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Mount & supplier frustration - Any ideas?

parallaxerr

By parallaxerr
in Discussions - Mounts

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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I'm having a really frustrating time with astro gear and suppliers recently. I would say over the last 12months I've sent back at least 50% of  the astro gear I've bought online due to fault, conndition or wrong specification.......and so it continues.

I received a Giro Ercole from TS yesterday. Lovely, apart from two honking great big scratches on the main body. It looks like they were there before anodizing as the silver bare metal colour hasn't come through atleast. OK, I can live with that I thought, so sick of sending stuff back I'll just accept it.

At the same time as ordering the Ercole I ordered a counterweight from another supplier, which arrived yesterday too. Rusty. Back it goes.

I also ordered a losmandy clamp and dovetail to fit, from a third supplier. Several days after ordering I get an e-mail saying they're out of stock and won't be in for a long time. Note to self, this supplier does not keep stock levels up to date on their website. OK nevermind, I'll take one of your Vixen clamps instead, so long as it has 35mm M6 spacing to fit the Ercole? "Yes it does have that spacing, sir". Well, guess what....it arrived today and it DOESN'T have 35mm spacing. Furthermore the thing has had a helicoil repair to one of the holes and a bad one at that.  It looks distinctly used, arriving in a box for a different product, marked as DEMO and with a sticky reduced price label - I mean, c'mon!

Back to the Post Office I go for the umpteenth time, the post master doesn't even ask me what's in the parcels any more, "more astronomy gear?" he says.

Now it looks like the Ercole is an oddity with its M6 bolts and most clamps cater for M8 bolts spaced at 35mm.

So, can anyone tell me - is there an off the shelf, NON-MARRING VIXEN clamp with M6 counterbored, 35mm spaced holes? Oh and before you say ADM, yeah, try finding one of those in stock this side of the Atlantic.

Harrumph.

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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8 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

I always find FLO very helpful, granted i'm 30 mins bike ride from them so easy to pop in to ask questions and pick stuff up. or are they one of the suppliers? 

Well, yes, to be honest, they were the supplier of the rusty counterweight. They have of course apologised and offered return postage, collection and a refund, which is fine. I asked about a saddle clamp via e-mail and apparently the CG5 version has 35mm spacing, but I'd be paying for a puck I don't need and it's not clear what bore & counterbore sizes it has. I would ask more, but to be honest, I'm tiring of having to deal with them via e-mail. I'm not criticising, it's their business model and works for them, but sometimes you just want to pick up the phone to ask a question that becomes complicated via e-mail. You're lucky to live so close Anthony!

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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Just now, Anthonyexmouth said:

yeah, 90% gets sorted via email but i always collect and use that time to ask questions. usually ending in discovering theres something new and shiny i "need". 

isnt this the eq5/cg5 one without the puck?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/adm-dual-saddle-puck-not-included.html

That's what I though, but no. According to the ADM website, that has 2" spacing.

I could order one direct from ADM but it appears they come from the USA so it'll take a while, then I'll probably have to pay some sort of tax on it.

I guess I'm a victim of internet shopping expecting "instant satisfaction with same/next day delivery", saying that, this one's dragging on a bit since my initial orders and is the icing on the returns cake!

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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7 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

so are you saying the ADM one with the puck for the CG5/EQ5 is different?  

Apparently so. The saddle with puck for CG5/EQ5 has 35mm spacing according to FLO.

7 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

not ideal but could you not get that one and have it drilled? its a nice clamp, something i desperately want to change on my HEQ5

I have considered this. In fact, I have the facilities to drill it myself, but usually only do so as a last resort. I prefer to buy compatible items to start with.

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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Well, further searching has returned nothing to suit. Looks like ADM really are the only ones that make a direct fit saddle with correct bolt hole size & spacing. I could get one with 8mm holes but I wouldn't be happy hanging 8kg of refractor off a poorly fitting clamp.

Ordered one direct from ADM in the States, I'll pray to the astronomy Gods that this one arrives new, in good condition and fits without modification!

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Stu

Stu

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Sorry to hear about your woes, it is really frustrating when things turn up with a problem, and such a hassle returning them.

TS do a good range of clamps, you should find one to fit in there. The weight of the scope is actually largely borne by the friction between the two metal surfaces I believe so even with slightly oversized counter sunk holes you should be ok. I’ve never had a problem with a wide range of giro style mounts and clamps.

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FLO

FLO

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5 hours ago, parallaxerr said:

I asked about a saddle clamp via e-mail and apparently the CG5 version has 35mm spacing, but I'd be paying for a puck I don't need and it's not clear what bore & counterbore sizes it has. I would ask more, but to be honest, I'm tiring of having to deal with them via e-mail. 

It is a pity you didn't send just one more email because we would have happily split the CG5 saddle to make the puck available to you ?

In our defence, would you not have also communicated with Anthony at ADM via email? 

And if you ever see a way we can improve a product description with additional info or specifications, please say. We will then happily update it. 

