Suggestions for an Alt-Az mount...

[emadmoussa]

You might've noticed I've been looking for an alt-az mount. Some nice folks approached me, but the majority offered either the Sky-Watcher AZ4 or mounts way beyond my budget. 

The mount is meant to carry my 100ED, but at the same time, I need a mount that is capable of carrying a 6" refractor as well - future proofing, you may call it. 

I looked at many mounts, but I'm running out of options. Any suggestions? 

[vlaiv]

I guess setting budget would be helpful as listing requirements (slow motion controls and such)?

Here is one that I would look at as replacement for my AZ4 if was in a market for larger alt-az:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4202_GIRO-ERCOLE-Altazimuth-Mount-for-Telescopes-up-to-15-kg.html

 

[emadmoussa]

I'm thinking £200/250 - slow mo preferable. 

[rwilkey]

Hi Emad, the Vixen Porta II is very good and only a bit above your budget, carries a 100ED perfectly and has slo-mo controls which many AZ mounts do not.  I love it and glad I paid the extra, highly recommended, found here: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-mounts/vixen-porta-ii-mount.html

[Fozzie]

I'd have said, second hand bear bones skytee2 with 1.75inch tripod.. future proof as well with designs on a big 6" frac..  Problem is you'll want a ADM saddle up grade and probably an extension tube.. £££

[emadmoussa]

32 minutes ago, rwilkey said:

Hi Emad, the Vixen Porta II is very good and only a bit above your budget, carries a 100ED perfectly and has slo-mo controls which many AZ mounts do not.  I love it and glad I paid the extra, highly recommended, found here: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-mounts/vixen-porta-ii-mount.html

I did consider it but got dissuaded because of its low-profile. It doesn't have a propriety pillar, does it?

[rwilkey]

16 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

I did consider it but got dissuaded because of its low-profile. It doesn't have a propriety pillar, does it?

Hi Emad, no it doesn't.  The Skytee II is a good mount, I have it on an EQ5 tripod, very robust, I have a 200P on it and don't even need the counterweights, it also has slo-mo controls.

[Alfian]

Hi Emad, The AZ4 combo (with pillar?) works just fine with the ED100 but can't see it being happy with a 6" frac. That would also apply to the Porta ii as well I think. The Ercole Giro would work but they don't seem to come up for sale 2nd hand so often so I have to agree with Fozzie.  A Skytee once properly sorted looks good and they do seem to crop up for sale 2nd hand farely regularly.

 

[emadmoussa]

I guess sturdiness means sacrificing a bit of portability. Will have a look at the Skytee. 

[Fozzie]

3 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

I guess sturdiness means sacrificing a bit of portability. Will have a look at the Skytee. 

Yeah, a Skytee2 with extension pillar and tripod is not the most portable set up.. I've a large wooden tripod on mine which adds to the stability but again the weight!  not a pick up and go option for sure, but then a neither is a 6" frac.. 

[John]

I've tried quite a few alt-az mounts over the years but the Skytee II is the one that I still have. It's not perfect by any means (eg: the saddle upgrade) but it does carry a considerable load.

An AZ-4 is a decent option for a 4 inch f/6-f/9 refractor but my ED120 was a bit too much for it so a 6 inch refractor would completely swamp it IMHO.

I regularly mount my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet refractor on my Skytee II and that scope is around the same weight and length as a 6 inch F/8 refractor.

To find a mount capable of carrying both the scope types you mention, you have to aim for something with the capacity for the larger scope. The compromise when the smaller scope is on board will be weight / portability.

I used to use a 16 inch pillar mount with my Skytee II but I've now got taller, wooden tripods instead to keep the overall weight under control.

 

[Paul73]

SkyTee II all the way. Second hand fits with your budget. Make sure that it comes with some decent clamps and a counter weight bar.

Paul

[Klitwo]

On ‎23‎/‎01‎/‎2019 at 21:05, emadmoussa said:

You might've noticed I've been looking for an alt-az mount. Some nice folks approached me, but the majority offered either the Sky-Watcher AZ4 or mounts way beyond my budget. 

