Rowan AZ100 Mount Owners Thread

[johninderby]

Just fit the spreader Berlebach makes for the tripod. Better solutuion all round. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by johninderby

[HollyHound]

54 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Just fit the spreader Berlebach makes for the tripod. Better solutuion all round. 

Agree, makes the tripod an absolute breeze to setup and close down again... I have them on my Uni and Report 👍

[johninderby]

And I also have the spreader on my Uni and Report tripods. 👍🏻

If you replace the chains with the soreader on your tripod ypu can still use the stock tray by removing the mounting clips from the corners and drilling a centre hole for the hold down bolt.

Edited March 5, 2021 by johninderby

[Stephenstargazer]

If you carry out the tripod mount and scope in one then the chain is worthwhile security whilst fitting the tray. For most people that is a substantial carry to get through doors etc. I only do that with a much smaller mount and scope. So I set up the UNI28 and take the AZ100 to it  for myself. Depends a lot on where and how you store your gear I suppose. There is the solid spreader option, but once set up the tray is just as good?

Do 'solid spreader' fans hang the chain on a nail too? Maybe my small misgiving is that my other tripods came with a solid spreader which was not a £65 extra.! I am saving for a bag

Edited March 5, 2021 by Stephenstargazer

[Another Drizzle Dweller]

To be honest I did not appreciate the advantage of the spreder bar when ordering, so I am actually looking at retrofitting the  spreader now. Just wondering if anyone here has retrofitted a spreader rather than getting it delivered day 1? Slightly worried as the instructions talk about removing the screws on all the leg clamps to remove the existing pin to allow fitting of the new spreader axis pin. However the spreader pin on the spreader looks very similar to the existing pin. Think I read somewhere that Berlebach glue in the screws, so reluctant to start stripping down a new tripod. The  pin on my mount is held in place with simple cotter type pin that a bit of pliers work should open. Can I simply pull out that pin without opening the leg clamps?

Donal

[HollyHound]

20 minutes ago, Another Drizzle Dweller said:

To be honest I did not appreciate the advantage of the spreder bar when ordering, so I am actually looking at retrofitting the  spreader now. Just wondering if anyone here has retrofitted a spreader rather than getting it delivered day 1? Slightly worried as the instructions talk about removing the screws on all the leg clamps to remove the existing pin to allow fitting of the new spreader axis pin. However the spreader pin on the spreader looks very similar to the existing pin. Think I read somewhere that Berlebach glue in the screws, so reluctant to start stripping down a new tripod. The  pin on my mount is held in place with simple cotter type pin that a bit of pliers work should open. Can I simply pull out that pin without opening the leg clamps?

Donal

I retrofitted mine for the Uni 28... very easy job and took 20mins if I recall... there was no drilling and just removal/replacement of screws 👍

[johninderby]

You don’t have to fit the tray to use the tripod when you have the spreader fitted. So easy just to open up and you’re ready to go.

Edited March 5, 2021 by johninderby

[Dantooine]

You boyz and ya posh AZ’s 😁

[Stephenstargazer]

5 hours ago, johninderby said:

You don’t have to fit the tray to use the tripod when you have the spreader fitted.

True! Equally once the tray is attached you dont need the spreader. Seems to me we are just talking preference. Which reminds me,  my tray wants holes.....must order some holes from Mudda, Flo is out of stock, they emptied the bag out to sort the sizes and lost them all.

Point of interest: If you order a UNI tripod plus the solid spreader will it come with it fitted? The Planet has spreader as standard.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Stephenstargazer

[johninderby]

One use of the spreader and I chucked the chain in the bin as I could never see myself ever using it again. It is just so much quicker and easier with the spreader and the tripod does seem more stable. 

[HollyHound]

34 minutes ago, Stephenstargazer said:

Point of interest: If you order a UNI tripod plus the solid spreader will it come with it fitted? The Planet has spreader as standard.

My Report 472 (ordered from Germany) came with the spreader already installed, along with the wooden tray (which is interchangeable with the Uni 28 tray).

[Stephenstargazer]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

One use of the spreader and I chucked the chain in the bin as I could never see myself ever using it again. It is just so much quicker and easier with the spreader and the tripod does seem more stable. 

Yes, I took the chain off too, but the tripod works as well and is  just as stable with the tray fitted. The spreader probably is seconds quicker and easier but the tray is useful for bits and comes in the price form FLO. The extra 15% in price is not trivial. The situation is similar if you buy an AZ100 with all available options. To encourage new users, looking at affordability, it is better for them to buy only what they need IMHO, especially as the options can be retro fitted to the mount and tripod.

[Dantooine]

Well I’ve just been out roughing it with my losmandy, it’s terrible. It’s Just far too quick to set up.

