ADM Takahashi Finder Mount Adapter

[John]

I've been wanting to find a way to use the finder mount that came with my Takahashi FC-100DL but have it easily removable from the scope for transport and storage.

I'd fashioned a DIY method which used a low cost Skywatcher compatible finder shoe bolted to the Tak finder mounting plate with spacers to ensure that it cleared the various bits of other tube hardware. This worked and enabled me to use a Skywatcher finder mount with the scope but it was a little inelegant on the scope and I wanted to use the Tak finder mount with it's fore and aft triple screws which do a great job of holding a finder just where you want it to be and having it stay there.

I'd considered Takahashi's own FQR-1 quick release mounting plate but I was a little put off by the price tag of nearly £100. I'd noticed what looked like a neat alternative manufactured by ADM on the First Light Optic's website for less than half the price of the Tak FQR-1 and also it's matt black anodised colour scheme matches the black finish focuser that my 1st run Tak FC-100DL has fitted.

For quite a while the ADM unit was not in stock at FLO and my own solution worked so I made no further progress. A short while ago though the FLO website showed them in stock so I decided to treat the scope to one.

I've now fitted the adapter to the scope and the finder mount base and very neat it is. The finder is a stock Skywatcher 6x30 RACI which I find works well with this scope - it fits into the Tak finder mount easily and is held very firmly by the 2 sets of adjustment screws. To remove the finder / finder mount you unscrew 2 holding screws and it slips straight off. The machining and finish of the ADM adapter is of very high quality. The two holding screws have matching recesses drilled into the base part so the finder is held very precisely in position while being easy to pop on and off the scope. A quality item I think

First light is tonight and, so far, with the Moon the only target viewed, the finder and it's new mounting arrangement seem to be performing admirably. I'm waiting for dark to get onto some nice double stars and to get the alignment of the cross hairs of the finder spot on with high power eyepieces. With the design and machining quality of the ADM finder mounting adapter, I'm expecting that this will be a one-off excercise which will be maintained each time the finder is removed and re-installed onto the scope.

A nice piece of kit and a worthy addition to this lovely refractor

 

 

[jock1958]

Very neat John I like it. Wonder if ADM will get around to doing one in green to match my Tak 😁

[David Levi]

That's a very neat job. It looks great.  Funnily enough, I made a little aluminium plate for my Skywatcher  6x30 finderscope yesterday.  First time that I have ever drilled and tapped a hole. In the plate, not the telescope of course🙂. Much more comfortable with the 90 degree finder when I used it last night on the Moon. The adjustment screws on the Skywatcher are so much easier to use than the Takahashi ones.

 

[JeremyS]

16 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

Wonder if ADM will get around to doing one in green to match my Tak 😁

Would be nice as Tak don't do them in green: only silver (unpainted, but with Tak FQR-1 written on in green) or black.

[jock1958]

23 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Would be nice as Tak don't do them in green: only silver (unpainted, but with Tak FQR-1 written on in green) or black.

Come to think of it the black ADM finder shoe might be ok and match my finder and focuser tube adaptors etc 🤔

Edited May 12, 2019 by jock1958

[John]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Would be nice as Tak don't do them in green: only silver (unpainted, but with Tak FQR-1 written on in green) or black.

The ADM unit is based on a design by another company a few years back and that was made in Tak green. Of course Tak are shifting to a pale blue now I think, just to complicate matters !

 

[JeremyS]

15 minutes ago, John said:

Of course Tak are shifting to a pale blue now I think, just to complicate matters !

I'm still trying to decide if I like the new baby blue Tak livery, John. My Tak 76 DCU sports the blue livery and it's definitely growing on me.....

 

[Alma]

I bought an ADM Takahashi QR bracket some 2 years ago and unfortunately mine wasn’t so well machined and had a distinct wobble which I managed to fix with a plastic shim stuck to the base.    Not typical of ADM products in my experience but in this case wish I’d spent the extra on the FQR-1.   

[John]

1 hour ago, Alma said:

I bought an ADM Takahashi QR bracket some 2 years ago and unfortunately mine wasn’t so well machined and had a distinct wobble which I managed to fix with a plastic shim stuck to the base.    Not typical of ADM products in my experience but in this case wish I’d spent the extra on the FQR-1.   

I guess they must have improved the machining. Mine is very precisely made indeed.

 

[alan potts]

I personally find it annoying how many types of finder shoe there are, I hardly have an abnormal amount of scopes and I have 3 different types, I don't even own a Tak.

Alan

[nicoscy]

For vixen style finderscopes and Takahashi scopes, this one will get the job done...

[John]

41 minutes ago, nicoscy said:

For vixen style finderscopes and Takahashi scopes, this one will get the job done...

Yes, that looks like it would work well too and similar to my DIY effort (pic below). I wanted to be able to use the Tak finder stalk though.