Help with ED80 & ST80 Mounting Guide Scope

[sonof007]

I have recently obtained SW ED80 from a Satrgazers Lounge member via Astronomy Buy ans Sell site which I am very pleased with. I have a Skywatcher St80 which I intend to use as a guide scope. Having a bit of trouble mounting onto the top of the ED80 rings. I have a Skywatcher Guide scope mount and adapter plate but I cannot get the wholes to line up with the ED80 mounting rings plus the bolts appear to be different threads. I am sure there is a simply and effective way to mount the ST80 as a guide scope. Hoping for expierinece from others as to what I am doing wrong.

Thanks

[JRWASTRO]

I have an ED80 and a Skywatcher guide scope mount. But fitting this guiding mount on top of the ED80 looks very untidy. The guiding mount is fairly substantial and quite heavy and my ED80 rings look "weak" so fitting this mount and a guiding scope may present differential movement and balance problems.

On the top plate of my guide mount are 5 holes ( on the centre line fore and aft ) that have a standard thread 1/4" 20 UNC. This thread is standard on most cameras and tripod mounts. There are 4 holes that have a standard metric thread M6 x 1mm thread pitch on the corners of a rectangle. Now 4 holes (2 x 1/4 UNC and 2 x M6 ) lie on the sides of a square of length 45 mm .... Very convenient !

Now I may have different kit to yours so if you can post a picture of the pieces in question one may be able to give a more intelligent answer.

Jeremy.

[sonof007]

Hi, I think I am getting there, I have managed to scrape together an old SW Dovetail short bar and fitted to this on top of the ED80 rings. Appears very solid, just need to get 2 longer M6 screws and hopefully job done. Thanks for answer and if my plan does not work I will get some photos on line and talk again. Thanks,

[JRWASTRO]

No Worries.

Jeremy.

[steppenwolf]

I have used these same two telescopes for imaging and have a couple of observations.

1. I mounted a standard Vixen dovetail bar to the top of my ED 80 tube rings. Mine had 6mm threads on the bottom of the ED 80 tube rings but 1/4" - 20 UNC threads (standard camera thread) on the tops so be careful to check this and use the correct bolts.

2. I drilled out suitable holes (6mm clearance) in the 'top' dovetail bar for the ST 80 tube rings to fit exactly where I wanted them.

[sonof007]

Thanks Steve, Brilliant.

[Earl]

I was able to just bolt my rings together, Steves is a tider and more robust way.