Stephenstargazer

To do that with any accuracy you may need diamond core drills and then set the bolts with resin. Depends on the hardness of the aggregate in the concrete, which is what you will drill through. (Based on professional experience - it can be worth using a specialist contractor with the right gear. Or hiring it.) You might though get a cheap vertical impeller from a rotating chimney cowl??

Excellent job! Hope the beagle likes his own lampost - but not too much!!!😁 Very jealous of your sky and skyline too. Someone mentioned power - tractor battery and 12v wind generator? The AA/RAC roadside phone huts used to do that (with a fan belt and dynamo) and it fits the low cost approach ? Vetical shaft impeller and an alternator ??

Surely you have explained the FoV per Kilogram relationship? (Can anyone really understand the minds of eyepiece designers?)

i had a 90mm doublet of theirs (TS branded) which was optically excellent. The eyepiece specification seems similar to LVW. Will be interested to hear any comparison.

Is the Stella Lyra LER WA possibly a poor mans LVW ??🤫 I have had LVW 5, 13 for ages, will not part but went TV later. Also NLVW 30, which is quite different but OK for one not used much. Strange focus position, will get data*. Are any LVW really parfocal ? One thing that TV do well. *Focus position on NLVW 30: the starting point was an eyepiece with a known focal plane (eg 1 1/4" Televue on which the field stop is 1/4 " 6.3mm below the body). from this the LVW focal planes were measured to be: LVW 5 - 8mm below, LVW 13 - 15mm below, NLVW 30 - 16 mm above the body joint with barrel. (I measured these some time back) That is the NLVW 30 will require 31mm more infocus travel than say the LVW 13. Given that a 2" mirror diagonal will already have a long optical length, it's no wonder that some scopes may not come to focus with the NLVW 30. (But mine all do 🙂!!)

Yes, including the Berlebach Oberon and similar plywood designs with a metal hinge. This type do flex slightly and I would not recommend them to the heaviest users. It is disappointing that Berlebach had a *failure, perhaps due to poor timber stress grading. But this is not a reason not to use a chair, or a wooden one. I have a very robust welded metal chair, but it was so heavy and slow to adjust that it is now used at my workbench instead. @Louis D nice to see your DS mount, sometimes wish I had kept mine! *PS there have been many millions of wooden deck chairs, and other folding chairs with that joint so it must work.

An astronomy chair is the best solution. Quickly adjustable and folding for easy storage. Your back will thank you in time too. Worth spending on as it should last a lifetime. Works with any future scope or mount except really big dobs. Even with binoculars. Good diy project for those who can. Makes it much easier to relax and keep your head still for long and detailed observation and helps with smooth manual tracking. Changing the tripod or telescope clamp could mess-up any aligned mount. Another bonus is that tripods are more rigid with the legs less extended. Win, win, win?

Congratulations @JeremyS My 15X50 IS are just more of the same thing. Would never have bought them, but for along service award - 20yrs ago. No end caps, no problems at all. Work fine with rechargeables and my case has room for spate batteries. No regrets and many holidays later but .......... 🗯Warning 🗯 I turned them from wildfowl to the sky, and now have four telescopes. Collimation should be perfect, definite fault. However the extra stabilising element adds a little CA, compared to good static binoculars. The IS advantage is still overwhelming. I have managed M33, let alone the Southern sky. PS Canon have stuck with the Vari Prism system, but the latest type III are no doubt better in some way. Even my old ones are capable of panning very smoothly. Check this on other IS systems. When the batteries weaken mine just turn off the IS - still useable.

Also been reviewed by Sky & Telescope. Will look back to find when. There are some oddities I recall, for terrestrial use. May 2020. Well worth reading before purchase.Generally favourable but would not lead me to change from my prism binos, Denk. Not much lighter either!

Me too, I have summer solstice blues ☹. Welcome back!

I needed to replace the screw on my Berlebach UNI too for the AZ100. It did not want to come out @Stu until I found there was a rubber ring under the thread. Once that is slid over the thread (thin screw driver) then it just screws out as you expect.

True Alan but although the HAL North pin can be removed (on newer ones), the M10 thread only comes just above the top surface*. About 2 threads on mine, more with the adapter I have. @Neil P beware of this, but otherwise HAL is a good light tripod. You could find a longer M10 hand screw? * made to suit SX mounts with a deep 45mm spigot.

