Mount for a Fullerscoope refractor?

[Joanna J]

Hello, All,

Impulsive creature that I am, I seem to have decided to get back into astronomy after several years by acquiring a Fullerscope 4-1/2" f11 refractor OTA. It's one of the ones with the brass and the black crinkle finish. Unfortunately, it didn't come with a mount. Other than a Fullerscope mount, if I could find one, what else might anyone suggest for a substantial and appropriate-looking mount? 

Thanks!

Joanna J, Winchester

[John]

Hi Joanna,

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on such a lovely scope !

From what I recall the Fullerscope refractors are solidly built and the ones around 4" came on the Fullerscopes Mk III mounts.

The modern equivalent would be something like a Skywatcher HEQ5 or Celestron AVX. The Skywatcher EQ5 or Celestron CG5 mounts might do the job but the tube length creates quite a lot of strain on the mount head so you need something quite sturdy.

If it was me I might try a "wanted" advert on the UK Astro Buy & Sell website for a Mk III Fullerscopes mount in the 1st instance because it would be lovely to put the scope on the mount that it was intended for. You can actually pick up the old Fullerscopes mounts quite cheaply so save some £'s over the more modern ones that I've mentioned.

You may need to be prepared to travel to pick it up though - they don't lend themselves to being posted !

A tall wooden tripod would complete the setup very well although the tall pillars look great as well !

Hope you find something suitable soon

[philj]

Congratulations on your scope, I have the 4" Deluxe, brass and black F15.

I don't recall them doing a 4.5" mainstream, their range was 3", 4" and 6" but you could never tell with FS as they did specials. I would like to see a pic of it as it sounds an interesting scope.

The best mount to match with this is a Fullerscopes MK4 but the chances of getting one of those is slim. They also sold them with Mk3 mounts with tripod or pedestal and these come up for sale occasionally, usually requiring restoration.

As for modern mounts, well my HEQ5 on Berlebach tripod handles the 4" F15, just, its at the mounts limit. Not because the scope is heavy but because its long. An HEQ6 would do it justice but you would need a taller tripod than the stock one as these are just too short for a long tubed refractor like this. But if you don't mind scrabbling about on the floor when looking up towards the zenith then the standard one would be fine.

 

Same as you I got my scope without a mount, but I already had an antique T Cooke equatorial mount to put it on. However I had to build a tripod.

  

[Putaendo Patrick]

A lot depends on what you want the mount to do - Equatorial, Alt-Azimuth, Go-to etc. And on what you want to spend! Another consideration is how portable you want it to be.

I could see your Fullerscope looking awfully pretty on a rather traditional wood tripod. The only company that I know that makes these today is Berlebach, but they don't come cheap: https://www.berlebach.de/?sprache=english

A cheaper alternative might be adapting (and I don't know how feasible this is!) a second-hand wood surveyor's tripod originally used for a theodolite.

By the way, lots of Fullerscope material to drool over at http://fullerscopes.blogspot.cl/

 

[philj]

From experience go for the biggest tripod you can, surveyors tripods are not up to it, especially the ali ones, they are too short and too flimsy to cope with a scope of this size plus the mount.

Berlebach tripods are better but too short, again from experience.

 

I have been exactly where you are now and did lots of trial and error. There was nothing in the market that could cope (properly) with this scope so I made one. I have seen folks with HEQ6 s plus extension pillars which work quite well with the standard tripod as it gives the extra height but 1 its ugly and 2 its a bit wobbly due to the turning moments from such a long scope. Better to have a tall tripod.

 

Good luck with your search and plenty of pics please

[Putaendo Patrick]

6 minutes ago, philj said:

From experience go for the biggest tripod you can, surveyors tripods are not up to it, especially the ali ones, they are too short and too flimsy to cope with a scope of this size plus the mount.

Berlebach tripods are better but too short, again from experience.

Good comments - thanks!

[John]

The Berlebach Uni28 tripod is pretty tall - around 5 feet fully extended. With an EQ head on that the dovetail clamp is at around 6 feet high I reckon.

 

 

[Joanna J]

Thanks for the suggestions, and sorry for the delay in replying - I thought I had set up my account so I'd be notified of replies, but apparently not! Patrick, that's a gorgeous set-up you have with your f15. I'll take some photos of my OTA once I'm no longer swamped with work.

I've found a MkIV and several MkIII mounts, with varying combinations of tripods or piers. The MkIIIs are less expensive, of course, but yikes, the MkIV looks nice...I'm remembering, now, just how obsessive the pursuit of telescopes and associated gear can be. 

[John]

I expect you know this but the MK IV mount is really large and very heavy. Much more an observatory mount than one that can be readilly moved around in my opinion. The MK III looks rather spindly compared with the MK IV but can take quite a load.

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

25 minutes ago, Joanna J said:

Patrick, that's a gorgeous set-up you have with your f15

Not mine, I'm afraid, but I wouldn't say no if philj wants to send it down to Chile

[andrew63]

I've just had a look at an old catalogue, it says that the MK 111 mount was intended for refractors up to 4.5" - i've taken an image for you, looks very nice !

 

andrew

[ChrisLX200]

I had that mount (and pier) with a 3" refractor on it. Unless you really want period authenticity I suggest you get something a little more modern!

ChrisH