Stephenstargazer

I agree that near the zenith panning handles can become almost useless. When I ordered my AZ100 Derek kindly added some holes so that I have my panning handle pointing up at 45 deg when scope is horizontal. The result is that in all sky positions I have good leverage/control in both azimuth and elevation. I also mount my handle on the side of the mount opposite the scope, which keeps it out the way except when I want it. So there is potential for flexibility with the panning handle.

My Vixens...... SXW mount with OO OMC140, then VMC200L which went onto an SXD2 , before being changed for a VC200L. Finally a Vixen AP (the Carlsberg of slowmotions but lacks capacity due to module construction) in several modes, and a Porta doing good solar. There should be an APZ in the mix but cant find snaps. BTW the AP stuff was picked up ex dem as prices are steep, a wonderful but flawed concept. The Vixen AP Start Tracker/ SW hybrid works bril as the RA motion is superb. It breaks down into small bits and fits in a Mini Lowepro with the Questar, eyepieces, tripod etc etc (inspired by the Takahashi Tegul)

Indeed @johninderby the example I showed does just that, but it still limits the shaft, bearings and the capacity does not scale down linearly. Lots of makers have made smaller mounts, but none of them yet has made one that competes quite with the AZ100.

Hmmmmm? people talking about an AZ50 with slowmos, encoders etc and only weighing 3 kg......If that tube had reasonable wall thickness there is not much room to fit decent shafts and bearings inside or gears is there? So the real world capacity will come right down and the quality of motion will suffer and then it wont have the Rowan feel we love. Whats more there are such smaller mounts in the market already, have a look at http://www.desertskyastro.com/DSV-2.html. They are very well made mounts, I have had one, but it's no Rowan beater. I wonder if with a well placed pan handle we really need slow motions anyway (and I like them!). Smaller mounts for smaller scopes might not be the best choice for regular use at very high magnification? ( and I have tried that too!) PS @Concordia000 putting an AZ side mount on a wedge does not turn it into an equatorial - the balance is all wrong unfortunately. But you can use an equatorial on it's side as an AZ (if you must).

@Deadlake does the screen stay on indefinitely? If you put something close to the screen in darkness do you get any light except red? What type of display screen is it? (Interested because will be changing tablet some time soon)

I have used both and whilst the UI of say Sky Safari is verging on magic, I found that my Android tablets at some time will show a bright screen, not red night light, and then you lose night adapted vision in a flash for the next 30 mins. The DSC is totally safe in this respect. Maybe good tablets don't? In fact I find even the 'night light' screens give out some bluish light. Either will be brilliant with push to, the finder gets used for alignment then becomes redundant, so can be pretty basic.

Well for a start you can use a lighter clamp and forego the counterweight. That takes off a few pounds (weight and money) if you don't have a big scope!

You are both doing a great job of letting us know what the new mount is and is not. The nagging question for AZ100 users is should I have waited, or even do I need both!! I would love the lighter weight as that was nearly a sticking point with the 100. I fall into the slow motion camp, but have found that simple ones are not good enough. So I think the decision to leave them out rather than compromise is sound. My most recent Jupiter session was a joy with AZ 100 turning the az so slowly that it just stayed centered. Good seeing and never would have got the driven mount set up due to fleeting cloud.

Someone may come back to this instructive tale. So , eventually!, I have got round to putting a safety on the Takahashi clamp. A simple push fit but enough to prevent the clamshell coming open so the scope can slide but not drop out. At the same time I have fitted a handle courtesy of Vixen. Attaches to the existing 1/4" UNC tap on the Tak clamp but it does require two small notches filing into the clamshell so that the handle sits flush and will not turn. Will have to buy some touch up paint, though it does not really show and is worth the peace of mind when mounting and dismounting the scope. Note the the Vixen handle comes with an M6 screw that you need to change to 1/4 UNC, but it is a strong fixing that works well on their much larger VMC/VC series scopes as well as refractors.

Looks as i f those Vixen clamps would go on an AZ100......that would be nice! A bit smaller lighter etc So should we assume that the AZ75 starts without some of AZ100 functions but can encoders be built in, would make a very god push to with the Nexus or DSC. Of course it works with DSC! you can see the encoder connections on the mount!!! However unless there is room for gear wheels inside it will be quite a mod to add slow motions in future.

