Help with tripod

[Harmann Multani]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to visual astronomy and I have an Astromaster 130EQ by Celestron. I have a problem with my tripod. It is the standard stainless steel tripod which comes with the telescope. I am having issues with leveling it as it bends as soon as the weight of the counterweights, mount and optic tube is put. Please help me.

[Waldemar]

Not a lot that can be done to bending tripod legs but to take them apart and try to put a fitting piece of wood in them.
Sorry to say so, but probably your only option is to buy a better tripod... 

Tripods come with different leg diameters. Most of the time the 2" size is a lot sturdier.
I realize this does not help you a lot...
Maybe somebody else has another proofed solution to your problem

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I typically level the tripod when the tripod is fully loaded (or level it, load it, and then check and adjust levelling again). I have the Vixen GP and GP-DX wooden tripods, and the aluminium EQ3-2 tripod. The former are pretty solid, but even with those I see some degree of flexure. Levelling the tripod when loaded works well for me, even on the rather more flimsy EQ3-2 tripod.

[Cosmic Geoff]

I am not sure what the problem here is. The tripod should not deflect visibly when loaded with the scope and counterweight.  Also, for visual use, any slight change in the levelling will not be critical.  How are you measuring the levelling? With a bubble built into the mount head?  That is not an accurate device, but sufficient for visual setup.

In fact, this mount and tripod, being part of an entry level kit, will be on the wobbly side, and if you feel it is inadequate the only solution is to buy a more substantial mount and tripod.

[Ricochet]

Where does it "bend"? I can't imagine that any individual part is bending, but there could be some flex in the joints. Are you sure that all the connections between different parts are sufficiently tightened? For instance there is a bolt that passes up through the underside of the tripod into the mount head that should be fully tightened.

Perhaps a photo showing this bending would help diagnose the problem.

[Harmann Multani]

On 18/09/2020 at 13:53, Ricochet said:

Where does it "bend"? I can't imagine that any individual part is bending, but there could be some flex in the joints. Are you sure that all the connections between different parts are sufficiently tightened? For instance there is a bolt that passes up through the underside of the tripod into the mount head that should be fully tightened.

Perhaps a photo showing this bending would help diagnose the problem.

It bends where the leg extension joint is. Ill try post a photo as soon as I can:)

[Harmann Multani]

On 18/09/2020 at 12:28, Waldemar said:

Not a lot that can be done to bending tripod legs but to take them apart and try to put a fitting piece of wood in them.
Sorry to say so, but probably your only option is to buy a better tripod... 

Tripods come with different leg diameters. Most of the time the 2" size is a lot sturdier.
I realize this does not help you a lot...
Maybe somebody else has another proofed solution to your problem

 

Mine has a diameter of 1": ( , guess I gotta get a better one.

[Harmann Multani]

On 18/09/2020 at 12:54, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I typically level the tripod when the tripod is fully loaded (or level it, load it, and then check and adjust levelling again). I have the Vixen GP and GP-DX wooden tripods, and the aluminium EQ3-2 tripod. The former are pretty solid, but even with those I see some degree of flexure. Levelling the tripod when loaded works well for me, even on the rather more flimsy EQ3-2 tripod.

The thing is I have a CG3-EQ2 tripod! Even worse than an EQ3 one.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

2 hours ago, Harmann Multani said:

The thing is I have a CG3-EQ2 tripod! Even worse than an EQ3 one.

Replace the legs with wooden ones. I did that on an EQ1 tripod, and now have something quite sturdy:

I now use it with my P-mount