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Fitting guidescope - 130PDS


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Hey,

So I'm trying to work out the best way to fit my guidescope to my 130PDS. This is my first rig so I'm just trying to work out the best method. It has the same bracket as my finder scope so could be simply swapped out but then I wouldn't have a finder scope, obviously.

I'm aware you can attach a dovetail to the 130PDS tube rings and fit it that way but I'm not sure what kind of dovetail I would need. I have a spare dovetail already but it's the same size and type as the primary one that comes with the OTA. Would this work or should I buy something smaller?

As always, any guidance is appreciated.

Cheers.

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what guide scope do you intend using I have what you state a second bar attached above my 150pds scope rings then my 9x50 finderscope attached to that with 3 point rings. the photo was with a st80 scope but went smaller with the finderscope 9x50 does the job well.

 

IMG_0033.JPG

Edited by fozzybear
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41 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

what guide scope do you intend using I have what you state a second bar attached above my 150pds scope rings then my 9x50 finderscope attached to that with 3 point rings. the photo was with a st80 scope but went smaller with the finderscope 9x50 does the job well.

 

IMG_0033.JPG

I have a 9x50 that the guide camera came with (bought from astrobuysell) and as I say it also came with the same bracket as my stock finderscope on my 130PDS. Is the second bar you used just the same bar as attaches your scope to your mount?

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5 minutes ago, CaptainShiznit said:

I have a 9x50 that the guide camera came with (bought from astrobuysell) and as I say it also came with the same bracket as my stock finderscope on my 130PDS. Is the second bar you used just the same bar as attaches your scope to your mount?

yep std bar albeit I added a couple of new mount holes

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I think mounting on a standard dovetail, would be more secure from the point of view of flexure than my finderguider. 

I just found that more convenient because I was swapping imaging between several scopes (depending on FOV) so it was easier just to use the finderscope bracket.  I didn't have any flexure problems with it though.

Carole 

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I too am starting out and have been working on a guiding solution for my 200PDS - and now also for the 130PDS I've bought as a wide(r) field supplement to the 200PDS.

Initially I got a 2nd hand ST80, which came with a beefy ADM dovetail & tube rings, for mounting on top of the 200PDS.  That made an already large OTA even more unwieldy and bordering on too heavy for comfort. With the ST80 on top, I could no longer 'bear hug' the OTA while setting up or tearing down, so had to carefully loosen the fasteners in the tube rings, and slide the ST80 in & out each time - otherwise I had a very real risk of dropping the OTA, especially when it's covered in dew or ice.

Just too cumbersome, so instead got a nice 10x60 finderscope from TS, which comes with mini tube rings and a finderscope bracket shoe.  On the 200PDS, I've fitted a 2nd finderscope bracket. Like you, I didn't want to lose my regular finder, and with a 1100g DSLR and a dew shield, the scope is nose heavy, so I've placed the bracket in the 'lower half' of the OTA, to help with balancing.  With the finderscope bracket, it's much easier to attack & remove the guide scope.

Intend to do the same with the 130PDS. I have even bigger balancing problems with it because it's so tiny. Have the camera on the 'inside', towards the mount, but can't move the OTA far enough back to achieve balance, before the focuser hits the mount.  Putting the finderscope bracket and thus guide scope in the lower end of the OTA will help with balance - any weight I can move towards the back is more than welcome.

Regards,

Erling G-P

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