AZ EQ6 Alt adjustment bolt

[RayD]

Am I doing something wrong, or do other people find the bolt too long and struggle avoiding it with their filter wheel and cables etc. when using a shortish refractor?  I always seem to have to struggle with shifting things around as this bolt seems to be just far too long for its intended purpose.

Has anyone else found this bolt an issue, and how have you overcome this?

[carastro]

Ignore, irrelevant now I have seen a photo of an AZ EQ6

Carole 

 

[Ouroboros]

No but I can see it could be with a filter wheel. I usually tie cables up better than this photo shows. What scope etc are you using?  Maybe nonsense idea, but coukd you shift the scope backwards to get the filter wheel away from the bolt and add a counterweight at the other end? 

 

[RayD]

19 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

No but I can see it could be with a filter wheel. I usually tie cables up better than this photo shows. What scope etc are you using?  Maybe nonsense idea, but coukd you shift the scope backwards to get the filter wheel away from the bolt and add a counterweight at the other end? 

Yes that's what I do at the moment (weight on the dovetail) but I always worry as it is all very close.  At the moment I have the FSQ 106 with a EFW3 (which is pretty big) and am using it with a OAG, so it is all very close, even with the weight.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I posted this a few days ago & can't find the link....  I've pushed back the wheel\cameras quite a bit, but what it doesn't show it the large weight (smallest Skywatcher bar weight), I've had to add to achieve balance, but it does work 

[RayD]

9 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I posted this a few days ago & can't find the link....  I've pushed back the wheel\cameras quite a bit, but what it doesn't show it the large weight (smallest Skywatcher bar weight), I've had to add to achieve balance, but it does work 

Ok thanks.  So it seems others do have the same issue, and are overcoming it in the same way (dovetail weight).  It is all very close on the FSQ with the EFW3, so I think I will need to put a slightly longer Losmandy plate on and shift the weight further forward which will give me a bit more breathing space.

[carastro]

Can you turn the filterwheel up the other way, i.e. projecting upwards. I tend to do that at camp to avoid tripod clash with the EFW when I am using my refractors.  Though if you're using a SW FR then that might not be possible because of having to screw in to threads - I use a baader click lock so can put the camera/EFW in in any position. 

Carole 

 

[spaceman_spiff]

I think you can set slewing limits for the mount. Not done it myself but might be worth looking into.

[RayD]

48 minutes ago, carastro said:

Can you turn the filterwheel up the other way, i.e. projecting upwards. I tend to do that at camp to avoid tripod clash with the EFW when I am using my refractors.  Though if you're using a SW FR then that might not be possible because of having to screw in to threads - I use a baader click lock so can put the camera/EFW in in any position. 

Carole 

 

Yes it is upwards, Carole, but the OAG camera is then downwards, which is what gets veeeery close 

[RayD]

14 minutes ago, spaceman_spiff said:

I think you can set slewing limits for the mount. Not done it myself but might be worth looking into.

Yes the limits are set using EQMOD etc. but the OAG camera and filter wheel come close well before this point.  At the limits it's actually ok.

I think it isn't helped by the fact that the EFW3 is a pretty big wheel, I am using the OAG and the 16200 camera, which means the OTA has to be slid a fair way forward to get balance, even with the dovetail weight.  I think I will definitely try a longer dovetail and mount the rings on the rear fixing points.

[Starflyer]

18 hours ago, RayD said:

Yes it is upwards, Carole, but the OAG camera is then downwards, which is what gets veeeery close 

I have this problem too, EFW2 and OAG, the bolt definitely gets in the way. I have a smallish sensor (Atik 460) and rotate the camera so the filter wheel and OAG are horizontal when parked.

I was looking at it the other day and even considered cutting the top of the bolt off and welding a standard bolt head on top.

The thread is too course anyway, what would be good is an engineered solution. A new stainless bolt and the threaded block bit at the bottom, with a finer thread, 50mm shorter with a flush head to take an Allen key.

Cheers

Ian

[RayD]

36 minutes ago, Starflyer said:

I have this problem too, EFW2 and OAG, the bolt definitely gets in the way. I have a smallish sensor (Atik 460) and rotate the camera so the filter wheel and OAG are horizontal when parked.

I was looking at it the other day and even considered cutting the top of the bolt off and welding a standard bolt head on top.

The thread is too course anyway, what would be good is an engineered solution. A new stainless bolt and the threaded block bit at the bottom, with a finer thread, 50mm shorter with a flush head to take an Allen key.

Cheers

Ian

Cheers Ian.

I did try it horizontal, but whether because my mount is Stellar drive tuned maybe, it seemed to throw the balance out when pointing near the meridian.

I agree, it is too course, which makes fine adjustment pretty hit and miss.  I think I'll look at a possible machined retrofit mod for this which may be of interest to others suffering the same issue.

I love the mount, but this seems a little bit of an oversight to me.

[Jkulin]

I have the same problem Ray, it does my head in and is a bad design.

I do manage to get balance, but have to compromise the rotation of the EFW.

I'm putting up with it for now until the new Moravian arrives with FW and OAG, then will move it back a lot further and use a counterweight via a mini Losmandy/Vixen rail clamp with weights threaded.

I have thought about buying a spare and cutting it down as it really is a pain.

[spaceman_spiff]

Is there a way of extending the AZ-EQ6's saddle outwards...

I can see replacement saddles but not extensions. You could get one machined, also this would increase the load on the mount quite a bit.

[MeyGray3833]

I have an observatory and I am toying with the idea of removing it once I have refined my polar alignment a bit more.

If you do the hand bolts tight and then carefully remove the adjuster and fit a bolt with a washer you should be good to go.

At the moment my setup with my OAG and filter wheel are horizontal in the home position.

[Starflyer]

3 hours ago, RayD said:

Cheers Ian.

I did try it horizontal, but whether because my mount is Stellar drive tuned maybe, it seemed to throw the balance out when pointing near the meridian.

I agree, it is too course, which makes fine adjustment pretty hit and miss.  I think I'll look at a possible machined retrofit mod for this which may be of interest to others suffering the same issue.

I love the mount, but this seems a little bit of an oversight to me.

Do let me know if you go further with this, I'm sure we could get enough people together to get a small batch made up somewhere.