Meade ETX90 on a Skywatcher EQ-5?

[DaddyBear]

Hi All,

I have a Meade ETX90. It's a nice little scope which I always enjoyed, but I got it with only the tabletop tripod, so  it can be very awkward to use sometimes.

I recently got a Skywatcher Explorer 200P. and now was wondering whether there is some way to attach the OPA of ETX90 to the EQ-5. The OPA of ETX90 has this hole under it to attach it to any photo tripod. it is surely an overkill to put it on this mount, but just don't want to get another mount so soon:).

Thanks in advance.

[Kirscovitch]

Super glue, bubble gum, and duck tape. 

[ronin]

There could be but a fair bit of hunting round.

There is/was an adaptor plate to fix the ETX to a normal camera tripod, at a guess you would need one of these.

Also I think you would need the dovetail bar that fits to the EQ5.

Then fit ETX to plate, dovetail the underside of plate and slide the dovetail into the EQ5.

Yesterday at Astrofest would have been the place to ask, at least to ask if anyone had an ETX adaptor plate.

Not sure that you could attach a dovetail direct to the plate so may need an additional hole or two drilled and tapped.

You could locate Astro Engineering, they used to make then, try Telescope House. Think they are Meade agents and could have one around. Bought the one I have (different ETX) from a camera shop in Cambridge.

In actual fact all you need is a circular aluminium plate about 6-8mm thick with 2 holes to attach plate to ETX (untapped) and 2 (possibly tapped) for the dovetail. You could knock up something from 8mm ply I suspect if you wanted as a template.

[Alien 13]

Hi, not sure if something like this might work http://www.365astronomy.com/tripod-adapter-plate-dovetail-bar-for-eq5-equatorial-mount-p-2685.html?gclid=CK-y9bfMvrwCFbPItAoduQMABw.

Alan

[ronin]

This is the one I got:

ETXPlate

I see that it is sold/advertised by Pulsar Optical, but check first to find out if they have one.

Actually wondering if you could not simply attach a dovetail to the ETX and that onto the EQ5.

May need longer screws to go through the bar to the ETX and a couple of washers.

[knobby]

Super glue, bubble gum, and duck tape. 

you forgot the cable ties 

[DaddyBear]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions. Alien13, that looks exactly like what I'm looking for. Thanks a lot. In the meantime, I do have the skywatcher short dove tail bar which comes along with the EQ5 mount. I might duck-tape it to the ETX90 for a real quick fix:D.

[saturnalia2]

all you have to do it drill holes in the short dovetail bar that match the holes in the bottom of the etx. drill them 5/16" and a 1/4-20 machine screw will drop right in and thread into the etx. but what you also have to do is dril a fairly large counter bore in the dovetail bar so the bar will fit into the saddle of the mount. i know this works because i did it the other day using a piece of dovetail bar, an etx, the little shoe off an eon80 and a big aluminum billet. the etx has the eon80 shoe screwed to it, and that in turn is screwed to the piece of aluminum, and the dovetail bar is screwed to the side of the billet so that i can mount all this in my versago 111. it's the work of a second to screw the dovetail bar to the bottom of the billet so i can mount this on my atlas.