piggy back ?

[Eric Lawrence]

I have a Meade LX 90 10 inch, Just bought a Orion ED 80 T CF can I piggy back this on my Meade without having to retool any new holes. Would like to use it for astrophotography for now till I pick up a mount. Any advise. Thank You.... Eric

[opticalpath]

You can purchase dovetail plates that attach to your Meade tube using the existing screw holes around the end rings of the tube.  These plates then provide a flat platform on which you can mount tube rings to hold your refractor.  There are two types: one that uses radius blocks, specially shaped to the curvature of your LX90 tube, with a separate dovetail plate, like this: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imEZt14-URo

or there are lighter-duty mini-dovetails that attach directly, without radius blocks, using only one screw at each end like these:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/adm-mini-dovetail-series/adm_mdb_m10.html

The larger dovetail with radius blocks and two screw fixings at each end are vey sturdy and a better option for your refractor imo.  If you don't want the expense of a full dovetail and clamping system and you're up for a little DIY, you may be able to purchase the correct size radius blocks separately and make your own simple aluminium mounting plate to fit, drilled to take the refractor's mounting rings.

Adrian
 

[michael8554]

Mount it so that the LX90 and ED80 combo is in balance when you release the DEC lock.

If you do decide to use it long-term,  consider getting a 2D balance system that fits on a rail underneath the OTA.

This will minimise the load on your RA and Dec motors, wherever you're pointing.

Michael

[Merlin66]

I used the ADM mini-rail solution on a number of Meade SCT's (8", 10" and 12").

Now use the same set-up on the C11 for the 200mm f4 Zuiko/ ATiK16  "electronic" finder.

Works for me.