Manual Mount Malarky

[badhex]

7 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

You need choices. Don't buy to just fit the new scope. Keep payload in hand.
Consider the tripod and mount as separate purchases.

When buying a tripod go for the heaviest/strongest you can manage to handle. The wallet has a say as well!

Sage words from Mr @Carbon Brush!

[Stu1smartcookie]

15 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

Hi Stu. Lots of good advice & suggestions from all of us. Major brain overload. Here comes some more.😲

Knowing how you like to try different scopes, and knowing your storage situation has influenced my two pennorth.

You need choices. Don't buy to just fit the new scope. Keep payload in hand.
Consider the tripod and mount as separate purchases.

When buying a tripod go for the heaviest/strongest you can manage to handle. The wallet has a say as well!
If you store it in the shed, there are no stairs to consider so weight is not an issue.
Even a tripod from an EQ6 type mount is not that much bigger than a flimsy tripod.
If you buy used with tarnished chrome, what does it matter? Provided the legs aren't wobbly and fixings aren't rusted, it is OK.
This helps your wallet.

A similar sizing comment goes for the mount. A used Skytee2 is a good choice at £200 downwards.
Not as elegantly engineered as (for example) a Giro, but quite good enough.
It will even let you fit two scopes!

Don't worry about 3/8" to M10 adapters and whatever to fit an incompatible mount & tripod together.
You can quickly make something temporary using a block of wood and a few screws/bolts.
If you like the package, then you can spend on a ready made adapter.
Or approach someone who has the metalworking tools if an off the peg adapter is not available.

Something like the setup described above would let you (for example) hang your little Mak alongside the new frac.
Or trial a new purchase against your long frac.

Just don't get carried away like I have. The pics show a CG5 (Celestron like EQ5) sitting on top of the D6 (in the handset holder) for a size comparison.
Yes they both look the same size on web pages😁
However, the D6 load capacity lets you get carried away with scopes. 8" & 10" newts for a side by side comparison🤔

Brilliant post David. Thanks. I've bought a sturdy tripod so I'm getting there lol

[Stu]

Yes, great post @Carbon Brush. This stuff doesn’t have to cost a fortune as I was trying to say earlier. I’ve bought and sold several decent EQ6 2” SS tripods for around £60, stick a SkyTee on that and you have a very sturdy mount for around £250 max, should handle anything (within reason). All depends on finding it used but that’s just about patience.

Good luck, and shame you’ve pulled out of the scope purchase.

[JeremyS]

On 29/10/2021 at 10:41, vlaiv said:

Yes, there seems to be somewhat of a gap between lighter mounts supporting ~6Kg payload and ones supporting 12-15Kg (and having slow mo and all - and not costing arm and a leg).

I was also looking at ScopeTech zero mount as replacement for Az-4, but don't think it will work well with long tubes like that.

 

I find the ScopeTech Zero a fine mount, but at its limit with my Tak FC 100DZ. Makes the slo mos slightly jittery

[Stu]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

I find the ScopeTech Zero a fine mount, but at its limit with my Tak FC 100DZ. Makes the slo mos slightly jittery

Hope you don’t mind Jeremy, I popped ‘slo’ back into lower case. There has been enough shouting about them recently 😱🤪🤣

[badhex]

5 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I find the ScopeTech Zero a fine mount, but at its limit with my Tak FC 100DZ. Makes the slo mos slightly jittery

Yes - I did strongly consider the Zero when I was looking at AZ5 Vs Skytee as I've read nothing but good things. I reckon it would've worked well with my 80ED though! 

As @Stu1smartcookie mentioned budgetary constraints I didn't suggest it here though. If the Tak is about the limit I guess an F11 might be too much as well? 

[JeremyS]

26 minutes ago, Stu said:

Hope you don’t mind Jeremy, I popped ‘slo’ back into lower case. There has been enough shouting about them recently 😱🤪🤣

Good point Stu 🤣

my autocorrect always capitalises it for some reason 👎🏻

[JeremyS]

21 minutes ago, badhex said:

Yes - I did strongly consider the Zero when I was looking at AZ5 Vs Skytee as I've read nothing but good things. I reckon it would've worked well with my 80ED though! 

