Tripod beef up - still a grab and go - JUST !

[Telescope40]

Hi all. Been working on beefing up my tripod I use with my ED100R. Bought a Meade LXD55 goto mount shortly after xmas. I know they are not to everyones taste but was in full working order and ticked all the boxes I needed. I'm a MK1 eyeball observer with a bit of a play with a webcam now and then. Thought this may be of interest. :-)

Anyway, the tripod was the aluminium box type and it was coming up a bit short on its robustness. Is that a word ??

Time to upgrade.

Part 1. Managed to locate an EQ6 tripod. Refurbished with a black paint job ( was white ). Fashoined a mounting ring from a piece of hardwood I had in the shed and fitted the LXD 55 mount. All good and solid.

Part 2. Saw an EQ6 extension pier in the For sale section. Also, from our favourite bargain website, Astroboot at Scopes and Skies, I bought an Autostar handset holder. Refurbished the extension with a black paintjob ( was white ) and set up the handset holder.

Rather pleased with the result. Is rock solid. Not used so far as my work has inevitably resulted in cloud formations over me to increase. I've added a couple of pictures. I'm sure it will take a larger refractor OTA if I ever get the funds for a worthwhile aperture upgrade from ny ED100. A 120 or 127 mm please.

Thx for looking. John

[Telescope40]

Pictures. Should have taken with my ED100 in place. Durr !! Thx John

[twotter]

Looks good, nice job

[John]

That looks a great upgrade / mod !

It's amazing how much putting a good solid tripod underneath a mount raises it's overall capacity up.

I used an EQ 3-2 mount on the 1.75" HEQ5 steel tube tripod a couple of years ago and it was like a different mount - quite able to handle a 120mm F/8.3 refractor, for visual, which it had really struggled with on the old alu tripod.

[ampleamp]

Hi John,

Looks very swish, it's good to see a piece of unused metal being put to excellent use. Alistair.

[Telescope40]

Hi Guys. Thanks for the comments.

Yes Alistair. The extension is just what I needed. Finish's it off very nicely.

John