

The EQ6 uses M10 bolts, I think the EQ5 might be M8 bolts.

I can confirm the above clamp handle mod makes for much easier altitude adjustment. Also I replaced the South bolt, the North adjuster is fine as shipped and should take no load.

[gooseholla]

Yup, my Celestron mount one bent instantly, then broke. A replacement did the same, immediately as well. Put a normal bolt from a diy shop in, probably bent as well, but was cheaper and stronger than the Celestron rubbish! It is a floored system, however, but is workable with stronger bolts.

[cotterless45]

got replacement bolts from AD, seen so many reports of standard ones bending. Worth peace of mind and not "HOW MUCH?"

Nick.

[ajohnson]

Many thanks for the update Jock

[ajohnson]

I have had a chat with Milliput, (no less a person than Eddie Atherton) the conclusion was that with a high load (like my 300PDS) there is a good risk the putty will crack (all of your scope & weights loaded even when balanced adds to a lot of load on one rounded point). One solution could be to face an epoxy putty wedge with a steel plate but then you're down to a thinner wedge of putty, admitted under a more even load so all the epoxy putty should be doing is acting as thick glue.

I'm also going to look for a steel wedge, this should do the same trick of reducing the length of bolt under torque and reducing the angle of torque, which is probably as much as can be done rocker side. I have some queries with an engineering company run by an astronomer about getting a wedge made, I will report back with photos on whichever solution is implemented.

[Dipper]

I've read this topic a few days ago and checked my EQ6 mount today. Just precaution, I thought. How terribly wrong I was.

The shorter bolt (the one on the polarscope side of the mount) is bent. The other facing the Polaris is okay.

I tried unscrewing the benty one but it won't come out. The problem is it won't turn a full 360 degrees circle and therefore it's not possible to take it out. There's not enough space for it inside and the benty bold leans onto the wall inside. What's the best solution?

I read these two tutorials http://www.astro-bab...p Down Home.htm and http://ejcruz.smugmu...5975881&k=wfgb7 of how to tear EQ6 apart but it doesn't mention how to strip down the bousing of alt-az bolts.

Here's a picture, it turns about three quarters of a circle anticlockwise.

[nickdud]

if you strip your alloy mount threads these rivnuts(variety of flavours) - http://www.memfast.co.uk/shop/Vprod2.asp?cat=7218005038 - are handy, you can fit them without the tool if you run a nut up a (strong not synta)bolt then add a washer stack between the nut and the insert, push the fitting into the drilled out hole and tighten the nut down the bolt to the inset while holding the bolt head stationary to pull the inset tight like a rivet.... or just buy the rivet gun that does the job.

we use them at work and they hold lifts(elevators) together just fine.

not having an eq mount yet i dont know the internal clearances so check sizes first.

hope this helps.

[tich]

I replaced mine as one bent straight away when I put it together, you'd think they would have fixed the issue by now. Personally I think the bolts should be a couple of sizes bigger in diameter as well as being a higher quality with the weight you can load on these mounts.

[Dipper]

if you strip your alloy mount threads these rivnuts(variety of flavours) - http://www.memfast.c...?cat=7218005038 - are handy

Problem is, how do I strip the mount, the part where the bolt is? Looks like there should be something under the NEQ6 logo circle but it looks like it's glued? Don't want to break it just like that.

[Daniel-K]

just checked mine , mine are bent not happy its only 2months old aswell i only have a ed80 mounted on it!!!

[E621Keith]

Slightly off topic, did anyone see pictures of the upcoming AZ EQ6 from the east side. The new altitude bolt looks seriously beefy and should address this problem. It may be a good idea for any potential EQ6 buyer to wait for the AZ EQ6.

http://www.apm-telescopes.net/media/images/popup/AZ-EQ6-GT-2.jpg

[Astro_Baby]

How long should they wait I wonder ?? The EQ8 has been pitched up for almost two years, how long with the new EQ6 be in gestation. The Meade LX80 was also a long wait....about 9 months.