The Vixen is a thick walled casting. I don't recommend cutting out a thin walled tube, like SW riser, and you would still have the other joints in it. The idea of the cut out is to have a 'one piece' riser. The Baader one does the same ? PS some of this is getting a bit off topic from AZ100, but they are issues found in use. Valid ???

A few suggestions: Balance the scope at 45 deg rather than horizontally to begin with. Use a midweight eyepiece initially and apply more clutch friction to accomodate your range of eyepieces - which fortunately will not much affect the Rowan slow motions. Add a small secondary counterweight you can move to balance out different eyepieces - works well and can be reset whilst az lock is applied to change eyepiece. Could be on the RHS of mount, or a slider on prism bar, but not hard to arrange.

Whilst a zoom can be very handy (eg when traveling and for planets when seeing is variable) do you have much use for a 27mm 40 deg FOV eyepiece? Just a comment as that is why I gave up on my Baader zoom, though it was good otherwise.

All this talk of risers reminds me of one of the advantages of equatorial mounts, but I wont go there on this Thread! If you do need a riser then you should consider a heavier duty tripod (much discussed earlier!!) not just for the extra weight but also the the height added. This raises the mass of mount and scope well above the tripod intersect which increases tendency to vibrate. A really good riser design was the Vixen one shown, a one piece aluminium casting locating with QD spigots each end. Sadly I dont think there has ever been an EQ6 sized one. This is 210mm long and weighs 1.8kg. An economic low volume version for AZ100 could have CNC end plates welded into a cut tube to save cost of a casting mould.

There might be some confusion here between 'stability' (resistance to tipping) and 'damping' (resistance to vibration). Some materials damp vibration better than others eg wood. But the 'stiffness' (resistance to elastic movement) of the tripod depends on both the components and joints. I think all the tripods mentioned above are well designed in that respect. But if you want 'rigidity' (least possible movement) then a monolithic pier is the solution. (On the basis of structural engineering, not trying to deny others experience)

Only that with AZ 100 the counterweight is primarily to stop the risk of tripod tipping, rather than to reduce the load on the bearings. Until of course you get really big scopes....

The beauty of the AZ100 is that it does not come encumbered with a tripod. Can see from above that the freedom to chose the tripod that suits individual use and scopes is well worthwhile. If you think you will need a riser then a pillar type tripod makes sense. I am very happy with a UNI28 for Tak FC100, but keep the weight down by not needing heavy clamp plates or counterweights. My panhandle never clashes because it is tilted up 45 deg courtesy of 2 holes from Derek. Just another personal choice.

A very cheap (free) source of a 7Ah battery is the sealed lead acid type that are used for house alarms. They often get re[placed in a service but still have loads of life left. Also a 'dodgy' car starter battery will last for ages when only used for 3 or 4 amps. Big fan of orange boxes!

The enigma is that tracking means motor drives which will bypass the nearperfect manual slow motions. To drive or not to drive, that is the question!🤔

Still find stock in fishing shops. They come with charger and bag too so worth a look.

After looking at Tracer (for lamping) I came across the Ridge Monkey Vault (for carp fishing!!). Chose it for the connections and very pleased with build quality. 12v high current, 2x USB A, 1XUSB C. Small light and delivers what it claims. 13AH version sufficient for my mount all night.

As the current AZ100 needs only to have encoders fitted, rather than motors and motorboards as on a go-to mount, it will be pretty resilient on a pier. The mount materials and stainless steel fixtures are durable. However for any mount kept outside the critical item is the durability of the cover and some measure to prevent condensation inside. Views differ on whether to provide heat, a dessicant, ventilation or a combination of these !

and we don't need one because we will only ever be able to 'see' the observable universe at any time from around here. It's all a matter of time.....

As most will know S&T is alive and well in the hands of AAS. They regularly advertise the jumbo version of the Atlas, available from their shop. I have both sizes and find the jumbo easier to read in the dark and it has a hard cover. Perhaps the pocket was out of print? I recall it was being revised?? I subscribe to the magazine from the UK and it arrives mostly on time. https://www.shopatsky.com/maps-globes/sky-atlases

Do people realise that the mounting hole on the DSC shelf is offset? Take it off the ball joint and the shelf plate can be turned round to offset it right or left.