Mounting ST80

[cowasaki]

I have a NEQ6 pro with a MAK180 ( http://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-180-pro.html )and I've just got an ST80 to use as a guide scope. I bought the ST80 that comes with the rings around it and I have a spare long dovetail.

What do I need to stick on my shopping list in order to attach the ST80 as a guide scope?

I've looked and seen rings that go round the MAK180 and double bar things but I am not sure if I need one or the other.

Also do I need a wedge? I've been told they are optional off one person. I have a manfrotto tripod head that would possibly do the same thing, is it worth using that?

Thanks.

[damnut]

Hi Cowasaki,

Firstly no wedge needed ,this is usually only for fork mounted scopes usually sct's. Your NEQ6 Pro has all the wedge provides built in.(largely your abilty to adjust to your latitude position and polar alignment)

You may be best looking at a dual mounting plate here :- First Light Optics - ADM Vixen-type Dual Mounting Bar this will alow you to mount the two scopes side by side.

Cheers

[jgs001]

Darren, either you need the Mak180 rings so you can fit the ST80 on top in piggy back mode, or you need a dual mount bar and mount them side by side... There are pros and cons to each... in piggy back, the guidescope is further away from the mount, so you need more counterweight. In side by side mode, it can be a little more tricky to balance, but everything is in closer to the mount head. I use a DM bar.

[cowasaki]

Hi Cowasaki,

Firstly no wedge needed ,this is usually only for fork mounted scopes usually sct's. Your NEQ6 Pro has all the wedge provides built in.(largely your abilty to adjust to your latitude position and polar alignment)

You may be best looking at a dual mounting plate here :- First Light Optics - ADM Vixen-type Dual Mounting Bar this will alow you to mount the two scopes side by side.

Cheers

Blimey that looks expensive for what it is!!

One long piece of metal slightly angled (dovetail bar) and two dovetail clamps!

Hmmmm....

but thanks for answering the question..... really quite expensive though.

[cowasaki]

Darren, either you need the Mak180 rings so you can fit the ST80 on top in piggy back mode, or you need a dual mount bar and mount them side by side... There are pros and cons to each... in piggy back, the guidescope is further away from the mount, so you need more counterweight. In side by side mode, it can be a little more tricky to balance, but everything is in closer to the mount head. I use a DM bar.

Thanks John.

Does seem like a lot of money for what you get. The rings appear a lot cheaper at about £38.

Doesn't the weight of the guide scope and camera etc cause any issues with the main scope if you are using rings? I think I would rather use a dual bar but that price looks ridiculous.

[Leda]

Blimey that looks expensive for what it is!!

One long piece of metal slightly angled (dovetail bar) and two dovetail clamps!

Hmmmm....

but thanks for answering the question..... really quite expensive though.

Welcome to the "space tax"

[cowasaki]

Welcome to the "space tax"

Hmmmm. This is where I start looking for alternatives and end up spending even more

That's TWICE as much as the guide scope nearly!

[Leda]

You should see "space cables", they actually try to charge you about 20-25 for a cable that would normally cost 2.50 or there abouts on Amazon.

[malc-c]

You should see "space cables", they actually try to charge you about 20-25 for a cable that would normally cost 2.50 or there abouts on Amazon.

I wondered when you would ship in about things being overpriced

[Leda]

I wondered when you would ship in about things being overpriced

It is, why hide it and lie about it. That is what it is, eye gouging.

The sooner people stop paying those prices, the sooner they will change them.

[cowasaki]

You should see "space cables", they actually try to charge you about 20-25 for a cable that would normally cost 2.50 or there abouts on Amazon.

Then there is the "space lens pens", another price joke when you can get a nice make up (Blusher) brush with camel hair for much less

I build camera control computers. I can get a lead which connects a 3 pole 2.5mm jack plug to Nikon 10 pin, Nikon mini USB, Canon jack plug, Canon 3 pin, Sony etc etc etc for about £3-4. The same cables are £25 on an astronomy web site I've found for connecting to guide computers. In fact the 6 pin guide cables they charge £10 for are 50p

Maybe I should start a side line in astronomy cables and brackets for 10-25% of the current price

[jgs001]

You'd need a pair of rings really Darren... I've not heard of anyone having issues with the main tube in piggy back configuration... I used to do just that with my 80ED... ok different tube... but the principle's the same...

[cowasaki]

You'd need a pair of rings really Darren... I've not heard of anyone having issues with the main tube in piggy back configuration... I used to do just that with my 80ED... ok different tube... but the principle's the same...

FLO sell them in pairs here:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Telescope Tube Rings

for £36.75. I'm assuming the 182mm will fit my scope (I'll check later)

I've so far got the price down to £40 each for dovetail clamps and I already have a spare dovetail bar.......

