Startravel 80 and Skymax finder position on AZ4?

[Alastair Rae]

I have a Skywatcher Startravel 80 which came with a "table top" EQ mount that I have never used. I use the scope on a photographic tripod but it's very awkward at higher angles.

I've been thinking about moving to a Skymax 127 on an AZ4 but thought I'd change the mount first.

The underside of the ST80 has a bevelled plate with 4 screw holes that I believe is a "dovetail mounting bar" and the AZ4 manual says this is all that is required to mount the scope. It also warns that the finderscope may be oriented in an awkward position. I think that the AZ4 would rotate the scope 90deg so that the finder would be underneath the scope in a SW position.

I notice that in pictures of the SkyMax 127 in the Synscan package, the mounting bar is E and finder NW but when sold as an OTA, the mount is S and the finder N.

I've seen good reports of both scopes on the AZ4 so some help for the perplexed, please.

[rwilkey]

The only thing I can think of is to see if you can get some tube rings with the dovetail bar and but that method you would be able to rotate the telescope to the correct orientation, tube rings are sold here: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings.html

Best to send them an email as they never have time to answer the phone.

[Alastair Rae]

FLO (very promptly, thanks Martin) came back with a bit of lateral thinking. Ignore the existing RDF fitting and glue a QuikFinder base plate at the appropriate angle for the mount.

My only worry would be that a glue-on would reduce the 2nd hand value but I'm hoping that a SkyMax 127 on AZ4 will be a keeper even if I eventually find house room for a big dob.