I just can't believe my luck (bad that is)!!!!!

[RayD]

Well I was all happy and excited that I had picked up my brand new Mesu 200 from Bern on Tuesday.  Got it home safely, and set it up on my workbench to play with and set up whilst I complete my observatory.

Sitting in the living room tonight, hear a crash, and yep, bench has collapsed and my brand new Mesu was on the floor with one of the motors hanging off and the motor shaft badly bent 

This hobby really doesn't like me at all.

To say I'm going to have a bad night's sleep is an understatement, I'm gutted 

[Mick J]

Ouch, feel for you Ray - if that's any use.

[RayD]

1 minute ago, Mick J said:

Ouch, feel for you Ray - if that's any use.

Cheers Mick.

I'm a positive person by nature, so try to think it could have been worse and it could have fallen on me or my Esprit, which was close by, but i's hard to be positive when you see nearly £6k sitting on the floor in bits.

Oh well, hopefully it can be repaired.

[Star101]

WOW Ray, so sorry to hear that bad news. I picked up my Mesu today. I did hear about your misfortune and to be honest its made me EXTRA careful with mine. When I got home I dare not trust any table so I put it out the way on the floor. Tested and checked ALL OK. But it stayed on the floor away from any danger.

I really feel for you man. That would make my stomach churn. Hope you get it sorted soon. 

[RayD]

5 hours ago, Star101 said:

WOW Ray, so sorry to hear that bad news. I picked up my Mesu today. I did hear about your misfortune and to be honest its made me EXTRA careful with mine. When I got home I dare not trust any table so I put it out the way on the floor. Tested and checked ALL OK. But it stayed on the floor away from any danger.

I really feel for you man. That would make my stomach churn. Hope you get it sorted soon. 

Thanks.  Yes Bern did say he was going to warn people.  I didn't expect the benchh to collapse, but I guess it is a bit of a lump so I can only blame myself.

I've been dealing with Bern and Lucas who are both great, and am driving it over to Lucas on Wednesday to get fixed.  Hopefully all will then be ok again.  There isn't that much damage, just one motor shaft, but they are plastic mounted so actually pretty delicate.

Hope you enjoy yours, I did for the 4 hours I had it, it is certainly a wonderful piece of kit 

[Stu]

I think that does count as very unlucky Ray, you might expect a scope to roll off a bench, but not for a bench to collapse

I'm sure they will look after you, but must have been a horrid shock.

[RayD]

It was my own stupid fault Stu so I can't moan. It was a good bench but I suppose years of use and finally one leg just gave up the ghost. I should have just put it on the floor until it can go on the pier. A lesson learned the hard way. 

I was absolutely gutted when I heard a huge crash and then saw it was broken as you can imagine, but hopefully it can be fixed and Lucas Mesu and Bern couldn't have been more helpful.  

[Davey-T]

Damn thats not good Ray, pretty traumatic, is the bench wood ? you could burn it if it makes you feel better.

At least it's fixable and help is at hand, imagine if it was a Paramount could take months to fix 

Hopefully there won't be too many clear nights before it's up and running.

Dave

 

[Nova2000]

Very unlucky indeed. I hope it gets fixed. I may also learn something from this as the club keeps a cge mount on a plastic table sometimes! 

I'm sure Lucas Mesu will get it fixed. 

 

[RayD]

Cheers guys.

Yes it was a wooden table Dave, just a small little work bench which has been with me for years, but is now no more, it is deceased, snuffed it 

I'm a bit more at ease with it now, and as with all things like this I don't think (I hope) it's not as bad as it at first seems. Hopefully a few weeks and all will be good again.  Until then, AVX it is 

[RayD]

Well what can I say about Lucas Mesu other than what a total gent and all round nice guy. 

Travelled to his place this morning for what I thought was dropping my mount off for repair. I'm now sitting on the Eurotunnel train with a fully repaired mount in the rear foot well and a belly full of his Wife's wonderful cake and biscuits. 

He kindly gave up his time to immediately look at and repair my mount whilst I went off to do some recommended sightseeing. 

