Celestron SLT Mount and Skywatcher Scopes

[sytra]

Hi,

I have recently aquired a Celestron SLT mount, that came with a 60mm scope which I thought was actually quite good for the size of it.

Anyway, I am attemting to fit skywatcher scopes to it, I have attached a dovetail to the tube rings on the a ST102 and all works fine, fits and operated perfect. However, I want to be able to fit a 130 reflector and am having some issues trying to get it to fit properly, I tried attaching the dovetail to the rings but

1, the scope looks ugly like that and

2, it has so much flex it wobbles like mad. (this was tested in a conservatory so no wind issues)

I would like to try fitting the dovetail to the tube itself which I would have thought will stiffen it up slightly so hopefully wont feel as seasick looking through the EP, but, if i do this I assume I will need radius blocks to move the scope forward slightly to avoid the mount itself, is this correct?

Also, looking at the Celestron 130, the scope looks like a neat join between the radius of the scope and the curved part of the mount (the bit that houses the dovetail) but if the Skywatcher is held up against it, the radiuses don't match up at all and look odd again. (or is there more than one version of the SLT one for smaller scopes and one for larger)

Is there an easier way to fit the 130 to the mount? if it comes to it, I will have to buy a Celestron 130, but would rather use my existing tube if possible.

Thanks for your help.

[russ]

There's not normally any flexture using the rings and dovetail. So that's a bit puzzling. I think you'll be more likely to get flexture in the tube if you bolt the dovetail directly to the tube. The rings are far more rigid and take the load. I have recently bought an SLT mount and its a great little mount. Works superb with our Skymax 90 Mak on board but things get decidely less stable with a friends Explorer 130P on there. It's nothing to do with the scope or the rings but all to do with the mount and legs. I think your 102 is the limit of what it can take and still be stable.

I maybe wrong, this maybe for the earlier GT mounts, but i thought the 60 shipped with a smaller fork arm version of the SLT mount?

[sytra]

Thanks for your advice,

I have been playing with it this pm, and have managed to steady it a fair bit, all I have done is move the rings further apart, bolted a bit of box section to the rings and the dovetail to that, now the tube is held out of the mount (the bit that covers the dovetails) and is more rigid, been playing and although initially it wobbles a fair bit after focusing it is fine while tracking...... next thing to try outside