[jgs001]

not much in it then you may find you'd need a really long dovetail bar to fit onto the tube rings (M6 bolts) so that the rings fit either end of the existing dovetail, then mount the ST80 on that dovetail.

[Merlin66]

The real problem with the MAK is there's no "extra" mounting screw holes in the front or rear cell to mount an easy fix....been there done that!

[malc-c]

It is, why hide it and lie about it. That is what it is, eye gouging.

The sooner people stop paying those prices, the sooner they will change them.

Not defending the price, but you seem to be missing the point of what goes into producing these thing in a niche market. Whilst the actual bar of ali may well cost £50, there are lots of hidden costs.

The thing has been CNC machined and anodised. Whilst it's not too complicated an item it has still been drawn on a CAD system, then exported to a CNC machine. Most companies I've dealt with charge between £75 and £100 per hour for machine time, and I doubt that these bars are made in high volume batches.

Even if we say that the actual production costs come to £100, the company need to get a return and make a profit... as do FLO or any other retailer.

[ollypenrice]

I don't know the Mak but the Meade and Celestron SCTs have spare allen bolts for accessories around the front and rear of the main tube. Does your Mak have such things? If it does, Baader Planetarium do a modified kind of Vixen/Synta dovetail which screws onto the main OTA. Onto this you could use a Baader clamp which looks like a detached saddle plate. This makes your guidescope quickly detatchable, a boon for carrying and also for quickly adjusting your Dec balance. (You slide the guidescope on its Baader clamp fore and aft.

Olly

PS, Takahashi handset cable, 152 Euros. Beat that!!

Ooops, it seems that you have no spare holes. Pity.

[cowasaki]

The real problem with the MAK is there's no "extra" mounting screw holes in the front or rear cell to mount an easy fix....been there done that!

My long term plan is to replace the MAK180 with a 250PDS so it may well be wasted later as the 250PDS already has rings fitted. Might just be best to get the pair of rings and be done with it then at least it is only £37 lost BUT saying that they can they with that scope anyway.

[cowasaki]

I don't know the Mak but the Meade and Celestron SCTs have spare allen bolts for accessories around the front and rear of the main tube. Does your Mak have such things? If it does, Baader Planetarium do a modified kind of Vixen/Synta dovetail which screws onto the main OTA. Onto this you could use a Baader clamp which looks like a detached saddle plate. This makes your guidescope quickly detatchable, a boon for carrying and also for quickly adjusting your Dec balance. (You slide the guidescope on its Baader clamp fore and aft.

Olly

PS, Takahashi handset cable, 152 Euros. Beat that!!

Ooops, it seems that you have no spare holes. Pity.

Yes just checked and the MAK180 just has a long dovetail along the bottom.

[cowasaki]

Not defending the price, but you seem to be missing the point of what goes into producing these thing in a niche market. Whilst the actual bar of ali may well cost £50, there are lots of hidden costs.

The thing has been CNC machined and anodised. Whilst it's not too complicated an item it has still been drawn on a CAD system, then exported to a CNC machine. Most companies I've dealt with charge between £75 and £100 per hour for machine time, and I doubt that these bars are made in high volume batches.

Even if we say that the actual production costs come to £100, the company need to get a return and make a profit... as do FLO or any other retailer.

I appreciate what you are saying but dovetail bars could be knocked out in quantity quite cheaply as basically they are just flat bar with an angle cut off each side and some holes in it. The clamp brackets are not exactly complicated and once the machine is set up and programmed it could knock out quite a few an hour. The equivalent photographic clamps are considerably cheaper but still need making.

I would go down the dual bar route BUT I think that the rings method is going to be best for now

[Leda]

Once you are tooled up then producing these is cheap and easy, just depending on the price of the metals. Cut, Drill, Finish.

Considering this company specialises in this, they sell them world wide, they certainly have the capacity to produce these in volume. I see no excuse for the high prices even when factoring in shipping, tax and metal prices.

[Ant]

Once you are tooled up then producing these is cheap and easy, just depending on the price of the metals. Cut, Drill, Finish.

Considering this company specialises in this, they sell them world wide, they certainly have the capacity to produce these in volume. I see no excuse for the high prices even when factoring in shipping, tax and metal prices.

Please keep posts ON TOPIC.

If you want to start a discussion on the validity of prices for astro equipment, please start a new thread.

[cowasaki]

I've spoken to FLO and they don't do rings for fit the MAK180. It's 22cm in diameter.

Looks like it might have to be a dual dovetail bar after all unless I can find someone that does rings at a similar price!

[cowasaki]

Well just found someone selling the ADM/Vixen dual bar and he mentioned he was also selling the Skywatcher Synguider Autoguider so he's doing me a combined price of £250. So that works out really well

[cowasaki]

... and it includes the Hitech Astro power supply for it too