Mounting evostar 120/eq5

[Keano]

Hi folks finally got my first scope (evostar120/eq5) courtesy of FLO unboxed and setup(sort of), just waiting for first light now, the only fly in the ointment so to speak is a niggle i have with the way the ota on the long mounting bar attaches to the mount.

The long bar that the ota attaches to just seems to sit into a space much like this ontop of the mount head(see pic, if it worked) and then you just tighten a screw to hold it in place, thing im worried about is there doesnt seem to be anything stopping the bar from moving up and down the recess that the bar sits in! is this normal? did i set everything up right? am i worrying about nothing? will Elvis ever return?

PLz set my mind at ease thnx, Keano dazed and slightly confused:icon_scratch:

P.s thnx to the chap who posted the pic orginally in the sgl forums.

[John]

Yes, you just tighten the large knob onto the bar, then the small one as a sort of insurance. It does work - I was using the larger Evostar 150mm fixed in just the same way.

[Keano]

Thnx mate was having kittens thinking my scope was just going to slide of the mount and go splat, appreciate the quick reply, now im just waiting on my new super plossls from flo and some clear skies (gonna be a long wait i think)

[Bizibilder]

These sort of "dovetail" jonts are very pretty secure - generally the end of the bolt will make a slight "dimple" in the bar - this will help prevent slippage.

Do beware, however, when you first tighten the thing up! If you don't have the scope dovetail bar in the "slot" you can easily get a false "secure" - only to see the scope slide out and hit the floor a few moments later!! So tighten up and then CHECK!!

[Dave006]

Ive got the smaller startravel 120 and came across the same thing. Paranoid about the scope slipping. As said above check and retighten the larger bolt. The ola fixing should be pushed snuggly into the recess and held fast by the larger bolt then the smaller bolt will tighten into a kind of slot on the ola fixing preventing unwanted slippage(yes that is a genuine technical term). Supposed to be pretty clear skies from about 10/11 tonight and mr moon should be making an appearance.

Clear skies

Enjoy first light.

[Bizibilder]

There should be a few holes along the centre of the dovetail bar (or you could drill one!) - if you put a bolt through then should anything slip the bolt will act as a stop to prevent a disaster.

[Keano]

Doesnt seem to be any holes or slots on the bar, never thought about drilling a hole though(i'll try that) thnx for the replys folks, appreciated:icon_salut:

[glowjet]

I must admit I felt the same way about the mounting puck when I got my EQ5, these are cast metal so I was going to adapt an ADM dovetail plate and bolt this into position using the two main bolts holes in the existing puck, this is a bit overboard but I was in the engineering trade in my earlier years, the ADM series of mounting plates are superb, the idea of putting a stop bolt in the mounting bar is also an excellent safeguard should anything slip

[obscura]

I fitted a bolt at the front end of the dovetail so that if it did slip - never has so far - it would only slip up to the bolt head. Just have to make sure that the bolt is in a position where balancing for various configs is possible.