Skymax 127 setup help please!

[wonneil]

Hi all,

I have just bought my first telescope on an auto-tracking mount and think I have a part missing!

The instruction manual is way out of date as it shows the scope held on to the mount with a circular clamp type device which is not on my equipment.

What mine has is two arch shaped semi circles either side of the arm attachment and one has a large bolt which is there to tighten up the scope to the arm. The problem is I dont think one bolt is going to be secure enough? Should I have a part which attaches to the scope first (the scope has a black bracket on it that has four threaded holes into it) I'm guessing I'm missing a part that needs to screw into the scope's bracket then i attach to the arm then tighten the screw?

Does anyone here know, or can point me to a link that actually has up to date instructions?

As you can imagine I'm not a happy chappy so far

[MikeP]

Any chance you couls post pictures?

Mike

[wonneil]

Unfortunately not, sorry.

I'm not sure where my pc connector is

It just doesn't seem right to me. I have even tried looking on the Skywatcher website and their manuals even show a large circular bracket that wraps round the telescope, yet the picture on the box doesn't so at least that's up to date! lol

Just a shame there are no instructions to go with the new picture :nono:

[barkis]

Where did you get the scope from mate.? It must have had a manual, even if it is second hand.

The Skywatcher website may have a facility for manual downloads, so you may get one via that route.

Ron.

[John]

I had one of those and the instructions were not good !.

I don't think you do have anything missing. The bracket on the scope (known as a dovetail bar) sits between the 2 semi-circular shaped bits and the bolt then tightens up on it and clamps it in place - the dovetail bar has a sort of wedge profile (ie: the bottom is wider than the top) and this shape plus the shape of the slot that its fitting into (also tapered) means that, as the bolt is tightened it is held firmly in place. The whole design is meant to make taking scopes on and off mounts quick and secure.

John

[PaulG]

Doesn't the telescope use a dove tail plate to fix to the mount ?.

Paul

[PaulG]

This website show the back end of the mount here

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.spacegazer.com/images/photos/SupaTrakReview%2520(10).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.spacegazer.com/&h=151&w=180&sz=24&hl=en&start=80&um=1&tbnid=26ImA1xJ2tZ6PM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dskywatcher%2Bskymax%2B127%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26sa%3DN

Sorry for the long URL.

Paul

[wonneil]

Cheers guys!

There is a plate connected on the telescope, it's just it has four threaded holes in it which made me think I have a part missing, is one screw strong enough to hold it up?

Here is a picture of the scope I have (nicked it from google images off of another forum)

(click to enlarge)

Like I say the instruction manual shows a large bracket that wraps round the scope.

Anyone know what the four holes are for on the scope if I haven't actually got a part missing?

Cheers

[wonneil]

LOL Paul "Snap"

[John]

Hers a pic of another mount that uses that approach:

(click to enlarge)

Hope that helps a bit.

John

[John]

There is a plate connected on the telescope, it's just it has four threaded holes in it which made me think I have a part missing, is one screw strong enough to hold it up?

Like I say the instruction manual shows a large bracket that wraps round the scope.

Anyone know what the four holes are for on the scope if I haven't actually got a part missing?

Cheers

ON my version I found that the holes were threaded to fit a photo tripod screw - never used them though.

One tension bolt is OK with smaller lighter scopes - mounts for larger scopes have more bolts !.

John

[PaulG]

Snap :laughing2:

If you look at Johns pic you will see the grab arm locking knob, this is all that pinches the black dove tail to the mount. Just nip it up but don't over tighten.

It looks and feels like it's not strong enough but my 127 uses the same system on my EQ3-2 mount too.

Paul

[wonneil]

Cheers John.

Ok so my scope has a dovetail attached to it (I know what it is now), my arm is like the pic in my post, I just didn't want to connect it with one screw to move it slightly and have it drop on the floor and break

If someone can confirm that it is just one screw I tighten by hand and the four threaded holes do nothing I will give it a go

[PaulG]

This is a pic of my mount showing the main grab arm locking knob.

[wonneil]

Nice one, thanks guys, you have confirmed everything!

Now just need to get Skywatcher to update their instruction manuals!

[PaulG]

Nice one, thanks guys, you have confirmed everything!

Now just need to get Skywatcher to update their instruction manuals!

Don't hold your breath, my manual describes EQ3-2 and EQ5 and two different mount heads in the same manual.

Very confusing :x

I can understand your reluctance to hold the telescope with only one screw.

So no excuse not to get out tonight unless you bump into you know what

Paul

[A McEwan]

You know, seeing all these pics of my telescopes is bringing a tear to my eye! Glad you've got it all sorted now Wonneil - Good luck with first light!

[wonneil]

That little screw is one strong mother.... :hello1:

Hopefully my last newb question of the night (at least until it gets dark anyway) What is the best lens to attach on my first try, I have fitted the diagonal mirror.

I have a 2x Barlow lens (which I take it needs one of the remaining two fitted to it as it has a little screw) a Super 10 Long Eye Relief and a Super 25 Wide Angle?

Come on night time!!

[PaulG]

That little screw is one strong mother.... :hello1:

Hopefully my last newb question of the night (at least until it gets dark anyway) What is the best lens to attach on my first try, I have fitted the diagonal mirror.

I have a 2x Barlow lens (which I take it needs one of the remaining two fitted to it as it has a little screw) a Super 10 Long Eye Relief and a Super 25 Wide Angle?

Come on night time!!

While it's still light set up your finder, otherwise you will struggle finding anything.

Have a crack at Jupiter which is low in the southern sky with your 25mm then use the barlow and the 25mm if the conditions are good.

You should see some of Jupiter's moons too.

Paul

[A McEwan]

Stick with the 25mm to start with as it gives a lower magnification and therefore a wider field, so will be easier to find objects. Once centered in the 25mm, you may want to swap to the 10mm, but don't feel you have to on the first night out! Remember also, that these Maksutovs have a looooooong focus travel. That means you may have to keep turning the focus knob many many times until focus is achieved, and you may have to try both directions before getting it. If you know that you're lined up on a bright star like Vega, Deneb, Altair, Polaris, etc, but can't see anything in the eyepiece, it could well be that the focus is way off, so don't be alarmed: just keep adjusting the focus knob slowly until it eventually gets to a clear sharp focus.

Actually, it's not a bad idea to turn the focus knob all the way in both directions until it stops turning, and then return it to the original position (ish) as it helps to spread the grease out along the focusing mechanism and reduce the mirror shift that you sometimes get in Maksutovs and Schmidt Cassegrains when focusing on objects.

Hope this helps,

Ant

[wonneil]

Thank you it very much helps, as with everyone on this forum!

Although the last newb question was very premature of me! lol

What's the best distance to set the finder scope, if it matters that is? (Can you get any more newbie?)

[John]

What's the best distance to set the finder scope, if it matters that is? (Can you get any more newbie?)

Pick an object as far away as you can - I use a chimney on a house about half a mile away. If you align it using an object thats too close you'll find that the alignment won't be correct when you come to try it on astro objects due to what I think is called parallax error.

John