Its a simple problem to fix, just budget in an extra £30 for some Astro Developments bolts and hey presto problem goes away. Problem is so many people telling others theres no problem. Maybe for some people there isnt but whay take a gamble on £1k of kit. Yeah aure if you have an obs and a piere you wont ever use the bolts. What happens when you need to in a few years time and find they are buggered ? Or you want to sell the mount....no its ok I know what happens then, some poor unsuspecting newbie gets the mount and it ends up on my doorstep to fix.

If you spent a grand on an eypiece and knew the caps would fall off or damage the EP youd soon swap them out for something better yet people baulk at the idea of spending £30 to save a tone of grief with a grands worth of mount.

What else will £30 buy you....half a tank of fuel for a car maybe.

I always find it amazing, and amusing in many ways, that astronomers will spend 600 quid on EPs but appear to go all scroogelike about 15 quid for a decent power cable or 30 quid to save the mount. Without the mount working your 600 quid Ep or 2 grand camera is not really much use is it ?

[Daniel-K]

I had no idea that this was an issue or i would have upgraded them before I used the thing just ordered some from astro developments

[Earl]

My replacement bolt also bent.... its a very poor design.

[Daniel-K]

My replacement bolt also bent.... its a very poor design.

how did you get yours out earl?

[Earl]

The bend was not bad so it came out ok, however the whole design is a pigs ear no amount of silk will make it a purse.

[Wobbly Bob]

Oh dear Mel what a mess, still I am sure you will be able to get the little bent blighter out. I " GLOAT GLOAT " changed mine a few years ago, a good job to as the head been through quite abit of action. Good Luck.

BOB

[Astro_Baby]

The Book of Synta

1.0 Yea there came unto the land of SGL a handmaiden by the name of Mel-a-nie, which is to say dark lady in the meaning of names. And she was sore distressed as her HEQ5 mount had with no cause benteth its altitide bolts after almost no use and yea she did take advice from the prophets then abroad on the board who sayeth 'weep not oh handmaiden and pray unto the temple of Astronomy Developments and leave a sacrifice of 30 pieces of gold and you shall be rewarded with new bolts and peace of mind for time everlasting'.

1.1 But Melanie harkenend not to the true prophets and her heart hardened and she sayeth 'whyfore should I part with my hard earned when I can also maketh the bolts' and so she departed and went not to Astro Developments but called round a few companies one of whom said 'we maketh bolts for Airbus' that which flyeth and our own bolts holdeth on very well and be manufactured from precious metals and so strong are they that verily they even holdeth on the engine to the wing'

1.2 And so Mel-a-nie departed in her chariot (that which was known as Ay-Go) and parted with less shekels for the aerospace bolts, which cost only perhaps 10 pieces of silver rather than the 30 pieces of gold and verilky she was well pleased and returneth to the HEQ5 where she did fit them and found that despite the makers claims he was a false prophet the threads were not right and they did not fit and the HEQ5 was sore displeased as was Melanie who did rend her clothes and gnash her teeth and sayeth 'whyfore art so many suppliers full of it and not delivereth that which they promise'.

2.0Then she did sit upon the ground and weep and the 10 pieces of silver seemed a high price to pay rather than the bargain and they were consigned to the fires of hell ( actually a small bin that was handy) for she had spent shekels on the chariot and feeding its horses and her time which was precious.

2.1 Then she looketh around that which is called the Int-er-net and foundeth many suppliers but when she calculated the cost and that which is called 'post and packing' she foundeth that one more mistake would be sore expensive upon her purse and she did suffer headaches from reading endless web pages none of which worketh properly and foundeth numerous false prophets who sayeth 'we normally have them in stock but not this week' or 'there is no demands' so that she was reminded of that which is called 'The Cheeseshep Sketch' by Monty Python and the only excuse she did not hear was that the cat had ate them.

3.0Then did she call Astro Developments and eat the food known as humble pie and harkened not to false prophets who said that Astro Developments were unclean because the expected that which is known as 'profit' for their product and wearily she parted with the 30 pieces of gold for she was sore tired and tried after the inter-net and awaited blessings in the post.

