Beware SkyTee 2 Mount

[jam1e1]

one thing ive found really important to consider with ST2 and suggest consider as caution is 'side direction' of mounting the top puck and scope - what i mean is that the top puck mount has come loose on mine from mounting in direction that the thread unscrews even with bolt tightened. Reason being the weight of any attachment can cause the thread to loosen against the mount head, causing whole assembly to slip. 

i.e. safe mounting - weight plays into anticlockwise direction of thread tightening:

 

unsafe mounting - weight plays into clockwise direction of thread loosening:

 

Personally i wouldn't mount anything more than 3-4kg on it regardless so agree with Johns previous assessment. Hope make sense, thought worth raising given previous points raised

Note as for side puck, ive had no issue mounting 12" newt on it with combined weight on puck of ~17kg or so loaded (OTA/rings/EP/Finder), in addition on the counterweight side 2x5kg weights , so 27kg total, id say that is at maximum end - vibrations damp relatively quickly. 

Jamie

[25585]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Thanks John. I do still reckon the AZEQ6 would be an excellent option for you. Not having to nudge the scope makes a big difference to reducing vibrations, you could even consider a powered focuser so you don’t have to touch it at all. The ‘6’ handled  the Vixen Atlux pretty well and that was significantly longer and heavier.

My bypassing that mount has been based on my own experiences with Skytee. If the AZ EQ6 is made by another manufacturer than the ST, perhaps my quality concerns are wrong. If....

Are Chinese mount makers like the old British car brands; BMC, Austin, Morris, Riley etc if not BL?!

[DirkSteele]

5 hours ago, John said:

There does seem to be a huge jump in cost from the Skytee II / Giro Ercole level of alt-az mount to the next level up. Surely a niche there for a small enterprising company ?

A ~£500 alt-azimuth mount, decently engineered, with a reliable 20kg load capacity would be popular I would think

 

100% agree. There is a big jump in capacity and cost with the APM AzMax Load being the only mount that springs to mind in the next class and it is a substantial jump in cost. Including a Lozmandy G11 tripod and 24kg of counterweights mine tipped the scales at around £2,000.

Compared to the Ercole, the Az MaxLoad really is in a different size class.

 

My review of the APM Az MaxLoad in case anyone is curious:

http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/2016/02/27/apm-azmaxload-mount-review/

[Stu]

1 minute ago, DirkSteele said:

100% agree. There is a big jump in capacity and cost with the APM AzMax Load being the only mount that springs to mind in the next class and it is a substantial jump in cost. Including a Lozmandy G11 tripod and 24kg of counterweights mine tipped the scales at around £2,000.

Compared to the Ercole, the Az MaxLoad really is in a different size class.

 

My review of the APM Az MaxLoad in case anyone is curious:

http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/2016/02/27/apm-azmaxload-mount-review/

Wow, that’s quite an impressive mount Matthew! I’m familiar with the Ercole so that must be a beast!

[25585]

4 hours ago, FLO said:

10kg & 4kg. Done ?

Thank-you chaps. 

That's all well and good for new customers looking for their first stalwart mount, but is disconcerting for those who have bought one on the previously advertised load maximum. 

Perhaps both OVL's official figures, and FLO's recommended (this is where on-site customer reviews come in) should both be on your site page.

Other retailers selling the same mount will only be publishing the higher figures. It could seem FLO are selling a lighter duty mount otherwise. 

 

[John]

9 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

100% agree. There is a big jump in capacity and cost with the APM AzMax Load being the only mount that springs to mind in the next class and it is a substantial jump in cost. Including a Lozmandy G11 tripod and 24kg of counterweights mine tipped the scales at around £2,000.

Compared to the Ercole, the Az MaxLoad really is in a different size class.

 

My review of the APM Az MaxLoad in case anyone is curious:

http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/2016/02/27/apm-azmaxload-mount-review/

There is a huge difference there !

I spoke to Markus at APM recently and he said that he was still having the Maxload's made up to order but there would be a 3-4 month wait. Nothing in stock as far as I know.

One brand that we don't see over here much but has a great reputation in the USA is Discmount:

http://www.discmounts.com/

I'd like to try my 130 LZOS on a DM6

[DirkSteele]

6 minutes ago, John said:

One brand that we don't see over here much but has a great reputation in the USA is Discmount:

http://www.discmounts.com/

I'd like to try my 130 LZOS on a DM6

Read very good things about them. A retailer should look into becoming a distributor for Europe. I am sure there is a market that would make it a worthwhile endeavour.

[25585]

TS have a Skytee 2 equivalent https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4537_TS-Optics-AZ5-Alt-azimuthal-Mount-with-tripod-and-fine-adjustment.html or how about

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10081_Berlebach-Altazimuth-Mount-for-Telescopes-and-large-Binoculars.html

[DRT]

55 minutes ago, 25585 said:

My bypassing that mount has been based on my own experiences with Skytee. If the AZ EQ6 is made by another manufacturer than the ST, perhaps my quality concerns are wrong. If....

