New to me Meade LX10!

[Spacefreak1974]

I now have a used Meade LX10. It was missing the hand controller but I found one at Telescope Warehouse which I'm going to buy Monday. I've done some cleaning of the outside, but need to get some cleaning supplies for coated optics from the local camera store Monday. I;m super excited to start checking out the sky!

[Dave In Vermont]

Congratulations on your purchase! It's a bit of a learning-curve to master these, but well worth the effort.

Lots of good info:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Meade+LX10&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Best -

Dave

[Spacefreak1974]

Thanks Dave. Biggest question I have currently is the altitude adjustment on the wedge on the tripod. Currently it has the screw on the adjustment knob pushing against the back of the wedge to push the adjustment up and down. It "works" to adjust the altitude but surely isn't correct. Do you have any way to show me what it should look like. My guess is it should be more secure.

[Dave In Vermont]

Here's one article:

http://www.hamiltonastronomy.com/astro_articles/polar_alignment_part_1.pdf

And here's more:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Meade+Polar+Wedge+LX10&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Hope this helps,

Dave

[ngwillym]

Thanks Dave. Biggest question I have currently is the altitude adjustment on the wedge on the tripod. Currently it has the screw on the adjustment knob pushing against the back of the wedge to push the adjustment up and down. It "works" to adjust the altitude but surely isn't correct. Do you have any way to show me what it should look like. My guess is it should be more secure.

That's correct, the weight of the scope keeps it secure. Even on my Milburn wedge for my C11, its a threaded bolt pushing against the wedge plate:-

[michael8554]

Yeah, the Alt adjustment is as crude as it looks.

Once you've got your Alt about right, adjust the bar that the threaded bolt runs through until the bolt is at 90 degrees to the tilt plate, rather than at some slanting angle.

Drift adjustment will be a little easier if you put larger diameter steel "penny" or "fender" washers plus nylon washers under the adjustment handwheels.

Shouldn't be hard to master the LX10, there's no GoTo, so no Autostar settings to fathom out.

Michael

[Spacefreak1974]

Yeah, the Alt adjustment is as crude as it looks.

Once you've got your Alt about right, adjust the bar that the threaded bolt runs through until the bolt is at 90 degrees to the tilt plate, rather than at some slanting angle.

Drift adjustment will be a little easier if you put larger diameter steel "penny" or "fender" washers plus nylon washers under the adjustment handwheels.

Shouldn't be hard to master the LX10, there's no GoTo, so no Autostar settings to fathom out.

Michael

So essentially what you are saying is the lock down the altitude adjustment with bolts and washers to keep it more secure? The forks on the OTA to the drive offer alt. adjustment anyways so that may be the ticket.

[michael8554]

Sorry, my description of the positioning of the washers wasn't very clear.

The washers are to be fitted under the locking handwheels on the side of the wedge, the ones that allow the tiltplate to move when they are loosened.

The trouble is that once you have made an adjustment to the Alt, the tiltplate moves when the handwheels are tightened.

The washers help prevent that shifting.

Michael 

[Spacefreak1974]

Sorry, my description of the positioning of the washers wasn't very clear.

The washers are to be fitted under the locking handwheels on the side of the wedge, the ones that allow the tiltplate to move when they are loosened.

The trouble is that once you have made an adjustment to the Alt, the tiltplate moves when the handwheels are tightened.

The washers help prevent that shifting.

Michael 

Thanks Michael-I may see if Telescope Warehouse (a reseller on Ebay who buys used and refurb) has a complete new hardware kit to get my wedge up to snuff. I'd like to do it right and maybe even get instructions as well (Meade isn't too good with instructions...)