3.1Then he who is known as Terry the Postman did deposit with her a small jiff-ee bag of bolts and Mel-an-nie was relieved and did fit these to the holy HEQ5 and found they fitteth like a heathen charm and lo the mount was pleased as was Melanie.

4.0 And ever afterwards Melanie ignored the false prophets, those that say 'I can do it cheaper' and even those who are foolish enough to use an Allen Key for woe will be upon them when the key is lost and they shall be as a man who seeketh something which he has lost and never finds and they will be sore afraid that they will miss an event while they seeketh they key.

4.1 And yea this even happened when at a site of camping someone lost their allen key and Satan entered Melaine and she decided to deny she had a key which would fit (but later relented and offered the key even while sniggering and saying thoust would have been that which is known as buggered if I wasnt so well equipped). And verily she was smug.

5.0 For lo a dark field is an easy place to lose such a small dark object as a key and those that loseth it will never find themselves polar aligned and may weep at a lost opportunity. And those that deny a problem are like a man who never having had an accident denies the possibility and encourages others to take foolish risks and when such men find the truth that accidents do indeed happen do wail and lament and wish they too had harkened to sensible advice from prophets.

5.1 For those that have an Observatory are blessed in wealth but do not often think of those who are mobile and so believe that adjustment is not necessary like a man whose sandal fitteth and believe that everyone has comfortable shoes.

6.0 And Melanie herself became a prophet of sorts, though some would say a meddler, and did try to advise people to change the cursed bendy bolts lest they too suffer the fate of the unbelievers which is to inhabit an outer circle of hell with the Synta mount and its bent bolts.

6.1 For a person who does not changeth the accursed bolts is like a man who builds his house even in a swamp and wonders why its always damp and those that harken to the true words are like a person who builds his house on concrete with steel and sleeps well at night knowing he has been sensible and protected his holy mount and will seldom be called upon to repent or wail and lament his woes.

6.2 For thirty pieces of gold is not like hostaging your children or cutting off your arm and Mel-a-nie sayeth repeatedly she hath no shares in the temple of Astronomy Developments but that fitting their bolts relieves a mighty burden upon the owners of Synta mounts and they need worry not of having to spend more shekels later.

7.0 And as the years went past Melanies HEQ5 (and even unto the EQ6 and the NEQ6 which the EQ6 begetteh) suffered no bendy bolts problems even though at times the load was great and Melanies tent was pitched all over that which is known as Britain and the mount was subjected to constant movement and adjustment as the sites where it was used were legion without number and the bolts were worth their weight in gold which is greater in weight than the shelks which did purchase them.

7.1 Now go and do likewise.

Here endeth the lesson......

[Black Knight]

Hehehe, nice one AB

Sent from my mobile using Tapatalk, so please excuse the speeling and granma!

[Dipper]

And in that lounge of star gazers there once was a forum in which learned scholars spake of topics most significant, of wonderful devices called bolts alike to screws. Few had known what these creatures them bolts are, still fewer had seen them with own eyes. One fine scholar said they must be alike the curvy laddle of the Big Dipper. Nay, said the other learned master, them bolts must be as wavy as that mighty Bow of Orion. Ne laddle ne bow bend so fine as does the altitude bolt bend, spake fair lady Mel-a-nie and with her words thunder did struck and young scholars gasped with awe. She produced with those words a fine photography from her purse. In that wondrous fretwork was a bendy bolt carved from a hundred year old birch. Amazed stood the scholars eyeing that bolt carpenters worksmanship admiring. Yea, this thou masters shall ye bolts look alike if ye haste not ye mounts amend. For they were right words and wise and wise would be he who would not brave the almighty in vain hope that wicked wrath of his he should void. Go therefoe now everyman. Do what was told. Take yer thirty gold florins either hundreds three of silver shillings and visit that distant land of developments astro. Pray piously prince prudent of that land his mercy he should show you and gifts his he should share. And gifts those you take to your homeland and to good use them put. Never shalt thou dread the benty bolts anymore.

[Daniel-K]

manged to get those pesky bent bolts out with out taking the decals off had to use my dremmel to cut it in half as the polar scope was getting in the way because it was bent