EQ2 with Megrez 72 question?

[Catweazel]

Hi everyone, and merry Christmas to you all!

I have been thinking about getting a lightweight portable mount for my Megrez 72, and wondered if I would be able to fit it straight to an EQ2 mount? or, would I need some kind of plate/adapter? If so, could anyone give me an idea of what I would need. I want to fit it by the shoe, rather than having to buy tube rings for the Megrez if possible!

Any help & advice always much appreciated

Many thanks.

CW

[Ajohn]

I thought WO sold all of their scopes with rings. There are some WO vixen style mounting plates on ebay at the moment far cheaper than usual. I bought one for my megrez 110mm. The shorter one is just about right for that. You would still need rings though. Maybe you could knock something up with a length of dovetail bar and pipe clips but I wouldn't fancy it.

There are some Vixen GP-DX mounts on UK Astonomy Buy Sell at the moment, or was. If they come with the wooden tripod they are relatively light weight. Best bought with at least a star drive. With this one you are likely to get a polar alignment scope as well. You will get a stable scope with this one wooden tripod or not. The biggest problem with decent wooden tripods is decent wood. Not a problem in the past.

I have wondered about using my 110mm on a skywatcher alt az synscan. It's probably too heavy but your megrez may not be. You could compare it's weight with the scopes that sw supply with it. Some one on here was selling an auto track one in the classified section recently. These mounts aren't that bad but I am used to scopes moving a little when focusing etc. The one I have has the tubular steel tripod. These are invariably better than the other type.

I have used an eq3 with a medium sized syntra startravle on it. Can't say that I was very happy with it. It may have been better with a drive so you can guess what I would think about an eq2. Really for minimum weight alt az is likely to win.

John

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There are a number of alt az manual mounts about at all sorts of prices.

[Catweazel]

Thanks John, so I guess the answer is no

I don't really want to spend a lot of money to do this, and, as I guessed, all this faffing about will end up costing £££!

Never mind then, perhaps as you say, an alt/az might be a better bet. I just want a mount that I can put the shoe straight into, like I can with my EQ5.

I'm surprised that the EQ2 wouldn't be strong enough for the Megrez though, it's being sold in a package with the Evostar 90, which must weigh more than a Megrez (2.2kg)?

[Ajohn]

You can try it on an eq2 I suppose but it's a really flimsy thing. I think part of the problem is the tripods they put some of their mounts on.

Looking at the weight 2.2kg it should be fine on the synscan alt az mount as the 127mm mac weighs 3.5kg. Probably more like 4 with bits and pieces on, I just weighed it. The one I mentioned in the classified on here was the autotrack and was £80 if I remember correctly. Also think I have seen the synscan on astro buy sell for £120 shipped. I have an interest in a 2nd one to modify. The syscan new is about £180 (?) These sort of prices probably work out less than an eq2 and a drive.

The one that was on here has gone off the end of the lists and didn't sell as far as I am aware. I could send you his user name if you like.

Looking at the photo of a megrez 70mm you may have a black metal mounting block on it. I assume that is held on with screws so you could replace it with a short length of vixen type dovetail but will probably have to drill some hole in that. You may have to add some packing between the dovetail and plate as the dovetails tend to be a bit thinner than they should be. The vixen ones are nearly 1in thick. On the other hand it might be just for mounting on a camera tripod. The hole will be 1/4 bsw if it is. Again you could add a short piece of vixen dovetail.

I'm fond of the Vixen GP mounts. The DX head only weighs in at 8.5kg with it's drives. The trouble with any german head is the counterweight really.

John

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[Catweazel]

Thanks John, I just had another idea which might enable me to be really lazy...

http://tinyurl.com/c48jshb

This is a fair bit more expensive, but might be worth saving up for. I have never used a GOTO! Interestingly, the reviewer on there mentions using it with a Megrez 72

[Ajohn]

That's the same mount as on uk astronomy buy sell for £120 or here new for £199. This is the alt az mount I mentioned. Only problem is that alt az is no good for long exposures. There were some diy arrangement where the focus tube was automatically rotated some time ago to get round that.

http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-skywatcher-synscan-az-goto-mount-tripod-20218-.htm

John

[Catweazel]

The guy on AB&S has withdrawn his now, which is a shame, as I live quite near him as well

[Ajohn]

He has probably read that he can use it with a megarez. You could try contacting him anyway. He might have had lots of silly offers.

£199 from Bristol Cameras isn't bad though compared with an eq2 and an ra drive.

John

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[garethmob]

I had my megrez on a eq2 before I moved to the az3. My megrez had a vixen plate below and had 2 drilled and tapped holes below it just for tripods I'm not sure of screw threads as its upstairs in the garage ATM but I can check Tomoz if you like

Now I had a older version of the eq2 which didn't have a saddle on it but I screwed the megrez on (but it never really felt safe to be honest) hence why I moved mounts. But the newer eq2 and eq3-2 I believe has a saddle

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk please ignore any spelling typo thingys

[garethmob]

i have to add also iv just bought the skywatcher az goto mount off a member on here from abas and I bought it with the hope of just using my megrez. In a post by steppenwolf I noticed the megrez 72 had to be moved slightly for balance (I will try dig the post up now) or if Steve notices......

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