As @Stu1smartcookie mentioned budgetary constraints I didn't suggest it here though. If the Tak is about the limit I guess an F11 might be too much as well? 

Yes, I found the FC 100 DZ was on the edge for for an AZ5 plus Report, too.

I actually found my old WO EZTouch head better. But that doesn’t have those twiddly-things-that-allow-you-to-move-in-alt-and-AZ that we’re not really supposed to talk about and certainly not in capital letter 🤣

[badhex]

27 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Yes, I found the FC 100 DZ was on the edge for for an AZ5 plus Report, too.

I actually found my old WO EZTouch head better. But that doesn’t have those twiddly-things-that-allow-you-to-move-in-alt-and-AZ that we’re not really supposed to talk about and certainly not in capital letter 🤣

Maybe @Stu1smartcookie needs the fabled Rowan AZ50 with twiddly things! 😂 🤐

[Stu]

48 minutes ago, badhex said:

Maybe @Stu1smartcookie needs the fabled Rowan AZ50 with twiddly things! 😂 🤐

Enough already, my dear old heart won’t take any more of this! 🤪🤪

Anyway s** m***** c******* is going to be added to the swear filter soon 🤣🤣

[Stu1smartcookie]

Well, I bought the scope!!!!  It was too good to miss..or so I hope. 

 

[Stu]

48 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Well, I bought the scope!!!!  It was too good to miss..or so I hope. 

 

Hurrah! Nice one 👍

[badhex]

1 hour ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Well, I bought the scope!!!!  It was too good to miss..or so I hope. 

 

Great news! Think of it as an investment. Looking forward to hearing about first light

Edited October 30, 2021 by badhex

[johninderby]

Can you use a 100mm f/11 scope hand held? 😁😁😁

But seriously great news as you seem to have gotten the scope you really wanted. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Edited October 30, 2021 by johninderby

[wibblefish]

I have been having this dilemma recently mounting a 100ED and ended up deciding to go with the Skytee (despite the cost and extra cost to replace a saddle with ADM) even though its more expensive it should be an investment for the future I hope…at least thats what I am going to claim

Does really feel like there is a missing mount between the Az5 and the Skytee that takes a little more weight than one but costs a little less than the other!

Just need to find somewhere selling the scope I am after now (fingers crossed)!

Edited October 30, 2021 by wibblefish

[Tiny Clanger]

1 minute ago, wibblefish said:

I have been having this dilemma recently and ended up deciding to go with the Skytee (despite the extra cost to replace a saddle with ADM) even though its more expensive it should be an investment for the future I hope…

Does really feel like there is a missing mount between the Az5 and the Skytee that takes a little more weight than one but costs a little less than the other!

Just need to find somewhere selling the scope I am after now (fingers crossed)!

I was going to link from here to your thread on the subject, but didn't get round to it . For me that was an object lesson in waiting for something good to come up second hand 🙂

Heather

[Tiny Clanger]

12 minutes ago, wibblefish said:

Just need to find somewhere selling the scope I am after now (fingers crossed)!

Wasn't it this (allegedly In stock) one ? https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/altair-starwave-102f7.html#xinfo

Heather

Edited October 30, 2021 by Tiny Clanger
addedallegedly, just in case ...

[wibblefish]

10 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Wasn't it this In stock) one ? https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/altair-starwave-102f7.html#xinfo

Heather

Yeah I am eyeing that up but going to try and see if Altair have one as I can literally drive down the road and pick it up if so  (though would have to wait on FLO for the mount to test it  if I got one from there to but 1st world problems I guess!)

Edited October 30, 2021 by wibblefish

[Stu1smartcookie]

Another update !!!!!

So , after buying the Altair Starwave , tomorrow will see the arrival of the SkyTee + Tripod 

The wife doesn't know yet , so i will keep the box , just in case i need somewhere to live !!! 🤣 ( i really dont know why i am laughing )