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Good place to buy a 2nd hand mount

Elm0

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Elm0

Elm0

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Hi

I've had a skywatcher 200p dob for a few weeks now. Really enjoying the views and am finding my way around the sky. Not liking the constant nudging to keep my target in view.

I want to get a new mount so where s best to look for second hand. I want a heq5.

I've looked at the platforms but for the best part of 500 quid I could probably get a mount. ..thoughts/advice

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haitch

haitch

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If you click the link to Telescope Outlet at the top of the AB&S page they have a HEQ5 Pro but at £729 it's probably a bit over what you are looking to pay - and also illustrates why they are snapped up so quick at around £500!

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russ

russ

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Only really two options, one that Robin has mentioned (the best option) and another which i sense Robin is reluctant to mention ;)

Ebay!

Ebay is fine if you take care. If there is a mount local to you on Ebay, just make sure you do cash on collection. If its not as described you are under no obligation to buy it. You can walk away.

I've only had my fingers burnt once and that wasn't on Ebay, it was Astro Buy'n'sell. Bought an ED100 which was definitely not as described, it was a wreck really. Bought for £330, sold for £200. Fastest £130 i've lost.

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Elm0

Elm0

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They seem to disappear quickly from astro buy sell. If I could get one for 500 quid that would be great. Getting one near Surrey seems to be difficult. They all tend to be up north.

To be honest. Money is not the problem. I am now considering buying a new scope. The dob is heavy as far as the mount ill need goes.

I'm now thinking of a nexstar 6se. Using that for tracking and general seeing and keeping the dob for home use.

The 6 se seems like a good scope. Flo say you can do astrophotography with it so is the mount pretty sturdy?

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brantuk

brantuk

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The 6SE is catadioptric and it's on an alt/az single fork arm mount. The ota is very nice with great optics and it's great for planetary work with it's long focal length and slow f-ratio. But if you were originally looking at an HEQ5 then the 6SE would suggest your aims have changed.... cos the mount is an entirely different beast. :)

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Charic

Charic

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Posted

Hi

I've had a skywatcher 200p dob for a few weeks now. Really enjoying the views and am finding my way around the sky. Not liking the constant nudging to keep my target in view.

I want to get a new mount so where s best to look for second hand. I want a heq5.

I've looked at the platforms but for the best part of 500 quid I could probably get a mount. ..thoughts/advice

Elm0.........Hi,..... thats a great scope. The optics are good and with the right EP's the views are better, Push-too is part of the cost effectiveness of the Dobsonian system, and £500 is a lot of money to  be detached from your telescope, and mess about with constant critical aligning and set-up every time you use an EQ.

I've colour coded my replies to match my highlights of your OP. The obvious way to reduce the nudging is to increase the focal length of the EP. This doesn't stop the nudging, and pushes you  further back from your chosen subject, but £500 to have some gizzmo move it for you, is quite an expense, so quickly after purchasing the 200P? Its a shame that "nudging" has put you off this type of telescope. I`m certain the cost , value for money, and possibly being the UK's bets selling reflector, were reasons for buying the Skyliner in the first place!

Maybe a note to others wishing to buy such a telescope is to try it first, with friends or at a club.

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rwilkey

rwilkey

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Only really two options, one that Robin has mentioned (the best option) and another which i sense Robin is reluctant to mention ;)

Ebay!

Ebay is fine if you take care. If there is a mount local to you on Ebay, just make sure you do cash on collection. If its not as described you are under no obligation to buy it. You can walk away.

I've only had my fingers burnt once and that wasn't on Ebay, it was Astro Buy'n'sell. Bought an ED100 which was definitely not as described, it was a wreck really. Bought for £330, sold for £200. Fastest £130 i've lost.

Hi Russ, I forgot about Ebay, the place where I buy most of my stuff! Never been burnt yet luckily.

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Elm0

Elm0

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Don't get me wrong. I love the dob. My reason for buying it was for dso, s. Any scope can see the planets but the Aperture to cost of the dob gave me what I wanted at the time with some portability.

buying a mount will cure the nudging problem and keep my dob. Paying for the mount I need is an expense which could warrant a new scope (dobs are heavy and need a good mount).

I posted another thread where I will consider a 200p flex tube with goto which will cost the same as a heq5 new. That's really what I would like. Shame they don't sell the bases separate. Would have thought they would. Don't tell you this as a beginner..

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Charic

Charic

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Elm0.......I dont doubt that, you mention that in thread #8 above. And its not a criticism of your purchase. Many folk here, are advised to try/check/join clubs ect. This may highlight to them, to take heed of these views, as it could save a packet in the long run. I,  to be honest bought, a Celestron 127EQ and some 4 books and a planesphere for £70 before joining SGL. The books came to £40 RRP so my scope cost £30. But only took me 10 days until the arrival of the Skyliner. The 127EQ has too much going on, just to view something, and like you " don't like nudging "  I don't like "wasting time and fiddling with GEM (German Equatorial Mount) EQ mounts" I still have that scope. I play with it, strip and rebuild in 40 mins, collimated. Was all good practice and a good learning curve in preparation for the Skyliner. The other help I got was the advice from here, SGL. The advice here is "take-it-or-leave-it" The end decision is solely down to the individual user. No-one will blame you for the weather( new purchase/Clouds! ect ) but its going to hurt again, making new decisions as to what to buy next?

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clarkent

clarkent

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Probably you've tried them but Telescope Ho and Astronomia are in your neck of the woods. Perhaps they have trade-ins going 'cheapish'.

It is a pity that there are no Saturday astro markets/fairs as there are for computers....

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Elm0

Elm0

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That one is without the drives. Cunning piece of advertising but the drives actually cost extra.

Might wait for the eq6 as you say. Best to have more support than you need. That said the heq5 can take up to 18th. The 200p dob is 11th so should actually be plenty for observation. Photography might be a push unless you just use a Web cam.

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Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley

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That one is without the drives. Cunning piece of advertising but the drives actually cost extra.

Might wait for the eq6 as you say. Best to have more support than you need. That said the heq5 can take up to 18th. The 200p dob is 11th so should actually be plenty for observation. Photography might be a push unless you just use a Web cam.

The HEQ5 does have built in RA and Dec drives, not goto though.

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