Tak FC-100 - a few questions :)

[Piero]

11 hours ago, Stu said:

Same here Gerry

And same here too! 

A solid mount head can really make the difference. First of all, it is a pleasure to use (and not an effort!). Secondly, it allows you to forget about vibrations (assuming you don't observe during a hurricane!). Third (A) if the mount is Alt/Az, it's like moving an excellent dobson; (B) if it is equatorial, you only need to care of moving one axis. Personally, I do not use slow motion controls, but just gently push the giro mounts and this moves sooooo smoothly, without any form of backlash or blockage. Balancing can also be resolved easily and with little money using one or two wrists weights attached to the dovetail, if you do not want to slide the latter along the saddle. A good tripod is also worth it to me. 

 

---

If one day I get the Quark, I will use the TV60 for h-alpha obs and mount this on the other side of the AYO. Mmm.. ? hang on... this might lead to the purchase of an ERF for the Tak.... LOL! 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Piero said:

And same here too! 

A solid mount head can really make the difference. First of all, it is a pleasure to use (and not an effort!). Secondly, it allows you to forget about vibrations (assuming you don't observe during a hurricane!). Third (A) if the mount is Alt/Az, it's like moving an excellent dobson; (B) if it is equatorial, you only need to care of moving one axis. Personally, I do not use slow motion controls, but just gently push the giro mounts and this moves sooooo smoothly, without any form of backlash or blockage. Balancing can also be resolved easily and with little money using one or two wrists weights attached to the dovetail, if you do not want to slide the latter along the saddle. A good tripod is also worth it to me. 

 

---

If one day I get the Quark, I will use the TV60 for h-alpha obs and mount this on the other side of the AYO. Mmm.. ? hang on... this might lead to the purchase of an ERF for the Tak.... LOL! 

Get the Quark Piero. It will go well with the Televue and/or the Tak.

i love mine!

[Piero]

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Get the Quark Piero. It will go well with the Televue and/or the Tak.

i love mine!

Currently saving for it!

[John]

I was using my ED120 tonight on the Skytee II and was getting the 1 second or less vibration dampening that has been mentioned. No counterweight on the other side either. I think the wooden tripod helps

I got the scope up to 281x on Delta Cygni, moved the star to one side of the FoV and let it drift for periods of well over 20 seconds before needing to touch the slow motion knob. Worked nicely. The eyepiece I was using had an AFoV of 55 degrees so not a really wide one by any means.

 

 

[25585]

14 hours ago, John said:

I was using my ED120 tonight on the Skytee II and was getting the 1 second or less vibration dampening that has been mentioned. No counterweight on the other side either. I think the wooden tripod helps

I got the scope up to 281x on Delta Cygni, moved the star to one side of the FoV and let it drift for periods of well over 20 seconds before needing to touch the slow motion knob. Worked nicely. The eyepiece I was using had an AFoV of 55 degrees so not a really wide one by any means.

 

 

Which eyepiece was that John?

Skytees that are fine are good value for money. I think their heavy weight absorbs a good deal of vibration. In a budget sense they are the almost-perfect match for 120 refractors, 8 inch Cassegrains etc. 

Which leg spreader/tensioner do you use on your tripod?

[Timebandit]

14 hours ago, John said:

I was using my ED120 tonight on the Skytee II and was getting the 1 second or less vibration dampening that has been mentioned. No counterweight on the other side either. I think the wooden tripod helps

 

 

 

 

Yes John . A wooden tripod does seem to assist with the dampening effect . Compared to a metal tripod the wood seems to absorb the vibration which helps considerably on the vibration time or lack of vibration. If you want to cut vibration to a minimum IMO a wooden tripod certainty is the way to go to help absorb and dampen the vibration

 

. 

[John]

2 hours ago, 25585 said:

Which eyepiece was that John?

Skytees that are fine are good value for money. I think their heavy weight absorbs a good deal of vibration. In a budget sense they are the almost-perfect match for 120 refractors, 8 inch Cassegrains etc. 

