Phil73805

I spoke to the nice people at 365Astronomy this morning and cancelled my order. However, the very nice man called his European Skywatcher distributor and told me that they will have the Skywatcher AZ5 Heavy duty tripod in three months time! @FLO will you be stocking this?

Damn! I even called and asked and they said it was! I should have known it was too easy.

Is this the heavy duty version of the AZ5 mount? https://www.365astronomy.com/365astronomy-az5-tripod-only-compatible-with-eq3-eq5-and-skytee-mounts.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5t7UBRDaARIsAOreQticWYa9nFzfzwPNwUTenJg1uIVRYvw7fdbQVTB6EwQIScr4AzKegssaAn7kEALw_wcB Edit: It turns out that it is the heavy duty version of the AZ5 mount and that it increases the payload of the mount to 9KG. So I bought it, fast! Woohoo!!!

@davyludo Thanks for sharing your first hand experience, that is really helpful! Just a couple of questions: Firstly, what exactly is stiction? Secondly, when you talk about the 1.75" Steel tripod, do you mean the one they sell with the HEQ5 mount? Based on a rubbish picture online there seems to be a deepish inset in the centre of the tripod top designed for the HEQ5. Is that not a problem with the AZ5 that has a flat under-surface that links straight to the standard mount? I'm tempted to buy one if I can be sure it's a good fit. It sounds like the AZ5 is fine but 1) the standard tripod is not good for a heavier 'scope and 2) I didn't even try to balance it and it was fairly front heavy which will almost certainly have contributed to the severe shake at high mag when trying to focus. It has been around ten years since I last used a Refractor on a mount. I've been using a Skyliner 200p Dobsonian with its customary rock solidness. It sounds like I don't need to return the AZ5 which is a relief, I just need a better tripod and balancing.

You are all as always, Gentlemen/Ladies and Scholars. I spoke to Martin today who was very helpful. There are a few things I'm going to try on my next outing before I consider returning it, Martin was very understanding and said that I can have a play around before deciding. If I have to return it I won't be mucking about this time, I'll just buy the Skytee 2

It wasn't actually a critique of you guys. I know you have a returns policy, unfortunately because I received the Mount a month before the telescope I threw away the packaging that the mount came in assuming that all will be well...rookie mistake, I know. I even asked about the weight because I was intending to put on a finder scope which would add weight and I was worried... Live and learn. I'm going to experiment some more, like trying to focus with the locks disengaged so that the wobble isn't communicated so forcefully to the mount. I'll also try work the focuser back and forth to loosen it because it's pretty tight at the moment. I will say this though, I do not recommend this mount with the Startravel 120.

I have an AZ5 on the stock SW tripod which I use with my Startravel 120. At higher magnification the wobble is so bad I can't focus properly. I'm going to have to experiment some more (I've only just bought them) but I'm a little worried that the mount can't handle the 'scope even though it was recommended by FLO.