New tripod for mounting Astrotrac?

[michaelmorris]

For the last few years I've been using my Astrotrac mounted on an old Celestron/Skywatcher AZ3 Alt-AZ mount. I tilt the head by 52 deg then use the Alt and AZ slow motion controls to provide pretty precise polar alignment.  This works well.

However, the cheap aluminimum tripod clamp castings are now starting to crack and it will soon be time to retire this tripod.  But what to replace it with?

1. I could do a straight swap for under £100, or;
2. I could just replace the tripod, or:
3. I could replace the tripod and head

If I go for option 1, I may have to run into the same problem again in a few years time.  If I go for option 2, which tripod would you recommend?  If I go for option 3 I'd probably plumb fo a Star Adventurer wedge and a tripod (which one?)

Your thoughts and/or recommendations on this subject would be greatly appreciated. (Please bear in mind that there will be signifcant budgetary constraints on this)

Thanks

[happy-kat]

Have you checked out astroboot?

They sometimes have for example eq5 tripod the legs only bit (no head) or other tripod only bits.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I modded a similar aluminium tripod, replacing aluminium for hardwood. Works very nicely:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/106352-tripod-rebuild-from-aluminium-to-hardwood/

I also use it with the mini-giro mount

[Psychobilly]

I would avoid any tripod that has a centre column... 

One of the major sources of Flex with the Manfrotto 190 that they supply as part of the kit it the mechanism that allows the centre column to switch from Vertical to horizontal...

I used to use a bulky and expensive Manfrotto 405 geared head (the bigger brother for the 410 in the kit) between the tripod and mount but have replaced it with the star adventurer wedge which is plenty man enough for most of my lenses and far easier to setup and carry...

Peter...