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AZ3 Friction bolt issue - can anyone please advise??


Nibor

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Hi - hoping someone can help.....

I have a practically brand new AZ3 mount onto which I am trying to mount a lightweight (2.2 kg) 80mm short tube refractor with a 1.25" diagonal and Celestron zoom.

The OTA is attached by tube rings.

The problem seems to be that even though I tighten the altitude bolt quite tightly it only holds for a short period and looses all holding strength once the scope has been aimed high in the sky.

Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so did they find a solution?

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Hi! just a quick update!!

I think I have now been able to answer my own question with some searching and Googling!!

The high angle viewing angle does seem to be a potential problem with this mount when loaded with a refractor so for the benefit of others who may be searching for an answer I have listed some of the links which may be of help:-

has | AZ-3 Mount Mod

AZ3 Alt-Az Mount - Review

Skywatcher AZ3 mount

has | AZ-3 Servicing

The following is a helpful thread with a contribution by Jahmanson and I shall probably try his one tube ring mounting gambit after I have replaced the "Synta glue" and fitted a new lock nut in place of the supplied nylock nut.

http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-mounts/58459-skywatcher-az3-mount.html

Hope this will help those in search of AZ3 modifications.

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HI Nibor,

The only other solution I found was to keep hold of the slow mo control so it did not droop. Great links, I had come across the one from the HAS a little whil ago and used something similar on another mount to act as the counterbalance.

Cheers

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Damian,

I've now just finished swapping the "Synta Glue" for Lithium grease (TF2 Lubricant) and it has made things run a lot more smoothly.

However I still found that the scope tended to droop once the scope had been returned to the horizontal a few times after having been pointed at the zenith. - This led to a closer observation of the Nylock lock nut.

As the scope is moved from the horizontal to the vertical the lock nut should retain its position relative to the "altitude" arm on the other side of the mount if the friction level it was set to is to be maintained. However I noticed after several vertical / horizontal movements that the lock nut seems to slip just slightly but enough to start the drooping again.

So - I think a trip to the hardware store for a change of lock nut - perhaps a new Nylock or two smaller nuts which I can lock together with two spanners. I think there is also a variety which has a serrated flange.

To help the initial pointing of the scope (short tube refractor) at a target I have just found that bolting a spare Skywatcher 13cm dovetail bar to the "observer" end of the AZ3 mounting bar acts as a "pan and tilt" handle which should make initial target finding a bit easier. (I have found a way to mount the scope without the tube rings - so there is a spare threaded hole.)

All I need now are some cloudless nights to see if it all works!

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Just a quick update on my drooping AZ3:-

Visited the local nuts & bolts specialist......

The flanged locknut just unwound after a few hozintals to verticals - the new Nylock is now holding just fine but if "push comes to shove" then I have a pair of nuts which I can lock together with a spanner in the old fashioned way!!

The threads were thoroughly cleaned of any residual grease before fitting the new Nylock.

So my AZ3 should be ready for work come the first cloudless night!!

A replacemant Nylock may be one of the first things to try if you get AZ3 droop!!

However fitting a counter weight also seems to be a good modification.

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