The mount is meant to carry my 100ED, but at the same time, I need a mount that is capable of carrying a 6" refractor as well - future proofing, you may call it. 

I looked at many mounts, but I'm running out of options. Any suggestions? 

A "Ball Mount" such as a "Bowling Ball" with a refractor attached to each side would make for an ideal Alt-azimuth mounting that is capable of reaching all parts of the sky.  It was Sir Isaac Newton that invented the "Ball Mount" Alt-azimuth mount for his first Newtonian reflector.  The "Bowling Ball Alt-azimuth mount" that is illustrated in the new Amazon book "Building Binoscopes" is simply an "extention"....a natural evolution of Newton's original Alt-azimuth ball mount concept....and one which I'm sure he would have certainly been most happy to see if he were still around today....>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newtonian_telescope#/media/File:NewtonsTelescopeReplica.jpg

Klitwo

 

[steveex2003]

I have a dual mount Giro Ercole, which I really like and enjoy. It is expensive, but worth it. It throws my 120 about with a 2" diagonal, high power EP and RACI finder on-board, effortlessly. And this is without counter-balancing! It has also had an 8" Newt on the other arm, and never felt like it was anything other than entirely unflustered. It is heavy, and this should not be overlooked. It sits on an 16" extension tube and a 2" steel legged tripod. This mount alone doesn't give you much change from 15Kg, and is physically large. No hiking, but it does perform exactly as you would hope.
I also have an AZ5 (I have a few AltAz's). This came with the puny Star Adventure tripod. Although rated at 5Kg, the tripod meant that my 80 and 127 Mak were really at it's limits. I put the AZ5 (which has slo mo) on the Skywatcher 3/8 mount tripod with 1.75" legs.  To be entirely honest the difference in weight between the 2" and 1.75" tripod is more or less negligible in my opinion, it is maybe 0.5Kg lighter? This radically transformed how the AZ5 performed. On such a tripod it's rating apparently jumps from 5 to 9Kg. I have put the 120 on it just to try it. Make no mistake, it is not the experience of the much heavier mount. There is bounce, but I could use it if I had to. The 100 comes in at almost half the weight of the 120, and whilst i dont have a 100, if properly balanced my thoughts are it would probably cope well. I have certainly read of others using it successfully this way .  I think for a cheap mount with slo-mo, on a decent tripod, the AZ5 is not bad at all (just be aware it is a 3/8 affair)

[steveex2003]

I don't know if you've seen this? If I had absolutely any reason to own yet another mount and tripod, even if i thought i could hang the washing off it, i would snap this up in a heartbeat. Absolute bargain in my opinion.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AZ5-Versatile-Vari-angle-Micro-Motion-Alt-Azimuth-Telescope-mount/202539971237?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I cant believe it's sat there for a couple of weeks at least now. he might even take £80 for it!

[MoonStarer]

I recently bought the Altair Sabre 2.0 Alt-Az mount https://www.altairastro.com/altair-sabre-alt-azimuth-telescope-mount-v2.0.html

I use it for a 120 mm short tube refractor and it's pretty perfect for that. For the giggles I also tried mounting a 10" Newtonian, and it's surprising stable with that too. It did need careful balancing though.

No slo-mo capability though, but other than that it's a very capable bit of kit.

[rwilkey]

The AZ5 seems like a safe bet.

[Cjg]

The Altair Astro Sabre Mount handles my 5" 125 ED on the larger Skywatcher metal tripod...It's weighty with the counterweights, but once you've balanced the scope a joy to use...

https://www.tringastro.co.uk/altair-sabre-alt-azimuth-telescope-mount-v20-2898-p.asp The head is made here in Norfolk by Howarth Engineering and you tighten or loosen the clutches to give just the "right" amount of stickiness vs. traction...No slo mo controls, but a great bit of kit.

Good Luck,

Chris