Sky-Watcher Guidescope Mount

[steppenwolf]

In a recent thread I said that I was very interested in using a Sky-Watcher Guidescope Mount with my dual imaging rig. I have now had an opportunity of testing the unit - thanks to FLO for entrusting me this this piece of equipment.

Skywatcher Guidescope Mount Review

I hope you find it of some use.

[The Sailor]

Thanks Steve, will come back after reading your link .

Jim

[The Sailor]

Steve, have now read your test results and am sold, thanks for the info and time .

Jim

[Helen]

An interesting read Steve, thanks. From my experience it has just two issues. Fixing is more difficult than it should be. A single point of fixing is a weakness, and even then it only works at all when you can screw something in from the bottom, so there's no option to screw into the top of rings like the WO ones. The other problem on mine is that the az bolt only adjusts in one direction. I've had to hold the bolt with a spanner to get the opposite movement - so is that a problem with mine?

Thanks

Helen

[steppenwolf]

I don't like the single point fixing as you will see in my review, Helen but this can be solved by using a wider bar to bolt to. SW could have made it with more threaded holes in the centre line but it was easy enough to fabricate a solution to attach to a dovetail mount. To affix to WO or similar tube rings, you are right, you would need to screw into the unit from underneath although attaching it to a flat plate first would give you the opportunity of then attaching the plate to the top of the tube rings from above. In any event, some kind of fabrication would be required as I guess that SW can't come up with a 'universal design' to fit all tube rings! The single bolt fixing is a weak-point though which is why I found a way round it!!

My Azimuth bolt works in both directions (although there was a small amount of backlash) so I suggest that there is a fault with yours although I am not sure why it would work in one direction and not in the other as it works by simply threading the azimuth bolt through the fixed nylon pillow block.

What is the spacing between your tube rings, Helen? Perhaps we can find a good solution for you with as little fabrication as possible.

[Helen]

Thanks Steve. Sorry, just re-read my post, and I should have added that I agree with you about the fixing etc rather than it reading like I was adding something new.. That's useful info about the Az, I'm away at the moment, so I'll check when I get back.

Thanks again

Helen

[AndyUK]

Thanks very much for this review Steve - I was going to order one of these, but then discovered I had to have my car CV boots replaced . It's certainly on the top of the list though...

I've always felt that guiding my MN190 should be much better with a longer FOV OTA but when I mounted my ST102 using guiderings I had so much flexure I switched to a finderguider. For some reason I still have some flexure (even though the finderguider mount is attached to a Losmandy plate on top of the MN190) but it's nowhere near as bad as before. I accept that this won't resolve all my flexure issues, but from what you've discovered, this SW Guidescope Mount may well do just the job for me with the MN190 . I'll have to start saving again...!

[The Sailor]

My SW GS Mount arrived this morning, breakfast first and then a new toy to play with .

Jim