There seems to be a healthy A/Z following that makes me feel one of the boyz. It makes pleasant reading.

Two scope, one mount, I’m very happy and hope you all are too 👍

[JeremyS]

7 hours ago, johninderby said:

You don’t have to fit the tray to use the tripod when you have the spreader fitted. So easy just to open up and you’re ready to go.

 

Has anyone told you you’ve got lovely legs, John?

[Dantooine]

2 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Has anyone told you you’ve got lovely legs, John?

A bit pale though 😁

[HollyHound]

10 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Well I’ve just been out roughing it with my losmandy, it’s terrible. It’s Just far too quick to set up.

There seems to be a healthy A/Z following that makes me feel one of the boyz. It makes pleasant reading.

Two scope, one mount, I’m very happy and hope you all are too 👍

I actually think that the AZ8 should be allowed as an honorary member of the AZ100 members club... they seem to be similar build and functionality 👍

[Dantooine]

1 minute ago, HollyHound said:

I actually think that the AZ8 should be allowed as an honorary member of the AZ100 members club... they seem to be similar build and functionality 👍

Yep and a grand ha ha

Also great for taking chunks out of door frames. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Dantooine

[Saganite]

7 hours ago, Dantooine said:

You boyz and ya posh AZ’s 😁

How's this then Dale...

[Dantooine]

2 minutes ago, Saganite said:

How's this then Dale...

Slow mo’s on an az kick it 👍

[HollyHound]

1 minute ago, Saganite said:

How's this then Dale...

That scope on the right is a lovely scope, but absolutely dwarfed by the left one... is that the "Andromeda"... wow, she's a beauty 👏

Presumably you get fairly minimal shake even with that big scope... Shows the carrying capacity of these AZ mounts 👍

[Dantooine]

Just now, HollyHound said:

That scope on the right is a lovely scope, but absolutely dwarfed by the left one... is that the "Andromeda"... wow, she's a beauty 👏

Presumably you get fairly minimal shake even with that big scope... Shows the carrying capacity of these AZ mounts 👍

Just fantastically engineered. I want to get old with mine.. sorry.. older👍

[HollyHound]

Just now, Dantooine said:

Slow mo’s on an az kick it 👍

Agreed... I do like the little Castor mount and I've only been able to use my StellaLyra CC6 on it so far, as the AZ100 was accompanied by cloud (of course)... but it's not much fun having to carefully push it around on the moon when using high power. Testing in the office of the AZ100 with the same scope shows it's supremely smooth, jitter free and smoothly moveable by hand too when required... even more so that the ScopeTech Zero 👍

[Saganite]

7 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

That scope on the right is a lovely scope, but absolutely dwarfed by the left one... is that the "Andromeda"... wow, she's a beauty 👏

Presumably you get fairly minimal shake even with that big scope... Shows the carrying capacity of these AZ mounts 👍

Hi Gary,

Correct, Andromeda on the left.

Yes, minimal shake really, certainly better than when she was mounted on the NEQ6, but when I put the mount on my pier, it is just incredibly solid, even with the 2 metre length. This mount is everything I hoped for

Edited March 5, 2021 by Saganite

[johninderby]

24 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

A bit pale though 😁

 

All right I’ll cover them up then. 😁😁😁

[HollyHound]

42 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Hi Gary,

Correct, Andromeda on the left.

Yes, minimal shake really, certainly better than when she was mounted on the NEQ6, but when I put the mount on my pier, it is just incredibly solid, even with the 2 metre length. This mount is everything I hoped for

Thanks. Interesting you mention it gets better on the pier. I've got my AZ100 on a Uni 28, which will of course be absolutely solid for my StellaMira 80mm and StellaLyra CC6, and should I ever get a larger refractor... however, I am toying with the idea of mounting my 10" Bresser dob OTA on this too and seeing how it gets on, but if I find it a bit shaky, I do have the adaptor mount for my iOptron Tri Pier which will allow me to put the AZ100 on that. Although you wouldn't expect it to be wildly different, the Tri Pier might just as well be bolted to the floor... it's that solid 👍

And in case you think I'm going crazy considering mounting the 10" OTA on here, what would be the advantage.... my thoughts are that with Nexus onboard, I could have a superb "push to" DSO scope, for those nights when I'm feeling super lazy (or want to find something super challenging). Unfortunately, I haven't seen a method of attaching encoders to this Bresser dob (unless I've missed something).   Getting it on might be a challenge (I believe @johninderby has experience of this), but I think I could use my Berlebach chair footrest as a stand to offer up the scope vertically into the mount... just an ongoing thought... TBD 🤔

Edited March 5, 2021 by HollyHound