Berlebach Tripod - Dual EQ5 / EQ6 Fitting

[johninderby]

OK the bits have arrived to start the Berlebach Uni EQ5 tripod conversion.. When finished will allow switching between EQ5 and EQ6 mounts in about two or three minutes with no tools needed and no need to buy another tripod top from Berlebach.👍🏻

Total cost will be about £40.00.

Will make a start this afternoon. 

Edited October 5, 2019 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Got the mounting ring done. It was laser cut from 8mm aluminium to 120mm OD by 65mm ID. When I measured it it was about 64.9mm and the opening needs to be just over 65mm so using the sanding drum set I got this morning ground the opening out to about 65.4mm then sanded everything down smooth.

Then measured for the countersunk,bolts that would hold the ring down. Used the existing hole for the peg in the top for one of the holes and measured for the two other holes. Then drilled and countersunk,the holes using the drill press Then place the ring in posrion and marked and drilled the other two holes in the top.

I was going to use M6 screws but the heads were a bit big to sit close enough to the inside edge of the ring so used M5. Instead. Now need to get some M5 thunb knobs.

Next measured for the locating peg and drilled a hole in the new ring and marked the tripod top and drilled a smaller hole and tapped it to M6. Now the peg can be screwed into,place if needed.

Now to paint the ring black.

Edited October 5, 2019 by johninderby

[JeremyS]

6 hours ago, johninderby said:

OK the bits have arrived to start the Berlebach Uni EQ5 tripod conversion.. When finished will allow switching between EQ5 and EQ6 mounts in about two or three minutes with no tools needed and no need to buy another tripod top from Berlebach.👍🏻

Total cost will be about £40.00.

Can you knock up an equivalent to the AZ100 head while you are at it, John?

 

🙂

 

[johninderby]

Looking better with some paint. 👍🏻

Also repainted the top of the top plate as it was looking a bit scratched up.

Edited October 6, 2019 by johninderby

[johninderby]

All done 🙂

Made the new central bolts and drilled and tapped the central bolt hole in the top plate to M12.

When set up for an EQ5 type mount the new fully threaded central,bolt is inserted through the hole and an M10 nut is put on the bolt to stop the bolt from falling out. The locating peg is retained using a thumb nut on the underside.

Top photo shows the new EQ6 bolt on the left, the new EQ5 bolt In the middle and the old bolt on the right. The new M12 bolt had the middle turned down in the lathe as per the original bolt. 

You hardly notice the extra holes in the top plate.

Edited October 6, 2019 by johninderby

[johninderby]

Switching to the EQ6 setup will only take a couple of minutes and will not need any tools. Just remove the M10 bolt and the locating peg then drop the new EQ6 adapter ring on the top, insert the three screws and fasten with thumb nuts on the bottom. Then insert the M12 bolt and you’re ready to go. As simple as that. 🙂

If I want to fit the locating peg  I have added a threaded hole to screw it into.

Very pleased with the end result and think it looks as if this could be a Berlebach option which begs the question how come Berlebach isn’t offering such an option??? 🤔

Ready and waiting for the AZ100. 😎

Edited October 6, 2019 by johninderby

[Alan White]

Clever and very nice John.
In fact superb.
I wonder why Berlebach didn't so something as simple?

[JG777]

Alan,

I wonder as well, I asked them ages ago but didn't get a reply! Its easily within their capability.

[johninderby]

They could easily produce a dual fit top plate with seperate drop in centers for the EQ5 and EQ6 and an adapter from M10 to M12 for the centre bolt.

Couln’t find a long enough adapter to enable me to use the stock M10 bolt. Engineering rule of thumb is twice the diameter of the bolt should engage in a tapped hole in aluminium so decided not to use the adapter I found. It probably might do but the thought of a couple of thousand £ of mount and scope depeding on it probably being good enough isn’t good enough. 🙀

 

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by johninderby

[Astro-Geek]

A very neat solution, and as you say, one would think that Berlebach would offer it as an option.

When I built my outdoor pier I wanted it to be able to carry my EQ6 or my EQ5, so I made the top plate compatible with both.

It's a Skoda brake disc, (they're incredibly cheap to buy new !), with a centre hole 65mm diameter.

I bolted a 6mm thick stainless steel crossbar underneath the "dome" with a 10mm clearance hole.

This then accepts either an M8 or M10 long stud with a threaded knob on one end and a wingnut halfway along.

I can then simply use the correct stud for either mount and screw the stud in for half an inch or so and then tighten the wingnut to pull it down onto the brake disc.

Although the Eq5's 59mm diameter can potentially move around in the 65mm hole, in practice it doesn't when the centre bolt is tightened firmly down.

The North locating stud is also removable via an M6 bolt, like yours.

[johninderby]

Neat solution for a pier. 👍🏻

The kack of dual fit tripods from the factory is indeed a mystery. There is definately a market for them.

Edited October 9, 2019 by johninderby