Flexure Issues on Sphinx SXW

[DeepSkyMan]

Hi there, I have had my SXW for about two years now, and have been quite pleased with it, however I have always been bugged by the amount of flexure in the system when tightening the RA and Dec clamps at the start of an observing session.  Typically for setup I use a gigantic wind turbine about a mile away to zero in the guide scope and the telescope (an 8" Edge HD).  It doesn't take me long to get things zeroed in, however tightening of the clamps at this point always results in compromising the accuracy.  In order for this not to happen you have to be so dainty with the tightening process that its hardly worth doing as they are sure to slip during the observing session.  Does anyone have similar experience of this?  If so have you come up with a solution?

Regards

Paul J.

[ollypenrice]

This is just to align the fnderscope to the SCT? Why don't you point the scope roughly at the top of the wind turbine, lock the clutches, then centre it on the turbine using the drives, switching it off the moment you're on target. Then align the finder. Tightening clutches usually does move the OTA.

Olly

[DeepSkyMan]

Olly

Thanks for your feedback, sometimes I guess you just get into a routine and it sort of blinds you to the glaringly obvious...!  Now all I need is some clear skies to persuade me to get the gear out :-)

Paul.