Any tips on making EQ3-2 mount more rigid?

[gazza63]

Hi all

Has anyone, been successful in making their EQ3-2 Mount more stable.

Any suggestions welcome

Thanks

Gary

[JamesF]

The usual tips are to put some weight in the eyepiece tray (I use a couple of large stones) or hang some from underneath the mount, or to fill the legs with sand. As an alternative you could replace the legs with the steel tube legs from one of the larger mounts. It may be possible to get the EQ3-2 to fit the tripod from a HEQ5 or NEQ6 which occasionally come up for sale, but I've never tried it.

James

[gazza63]

Thanks James

I'll try the weight in the eyepiece tray first to see what difference it makes.

[bigbox]

Hi Gary, i recently (about 3 months ago now, lol) put my EQ3-2 onto an Eq5/Heq5 tripod & i must say that its a great deal more stable than before... Otherwise you could do as James suggested and put some weight on the tray/ fill legs with sand.

Regards Ady

[JamesF]

Hi Gary, i recently (about 3 months ago now, lol) put my EQ3-2 onto an Eq5/Heq5 tripod & i must say that its a great deal more stable than before...

Does the EQ3-2 just drop straight on, or is an adaptor required?

James

[gazza63]

Does the EQ3-2 just drop straight on, or is an adaptor required?

James

It drops straight on

[JamesF]

That's useful to know. I have dithered between trying to put my EQ3-2 on such a tripod or making a "portable pier" from a car tyre filled with concrete with a concrete-filled 110mm soil pipe sticking out of one side. If a tripod comes up for sale locally I might be tempted...

James

[gazza63]

It drops straight on

Here's the picture

[JamesF]

I have the older black Skyscan 2001 (or whatever it's called) model, but I'm sure it will be the same.

James

[Steve Ward]

Mine's the black one too , just tried it and it fits the HEQ5Pro legs perfectly.

Very handy as the EQ3-2 legs and AZ3 legs I have are both broken .

[LeeS]

That's useful to know. I have dithered between trying to put my EQ3-2 on such a tripod or making a "portable pier" from a car tyre filled with concrete with a concrete-filled 110mm soil pipe sticking out of one side. If a tripod comes up for sale locally I might be tempted...

James

That's not sounding very portable James.

[RikM]

I use my EQ3-2 head on a steel pipe tripod. The 1.75" one is used for EQ5, HEQ5 and AZ4 is perfect. The mount head doesn't fit on the larger 2" tripod from the NEQ6 though.

[JamesF]

That's not sounding very portable James.

I did put it in quotes

It's portable in the sense that I can tip it onto the edge of the tyre and roll it, which is pretty much all I need. The heavier duty tripod very much appeals, but it's far from immune from being knocked or kicked by other people (and myself if I'm feeling clumsy, tbh). Kick a concrete pier and you'll learn to be more careful rather quickly

James

[RichieP]

I replaced the legs on my EQ3-2 with the wooden legs from a TAL tripod. It made a big difference stability wise and also added some extra height.

Richard

[bigbox]

Hi just found an Heq5 Tripod for sale on UK ABS, £60.00 collection only from Kettering if anyone interested....