Read back. The SkyTee II isn't manufactured Skywatcher/Synta.

That aside, the AZEQ6 is a class above any other SW mount I have owned. You really should look into the facts rather than jumping to conclusions based on labels  

[DRT]

9 minutes ago, 25585 said:

TS have a Skytee 2 equivalent https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4537_TS-Optics-AZ5-Alt-azimuthal-Mount-with-tripod-and-fine-adjustment.html or how about

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10081_Berlebach-Altazimuth-Mount-for-Telescopes-and-large-Binoculars.html

The first one isn't a Skytee 2 equivalent, it's the same mount under a different brand.

[Tim]

19 hours ago, edgehduser said:

 I believe all distributors .......etc etc

Fast, cheap, good.  Choose any two.

[Stu]

9 hours ago, 25585 said:

TS have a Skytee 2 equivalent https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4537_TS-Optics-AZ5-Alt-azimuthal-Mount-with-tripod-and-fine-adjustment.html or how about

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10081_Berlebach-Altazimuth-Mount-for-Telescopes-and-large-Binoculars.html

Interesting, and concerning, how they are quoting much higher specs for the same mount, just rebranded as Derek says.

That second one looks intriguing, almost a micro Panther TTS! Looks like it would avoid the balance issues found with small alt-az heads and something that could be replicated quite easily.

[FLO]

10 hours ago, 25585 said:

Other retailers selling the same mount will only be publishing the higher figures. It could seem FLO are selling a lighter duty mount otherwise. 

I won’t lose sleep ?

Also, at FLO we haven’t seen a customer-return SkyTee-2 since 2015. Edgehduser’s experience is unusual, very unusual. 

Steve 

[JeremyS]

55 minutes ago, Stu said:

Interesting, and concerning, how they are quoting much higher specs for the same mount, just rebranded as Derek says.

That second one looks intriguing, almost a micro Panther TTS! Looks like it would avoid the balance issues found with small alt-az heads and something that could be replicated quite easily.

This ST2 etc is quire an eye-opener. In looking into various sites I see APM Telescopes, a reputable dealer, still lists the ST2 as Skywatcher brand https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/mounts-tripods/alt-azimuth-mounts/skywatcher-skytee-2-az5-dual-load-alt-azimuth-mount-head-tripod.html/ Disconcerting and disappointing.

 

10 hours ago, John said:

One brand that we don't see over here much but has a great reputation in the USA is Discmount:

http://www.discmounts.com/

I've come across that website before and the Disc DM mounts do look impressive. And they seem to be in the right price bracket for what they are offering.

[JeremyS]

54 minutes ago, Stu said:

That second one looks intriguing, almost a micro Panther TTS!

But not nearly as elegant as the Panther TTS. Made me think of War of the Worlds ?

[JeremyS]

11 hours ago, DirkSteele said:

100% agree. There is a big jump in capacity and cost with the APM AzMax Load being the only mount that springs to mind in the next class and it is a substantial jump in cost. Including a Lozmandy G11 tripod and 24kg of counterweights mine tipped the scales at around £2,000.

That's certainly an impressive mount, Matthew!

Can't see one of these self-destructing like at ST2. ?

Mind you, the counterweights are a bit eye-watering at Euro 250 a shot. But considering the beauty they are balancing on the other end, perhaps not so bad!

[John]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

..That second one looks intriguing, almost a micro Panther TTS! Looks like it would avoid the balance issues found with small alt-az heads and something that could be replicated quite easily.

It looks like a small "T" alt az head of the BB Castor type within the counterbalancing frame. I reckon someone with metalworking skills could knock up a similar frame to fit something like a Giro or Ercole fitted with a DT bracket on either side. Possibly even good quality plywood would do the job. A good design I think.

I think Peter Drew had made similar deisign mounts for his big refractor ?

[Stu]

2 hours ago, John said:

It looks like a small "T" alt az head of the BB Castor type within the counterbalancing frame. I reckon someone with metalworking skills could knock up a similar frame to fit something like a Giro or Ercole fitted with a DT bracket on either side. Possibly even good quality plywood would do the job. A good design I think.

I think Peter Drew had made similar deisign mounts for his big refractor ?

I’ve had plans to do just that with my Ercole John, I think I’ve got what I need, just need to find the time!! It possibly even makes more sense with my Giro-WR because it would carry a heavier scope in a balanced way. I have some spare dovetails and as you say, could use ply for the rest.

[admin]

We have discovered 'edgehduser' is a previously banned member (banned more than once) so he has been banned yet again! Normally in situations like this we remove the thread but there is some useful discussion in this one so we will simply lock it. If you wish to continue the discussion on Alt-Az mounts please begin a separate thread. 

Apologies for the disruption.