Skywatcher AZ supertrack/127 mak

[nightfisher]

Just wondering how stable this mount is with a skymax 127 fitted, i have the mount and toyed with a mak to compliment it but its not the very sturdiest of mounts 

[rowan46]

The 127 mak is one of the original fitments on that mount and most people tend to agree that it is about the maximum  its comfortable with. It apparently benefits from the usual mods to poor tripods but i think if you are thinking of putting your 150 on it  even with those mods you are back to a fairly rickety  tripod .  I doubt that even should you put an adaptor plate on a cg5 tripod that it will be up to a 150 mak as internally it seems to be the same as the nexstar 4/5 mount. I think the 150mak is too much beast for the motors to cope with. 

[rowan46]

I have just  partially recalled  a thread i dimly remember where somebody put a synscan alt az mount on a pier so i may be wrong about its carrying potential thinking about it with good balance it may be able to cope with a bit more weight. Most of the problems have been with the tripod rather than the mount.

[rowan46]

I have just looked on the celestron site where they are fairly firm that the maximum weight for an slt mount (same as synscan  alt/az) as being 8lbs so a 150 mak is definitely overloading it 

[nightfisher]

Rowan, not looking at the 150 mak on this mount but a 127, i missed out on a 102 mak a while back that was silly cheap

[hobsey]

This mount is fine if you don't mind waiting a couple of seconds for the vibrations to stop.

I regrettably sold mine a good few months ago but got my hands on another a couple of months ago as it's so portable.

There is a number of things you can do to this mount to help with the vibrations just as adding weight to the tray and fitting an electric focuser.

[rowan46]

Most reports   say the 127 skymax synscan is fine it benefits from a little weight hung off the tripod etc 

[nightfisher]

This mount is fine if you don't mind waiting a couple of seconds for the vibrations to stop.

I regrettably sold mine a good few months ago but got my hands on another a couple of months ago as it's so portable.

There is a number of things you can do to this mount to help with the vibrations just as adding weight to the tray and fitting an electric focuser.

This sounds promising and i have a good idea for hands free foocusing

Most reports   say the 127 skymax synscan is fine it benefits from a little weight hung off the tripod etc 

If its just a case of hanging a weight from the tripod thats really easy, cheers

[nightfisher]

Okay having ordered a Skymax 127 to use on this mount, i am now sourcing parts to make a pier, this wont happen for a couple of months as i am looking for a new house, one with a garden, but once i have moved i will be making a wooden pier having seen it can be done

[tjr]

Most reports say the 127 skymax synscan is fine it benefits from a little weight hung off the tripod etc

Yes, I had this mount and scope set up and it's fine. Not rock solid, but fine. Hanging a weight from the accessory tray does work well to add stability. I have even heard of people filling the tripod legs with sand!

Do you have the steel or aluminium legs for the mount? Mine was steel, I suspect the aluminium may feel a little light-weight.

[tjr]

Okay having ordered a Skymax 127 to use on this mount, i am now sourcing parts to make a pier, this wont happen for a couple of months as i am looking for a new house, one with a garden, but once i have moved i will be making a wooden pier having seen it can be done

We've recently moved to a house with a garden. What a pleasure! I'm getting out there so much more!* Good luck with the hunt.

*clouds permitting!

[nightfisher]

We've recently moved to a house with a garden. What a pleasure! I'm getting out there so much more!* Good luck with the hunt.

*clouds permitting!

Cheers, yes a garden will be such a nice thing to have, might even build a "Tardis" obsy in time