Top service, top bloke and a workshop to dribble over (although I'd be scared to on the pristine floor). 

Needless to say the Mesu-200 is now living wrapped in cotton wool on the floor until it can go on the pier. 

Also got to see the Mesu-300 in the flesh...... OMG!! That thing is a beast, and if you have 250kg of scopes you may want to look at one. 

Big thumbs up and happy ending all round, and a service that I think anyone would be proud of 

[carastro]

OMG what a story.  All's well that ends well though.

Where did you have to travel to?  Good job you live in Kent.

Carole 

[RayD]

12 hours ago, carastro said:

OMG what a story.  All's well that ends well though.

Where did you have to travel to?  Good job you live in Kent.

Carole 

Over to Holland Carole. Not a bad journey to be honest. About 4 hours total so back indoors now and happy as Larry 

Edit:  That is 4 hours total one way btw not overall.

[tomato]

Wow, Lucas must be King of Customer Service.

Really sorry to hear of your mishap, and pleased to hear about such a rapid and positive resolution.

Apologies for returning to the trauma, but your bench wasn't a folding Workmate type by any chance?

The reason I ask is because I lift the mount on and off the pier for every session, I was going to use a Workmate to split the lift into two, hence theoretically reducing the risk of dropping it. I thought a workmate would take the load no problem, but after reading your post doubts are creeping in.....

[RayD]

9 hours ago, tomato said:

Wow, Lucas must be King of Customer Service.

Really sorry to hear of your mishap, and pleased to hear about such a rapid and positive resolution.

Apologies for returning to the trauma, but your bench wasn't a folding Workmate type by any chance?

The reason I ask is because I lift the mount on and off the pier for every session, I was going to use a Workmate to split the lift into two, hence theoretically reducing the risk of dropping it. I thought a workmate would take the load no problem, but after reading your post doubts are creeping in.....

No it was actually quite a sturdy little home made one with a shelf half way down which added support to the legs. Looking at it afterwards it seems the wood had split near one of the screws on the shelf and the leg gave way. I guess I didn't have the mount dead in the centre of the bench. 

I'd say a workmate would be OK, but of course don't underestimate the point load of the mount. 

[Nova2000]

How long till you get your hands back on the Mesu!? 

[tooth_dr]

13 minutes ago, Nova2000 said:

How long till you get your hands back on the Mesu!? 

He has it back. Was repaired same day. 

[Nova2000]

1 minute ago, tooth_dr said:

He has it back. Was repaired same day. 

Oh wow. 

[Nova2000]

12 hours ago, RayD said:

Well what can I say about Lucas Mesu other than what a total gent and all round nice guy. 

Travelled to his place this morning for what I thought was dropping my mount off for repair. I'm now sitting on the Eurotunnel train with a fully repaired mount in the rear foot well and a belly full of his Wife's wonderful cake and biscuits. 

He kindly gave up his time to immediately look at and repair my mount whilst I went off to do some recommended sightseeing. 

Top service, top bloke and a workshop to dribble over (although I'd be scared to on the pristine floor). 

Needless to say the Mesu-200 is now living wrapped in cotton wool on the floor until it can go on the pier. 

Also got to see the Mesu-300 in the flesh...... OMG!! That thing is a beast, and if you have 250kg of scopes you may want to look at one. 

Big thumbs up and happy ending all round, and a service that I think anyone would be proud of 

Happy ending! 

A dual C14 rig on mesu 300?

[RayD]

30 minutes ago, Nova2000 said:

Happy ending! 

A dual C14 rig on mesu 300?

Indeed it is an extremely happy ending Rajesh.  As tooth_dr noted, Lucas repaired it the same day so I was able to bring it back home with me all working and new software set up for the new motor configuration.  Running like a dream again.

Yes dual C14's would be easily accommodated on the Mesu-300 I should think if they would physically fit.  The thing is HUGE 

[tomato]

Yes, I am being paranoid about the mount weight, I recall I had a car engine on a workmate bench in my youth.

Nevertheless I will be happy for a variety of reasons when I finally get the Mesu on a permenant pier.