Steve 

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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34 minutes ago, FLO said:

It is a pity you didn't send just one more email because we would have happily split the CG5 saddle to make the puck available to you ?

In our defence, would you not have also communicated with Anthony at ADM via email? 

And if you ever see a way we can improve a product description with additional info or specifications, please say. We will then happily update it. 

Steve 

Hi Steve,

The e-mail I received said I'd have to "remove the puck and fit the saddle to the mount", which I interpreted as having to purchase the whole lot. Anyway, thanks for the offer, but I'd prefer a Vixen only clamp, not a dual saddle. 

I don't know Anthony at ADM, what would you suggest I ask him exactly? As far as I can see there is only one proper fitting saddle in their catalogue. I did e-mail ADM via their site about availability elsewhere in Europe, but have not yet heard back due to the time difference, I guess. I couldn't find any online elsewhere so ordered direct.

I suppose hole spacing and sizing specs would be useful on the site for those looking to fit a saddle to something other than the specified applications, but that info is avaialable on the ADM website.

 

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FLO

FLO

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@parallaxerr It is a bit moot because you have already ordered it from the US. Probably best you continue down that path now but please remember for next time. When discussing an individual component from from a large system, like ADM's. If you see what you want included in a bundle and it is in stock it is normally a simple matter for us to separate the part you require. 

Actually, there is something worth you saying to Anthony. Here in the EU we like our mounting hardware to be neat and tidy with clean anodising. In the US they are less particular. They see it only as a utilitarian product. So whilst ADM products are bomb-proof, they aren't as pretty as competing products manufactured here in the EU. Anthony knows this so if you ask him for an especially clean example he will understand. 

HTH, 

Steve 

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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56 minutes ago, Stu said:

Forgot to post the link

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/index.php/cat/c82_Dovetail-Clamps--Plates-and-Mount-Adapters.html

Thanks Stu. I looked through those earlier and only found 8mm holes with 35mm spacing. Probably fine as you say, but my engineer brain likes a 6.6mm clearance hole for an M6 bolt :)  Perhaps I should just drill out the M6 holes on the Ercole and go with an M8 saddle, it's looking by far the easiest option!

50 minutes ago, FLO said:

@parallaxerr It is a bit moot because you have already ordered it from the US. Probably best you continue down that path now but please remember for next time. When discussing an individual component from from a large system, like ADM's. If you see what you want included in a bundle and it is in stock it is normally a simple matter for us to separate the part you require. 

EDIT: @FLO I see now that there may well be an option. Martin e-mailed me a link to the dual clamp version under firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/page/2/

However, I see a Vixen only option under firstlightoptics.com/adm-replacement-saddles/adm-vixen-style-saddle.html 

which does not show up in the "dovetails-saddles-clamps" category. If this indeed has 35mm spaced M6 holes and you're willing to split Steve, then I'd happily purchase.

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parallaxerr

parallaxerr

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1 minute ago, Stu said:

How about the Berlebach clamp, FLO should be able to source these, 35mm spacing and 6.5mm holes?

https://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=125&sprache=english

I'll be honest Stu, i don't like the lack of bearing surface on that type and I can envisage the edges marring the dovetail. Probably be fine in practice but I'd prefer the ADM style. If FLO can split the clamp out I linked to above, all will be well :)

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FLO

FLO

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@parallaxerr  I am at home now, not at my desk, so cannot check the stock situation but if you email your questions (same as posting here at SGL) we will happily respond in the morning ? 

As a guide, if our product page shows a green lorry then it is almost definitely in stock. 

HTH, 

Steve 

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Stu

Stu

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3 minutes ago, parallaxerr said:

I'll be honest Stu, i don't like the lack of bearing surface on that type and I can envisage the edges marring the dovetail. Probably be fine in practice but I'd prefer the ADM style. If FLO can split the clamp out I linked to above, all will be well :)

I think you are misreading it, these are great clamps, totally non marring as it has a bearing surface to do the clamping.

I totally understand if you want ADM, but wanted to be clear about these ones.

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FLO

FLO

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We have the saddle @parallaxerr has requested in stock (the one intended for the Celestron CG5 mount) but unfortunately it has M8 sized holes, not M6, so isn't suitable for use with his Giro Ercole. 

We can source one machined with the correct holes but it would not be a quick solution because it would most likely be a one-off sourced from ADM in the US. 

We have suggested if he contacts his supplier they might know of a suitable saddle. 

HTH,

Steve

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FLO

FLO

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21 hours ago, parallaxerr said:

Well, yes, to be honest, they were the supplier of the rusty counterweight. They have of course apologised and offered return postage, collection and a refund, which is fine. 

This troubled me so I investigated.

I have learned the counterweight was discontinued sometime ago. As far as we can tell the one @parallaxerr ordered was the last one available anywhere in the UK. That doesn't excuse it looking secondhand. It was a new unopened product so should have been clean. But it had been on our shelf for rather a long time, and probably on the distributor's shelf before that.

We arranged a free collection and it will probably arrive at our warehouse today. It will then be resold at a discounted price through our Clearance system. 

HTH, 

Steve 

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