Orion optics 10" VX10 on EQ mount?

[jambouk]

A friend is thinking about mounting his VX10 on an equatorial mount, mostly for goto, tracking and solar system imaging.

Are the rings which are already on his scope suitable for mounting to a dovetail?

Is this too much weight / length for an HEQ5?

Thanks for any replies.

James

[oldpink]

the length will be fine, weight seems to be 11Kg which is at the top end of the mounts limit according to the spec's
if its just for Solar system imaging you should be Ok but if you want to move up to DSO the extra weight of a guiding system may be a problem

in saying that I'm over my mounts load limit and still manage Ok

Edited April 21, 2014 by oldpink

[John]

If it's the F/4.8 version then it should be OK on an HEQ5 for visual observing. You will need an Orion Optics dovetail bar which is radiussed to bolt onto their tube rings. If ordering the scope from Orion Optics you need to specify that you need a dovetail bar supplied because they don't provide them as standard.

Skywatcher bars and rings won't work because OO tubes are smaller in diameter.

[Laurie61]

A friend is thinking about mounting his VX10 on an equatorial mount, mostly for goto, tracking and solar system imaging.

Are the rings which are already on his scope suitable for mounting to a dovetail?

Is this too much weight / length for an HEQ5?

Thanks for any replies.

James

What 'F' is the scope ? the OO scopes are quite light for there size. The heq5 has a 15 kg visual weight capacity.You can use the OO rings and attach to a dovetail but you also need the radius blocks which go between the two. This is my losmandy bar,  OO rings and blocks.

[John]

If you want to use the Losmandy bar which is more secure, Laurie61 shows the way it works. With the Skywatcher / Vixen bar that Orion Optics supply the radius blocks are moulded into the bar itself as I recall.

[Dave_D]

Skywatcher bars and rings won't work because OO tubes are smaller in diameter.

yup... although I use skywatcher rings on my GX250. I lined the rings with strips of vinyl sticky backed floor tiles and it works a treat

[John]

yup... although I use skywatcher rings on my GX250. I lined the rings with strips of vinyl sticky backed floor tiles and it works a treat

Probably a good idea. The Orion Optics tube rings and standard dovetail are not their finest works 

[jambouk]

It's f/4.7

Thanks. He thinks his rings already have a flat bit on. He is going to look later (and hopefully sign up to SGL so he can contribute himself).

Thanks for the encouraging replies. I think he is drawn towards the NEQ6.

Jd

[Bukko]

Hi, James,

I have just taken a look at my OO VX rings.

They do not have radius bars fitted as standard; if I remember correctly, these rings are normally part of the Dob mount and I had to ask for the radius bars. (It was all done in conversation with OO, so I knew exactly what I needed)

Anyay, I then marired the rinds and radius bars to an Altair Astro Losamdy bar and did not need to line the rings with anything. They are a few turns short of fully tight and the OTA is going nowhere.

Would I mount this on an HEQ5? probably not. I have the 12" version and needed 3 counterweights and the extension bar on an NEQ6 to take it, so would expect the 10" to be overloading the 5, but nicely inside the 6's capability..

MIne also lives on a pier and would not be keen to try it on the tripod, but a 10" woudl probably be OK, especially as you use the "Imaging" word...

Anyway, last time I looked, the price difference between the 5 and 6 was not so great, considering the cost of the iaging equipment likely to go on it. The only issue is the added weight of the NEQ6 if portabiity is a consideration.

(The NEQ6 is "Luggable", rather than portable.

But good luck with your choices.

Gordon.

[jambouk]

Thanks gordon. That again is really useful.

My mate has sent me pictures of his rings and i think it looks like there are flat bits:

Dark images sorry.

Jd

[John]

Thanks gordon. That again is really useful.

My mate has sent me pictures of his rings and i think it looks like there are flat bits:

Dark images sorry.

Jd

Those flat bits are the radius blocks. They are separate items from the rings. 

[jambouk]

But can they be used to provide a medium to attach the rings to a flat losmandy bar?

Jd

[Laurie61]

But can they be used to provide a medium to attach the rings to a flat losmandy bar?

Jd

Yes, that's what I did, see pic's above When I ordered my f6 Dob from OO I asked for an extra set of rings and blocks and then looked for the longest, most robust losmandy bar which at the time was an ADM. 

Edited April 21, 2014 by Laurie61

[jambouk]

That's what i thought, i was just making sure they were the same things. Sorry. That is good news then for him. Now all he needs to do is find a second hand NEQ6, losmandy bar, battery, second set of rings to rotate the scope, nose piece for webcam.... Haha

Thanks agin, really helpful.

Jd

[Haider Bhogadia]

I managed to bolt on a celestron dovtail bar on to the ring brackets. Had to drill x4 holes M9 to fit the M8 bolts