johninderby

You should just be able to replace the plate with a regular dovetail bar. 

Have often wondered why Rigel doesn’t supply a Synta type base as well as the regular one with the finder. 🤔

The £££££ way to sort it.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1646_Azimut-Roller-Bearing-for-Dobsonian-Teleskopes-D---320mm.html

If going with the lazy susan option you will need to provide a little bit of friction with foam or velcro pad etc. to stop it spiniing too freely.

Here’s one I did years ago and used chair glide pads to add a bit of friction but the foam / velcro way is easier. 

There is a Thingverse file for printing a Quikfinder to Synta type base. File on Thingverse is misspelt as Ridel not Rigel. 🙄

ScopeStuff sells it as well.

Pity the UK distributor has decided to discontinue the SE line. Thought they filled in well between the cheaper and more expensive lines. 

Worth getting a good set of digital calipers. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I somply drilled a hole and bolted the Rigel base on. Fed up of picking it up off the floor. 😁

I have cheaper taps mostly but did by Dormer taps for the few most common sizes needed. Ouch they are expensive now.

Nice set BTW. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Seem to me has been a balanced disccussion of the pros and cons of both brands and no one one is disputing the Skywatchers are value for money. 

So please lets try to get along together. No need for any acrimony. 🙏🏼. 

11 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

What a fantastic looking scope.  I’m not a visual astronomer at all but it looks stunning. But I do keep thinking about one of the few times I used my (now sold) 12” dob and saw M57 through it. Maybe I should try visual again.

Yes come over to the dark side. 😁😁😁

Or should that be the light side? 🤔

Good luck with your hunt and hope we haven’t confused things too much. We do like helping someone spend their money though. 😁😁😁

Yes it’s up to the purchaser to set their own budget but they should be made aware of why one brand may be better than another then make an informed choice. 

The big alt bearings make great carry handles. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

It’s not that the Skywatcher solid tubes are poor quality as they aren’t it’s just that the Bresser is a better quality product in every way both in build quality and features. 

Something like the AZ5 head would be ideal and has a 3/8 standard photo tripod thread on the bottom.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az5-deluxe/sky-watcher-az5-deluxe-alt-azimuth-mount.html

The same OTA is available with the AZ5 mount.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az5-deluxe/sky-watcher-startravel-102-az5-deluxe.html

Yes it can be rotated to put the focuser where you want it. Also has two finder shoes so if you rotate the focuser to the other side you can move the finder. 

Just a  much higher spec scope than the Skywatcher. Great 2.5” R&P focuser, 9 point mirror cell, proper bearings, tube rings make it easy to balance OTA or mount on an EQ mount, anti reflective coating inside etc. etc. 

In the US it’s sold under the Explore Scientific brand.

https://explorescientificusa.com/collections/dobsonians/products/firstlight-10-dobsonian

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Fingers crossed. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

I wonder if those who have had the chance to get their hands on a Breeser dob would be so enthusiastic about the Skywatcher dobs? Well worth the extra to me. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Only made from a low grade alloy / pot metal so would be carefull about removing material. 🤔

The Orion Optics UK Optics page.You can pay a lot for the best quality

https://www.orionoptics.co.uk/OPTICS/optics.html

Their 1/10 p/v are excellent. Beware of cheaper optics that usea different rating system  that can make them sound better than they are. OO can make mirrors to 1/35 p/v but wasted on a regular scope and they normally only do that grade for military applications.

Something looks strangely familiar about that scope. 😁😁😁

Unfortunately wall to wall cloud here at the moment. 😢

The Nexstar Evolution series seems to be in stock. Much better mount than the SE series but also more expensive.

The UK distributpr of Celestron is showing out of stock. Being Chinese made I would imagine availability is a problem at the moment.

Following on their website.

• Item is out of stock.Enter your email address below to be notified when this item is back in stock:

Don’t use my 10” dob as much since getting the 8” Classical Cassegrain and AZ100 setup. Outperforms the dob on lunar / planetary.