Yes that looks like the Vixen 45 -60 adapter for GP (or EQ5 which copied GP no doubt) 🥲. Any way it does fit the 75 presumably with cap screws in the right holes. That was a clever base idea with lots of good tripods to slignhtly different standards. @Rowan could you add more holes for the 45mmVixen tripods, or is too late ? (The part no. for the adapter is Vixen 75169)

@Stu is this not your AZ75 , looks like its on HAL with adapter??

I believe the AZ75 has a 60mm base? In which case it would fit onto older HAL tripods for the GP. It will fit the later HAL tripods (SX) which have a 45mm base only if you use the Vixen 45 - 60 mm adapter. The latter also fits the Rowan AZ100 pier / 10mm adapter which I have used on an SX HAL. All modern HAL tripods use M10 fixing.

When mine needs touching I'll send it to him 😁 !

On the theme of off axis balancing, here is my own AZ100 adaption. The weight is 1kg with a 1/4"unc threaded hole which has a stud fitted. This can screw into a series of holes to suit along a simple aluminium strip. the strip fits under an M6 screw on the RHS endplate. That is enough range to balance the panning handle, usual eyepiece and finder up to heavy eyepieces or a binoviewer. My panning handle bracket is fitted on the RHS as I prefer, and the counterweight flange fits over this using spacers. I used my own 20mm counterweight bar to suit my existing selection of weights. I only really need these for my Vixen VC200L, which is shown fully balanced with the clutches released. By the way I use a shorter Vixen clamp than the Rowan type as it lets me get scopes further forward NB : No Rowan parts were damaged in the construction of this arrangement 🙂

Especially when using a binoviewer a lot of weight is not on the axis of the scope. It is very helpful then to do your initial balance at 45deg and not horizontal. I think you are right that the lock is still a friction brake. For a big change of fittings I often park the scope vertical first. It is unlikely to move from that position. This is true of most Alt Az mounts and not particular to the AZ100.

This is my own latest mount,.A combination of Vixen AP modules, custom plates, digital encoders and a DSC. For travel and as grab and go with FS60CB or Questar. Light, compact push to Alt - Az with slowmotions and no external power required with DSC and Sky Safari.

The structure of the SXD2 is more similar to the Vixen Sphynx series and you should find info on the dismantling for say an SXW on line. They both have a block with the 2 motors attached but the axis bearing assemblies are very different. Away at moment but will try and find pictures of my SXW part stripped down. Never have needed to touch my SXD2 and expect the bearings would need very careful adjustment on reassembly (based on dismantling Vixen AP recently). Unless there is excess play, noise or binding suggest you leave well alone. My SXD2 came from the factory with some drag on both axes, and is still like that after 7 yrs. (Long term Vixen user) (btw I use moderate settings for motor power and slew speed, which you will find in the manual and menu, this keeps wear to a minimum too).

I use a pair of 20mm LV in my bino viewer and have always liked them for comfort and good resolution. The size works well with a Denk power switch. Shame I sold my 7 and 9 but at least I kept the 5 and 13 LVW which I rate highly for the same reason. Can't say I have noticed a brown cast and often use them mixed with Delites. The latter do have a bright sharpness but are less forgiving of eye position, which is why they have adjustable eye cups ??

I am quite lucky as all text on DSC is OK for me. The Sky Safari night screen is harder (on an 8 in tablet) but have found it best in * inverse monochrome*. Really glad not to be messing with reading glasses at the scope which I can need with paper sky Atlas. Prefer an illuminating magnifyer for that, in red of course! Less stray light than a torch. BTW the 3 mounting holes, front and back, on AZ 100 are 1/4 in unc photo thread in middle and M6 on sides. As well as RAM stuff there are some pretty cheap Magic Arms from camera suppliers which will hold a phone or moderate tablet.

My sympathies! You could try one of those realy cheap strip readers for oldies (like me) and mount it above the DSC screen? It is not a problem with brightness as DSC screen can be turned right up for daytime use. Low light myopia is actually very common. I luckily have good daylight and night vision but still struggle to read in low light. Keep us informed on the 75, have e joyed this topic!

I presume you have already tried a Televue Dioptrix Astigmatism corrector ? Tele Vue Dioptrx Astigmatism Corrector | First Light Optics PS - I do have mild astigmatism in both eyes and it varies a little from year to year (annual test for glaucoma). I have a dioptrix for the mean value. I find it most useful when the exit pupil is near my maximum, my problem with small exit pupils are floaters. One tip for the Dioptrix is to establish the best angle (can be done with bare eyes) and mark that with some Tipex which shows up well under a red torch. The dioptrix needs to be turned often when using an equtorial mount.

Mine will definitely go on next trip to NZ! Meanwhile it's beat the E.Midlands mirk.