Which leg spreader/tensioner do you use on your tripod?

The eyepiece was a 7.2mm - 21.5mm zoom used at 7.2mm with a Baader Q-Turret 2.25x barlow. The wooden tripod is of the Oberwerk hardwood type (I also have a Berlebach Uni 28 but that is generally overkill for all but the 130mm refractor). The spreader is a plastic one like the Skywatcher aluminum tripods use, but it works.

Tripod / mount pictured below but used with the legs extended for nighttime use with the ED120.

 

[25585]

1 hour ago, John said:

The eyepiece was a 7.2mm - 21.5mm zoom used at 7.2mm with a Baader Q-Turret 2.25x barlow. The wooden tripod is of the Oberwerk hardwood type (I also have a Berlebach Uni 28 but that is generally overkill for all but the 130mm refractor). The spreader is a plastic one like the Skywatcher aluminum tripods use, but it works.

Tripod / mount pictured below but used with the legs extended for nighttime use with the ED120.

 

Thank you. It's interesting to know there are other wooden tripods (apart from surveyor) suitable for 120s. Yours looks like a TR3. 

Did the Oberwerk have an EQ5 mounting plate?

Edited June 20, 2018 by 25585

[John]

1 hour ago, 25585 said:

Thank you. It's interesting to know there are other wooden tripods (apart from surveyor) suitable for 120s. Yours looks like a TR3. 

Did the Oberwerk have an EQ5 mounting plate?

No - it has survey tripod type top plate so I have had to make my own mounting facility using a large steel plate with a hole drilled in it:

 

[25585]

I have one of those yellow & red tripods that needs the same solution. Just needs a couple of very big washers with 10mm holes in the middle. I have a bolt etc. 

[SAW]

Just been flicking through this thread as I can't decide on the FC-100DC or FC-76DCU with the extender.

Would the FC-100DC be ok mounted on one of these, https://www.altairastro.com/Starwave-Mini-AZ-Mount.html hope it's ok to link to another supplier but it's the same one as I own.

Driving me nuts trying to decide which one to go for !

[Piero]

18 hours ago, SAW said:

Just been flicking through this thread as I can't decide on the FC-100DC or FC-76DCU with the extender.

Would the FC-100DC be ok mounted on one of these, https://www.altairastro.com/Starwave-Mini-AZ-Mount.html hope it's ok to link to another supplier but it's the same one as I own.

Driving me nuts trying to decide which one to go for !

I have one of those mount heads although branded by German TS. 

They are nice mount heads and mine is used with a TV-60.

Personally, and other can disagree, I would not use it with my Tak-100 which is DF and not DC. The Tak 76 will be okay, but the 100 is longer and heavier. The head should offer more friction and be sturdier.

For the Tak 100, I would go with a giro Ercole mini at least. 

 

 

Anyway, the Tak76 and Tak100 are rather different scopes. If travelling and grab and go are more important, go for the former, otherwise go for the latter.

Personally, I wouldn't go for the 76mm plus extender hoping that it will perform like the 100mm, because it will not.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Piero

[BGazing]

On 12/06/2019 at 08:39, Piero said:

I have one of those mount heads although branded by German TS. 

They are nice mount heads and mine is used with a TV-60.

Personally, and other can disagree, I would not use it with my Tak-100 which is DF and not DC. The Tak 76 will be okay, but the 100 is longer and heavier. The head should offer more friction and be sturdier.

For the Tak 100, I would go with a giro Ercole mini at least. 

 

 

Anyway, the Tak76 and Tak100 are rather different scopes. If travelling and grab and go are more important, go for the former, otherwise go for the latter.

Personally, I wouldn't go for the 76mm plus extender hoping that it will perform like the 100mm, because it will not.

This looks marginally bigger than my DSV-M and I would never put Tak on it.

On the other hand, Az-GTI handles Tak DF well.