Broken dovetail plate

[johnfosteruk]

Evening all,

I have a skywatcher 120 newt on a skywatcher EQ2 and one of the ends has sheared off the dovetail bar. 

Whats the cheapest replacement? I assume it'll be a similar, single bar that the rings mount onto, in which case what am I looking for as skywatcher only seem to have them specifically made for the eq5. Bear in mind there's a nut sticking up out of the saddle, and the holes for the nuts which fix it to the saddle are about 59mm apart at centre. Anyone know of a product that'll do it for me?

I wouldn't mind moving to a 'system' as long as the price is reasonable, so what's the cheapest way I'm going to set it up so I can keep the tube in the rings and slide the whole assembly  in and out of the mount as required? I hope that makes sense. Bear in mind I will be upgrading the mount to something more robust later in the year as I intend to get a decent finder scope and start fumbling around the crazy world of imaging so the EQ2 won't be suitable for much longer as I'll need tracking and more weight bearing capability. With that in mind I'll need to know that whatever I have is likely sit on something like an EQ5/6 or whatever I end up with. I don't want the 'system' to be redundant if I can avoid it.

 

 

[Bizibilder]

I don't have an EQ2 but I would guess you need the smallest of these: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-dovetail-mounting-plates.html  

[johnfosteruk]

Thanks mate. But what's worrying me is it says they're for eq5 and 6. I'm concerned they won't fit.  Does anyone have one and if so can they tell me the distance between centres of the holes for fitting to the saddle

[Bizibilder]

It is not uncommon to have to drill holes in dovetail plates to fit your own equipment.  Having said that someone may be able to give you a definitive answer.

[roblegion]

John, I have an EQ2 and it doesn't have a "dovetail" in the regular sense of the word, It has a bar that bots to0 the mount head and then the tube rings bolt to this.

Is it the black bar underneath the white puck and silver bar you are referring to?

[johnfosteruk]

Hey Rob,

that's the chap.

Fingers crossed, I have Steve from FLO on the case trying to source one.

[roblegion]

Hi John, if its the uppermost black part, it's definitely not a dovetail. Have a look at Astroboot uk, they usually have a few EQ2 heads only for a reasonable price.

[johnfosteruk]

Thanks mate, just bagged one for £25. Why did I not know about this site before????

Looks like when I'm ready to upgrade the mount I'll be cobbling it together with bits from Astroboot!!!