SkyTee 2's big brother.

[Odd Thomas]

Is anyone aware of a Skytee2 type alt/az mount with a greater capacity?

An internet search has so far proved fruitless.

Cheers,

[Ibbo!]

how about http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7967_AZ8HEAD.html

[Odd Thomas]

Cheers for that Steve. Its definitely got a bigger payload.......and a bigger price! It comes in at around the price of the 'T-Rex', Now I like the look of that.

[John]

There is a sort of gap in the market between the Skytee II and things like the Losmandy AZ8, the T-Rex and the APM Maxmount:

http://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/mounts-tripods/alt-azimuth-mounts/apm-azmaxload-mount-single-view-version.html

I managed to find a Bray Tablet mount which has more capacity than the Skytee II but are well out of production and as rare as hens teeth now. It still was not up to my Istar 6" F/12 though, unfortunately

The Giro Ercole is an alternative but I'm not sure that it has a higher capacity than the Skytee II ?

The AZ EQ6 GT probably has more capacity than a Skytee II but is over £1K new so, again, a big jump in price.

Looking at the price of the Lozmandy AZ8 and given the exchange rate of the Euro that may be currently the best "next step" out there.

[Ibbo!]

you did not say a price

one of the locals has one - yet to see it but he is very happy with it

[moriniboy]

The Skytee 2 is 15kg either side which is 66ibs I believe, not that different to the AZ8 which is 70ibs.

However it's let down by the saddle tightening knobs but these are easily upgraded to stainless versions.

[John]

Tube length comes into this. My Istar refractor was around the weight limit for the Skytee II but the long tube length meant that the mount was not adequate for the scope even with the upgraded APM tube clamps fitted. If the scope had been a short tube SCT or similar then I reckon the Skytee II would have done the job.

I do feel that there is a niche for "Skytee III" class mount that is priced somewhere around £450-£500. Peak2Valley have an upgraded fork type mount (link below and scroll down a bit) but I'm not 100% convinced that it would have handled my big Istar

http://www.peak2valleyinstruments.co.uk/page_3159285.html

[Odd Thomas]

There does seem to be a big jump in price after the Skytee.

I wonder if it would be worthwhile to approach a couple of local engineering works to see if they could come up with something. I might make some enquiries.

[jam1e1]

The Skytee 2 is 15kg either side which is 66ibs I believe, not that different to the AZ8 which is 70ibs.

However it's let down by the saddle tightening knobs but these are easily upgraded to stainless versions.

The top mounted puck cannot take 15kg unfortunately. I've not found exact load spec but mine can't take much more than 3! A clone type ST2 mount on TS that looks rebranded quotes low figures too. Side puck ok for high loading