Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[AstroNebulee]

My az gti transformation is complete! I took ownership of a skywatcher 3/8 thread 1.75 inch steel tripod from @FLO today. Christ she is sturdy now, can't believe how much so and much higher using my extension pillar (no need to extend the legs) I did think of not using the extension pillar but didn't want to risk and clashes. For comparison my old star adventurer tripod I used to use, being dwarfed now.

Lee 

Edited August 23, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[Elp]

It's a sturdy tripod alright, but makes the whole thing heavier to carry fully assembled. Had no issue with it when I had my eq3-2, great sturdy setup it was.

[AstroNebulee]

6 minutes ago, Elp said:

It's a sturdy tripod alright, but makes the whole thing heavier to carry fully assembled. Had no issue with it when I had my eq3-2, great sturdy setup it was.

Yep I agree it is heavier but still more manageable than I thought 😊

[Elp]

If it makes it more convenient, you may be able to find a cheap yoga mat carry bag for it and carry out the azgti and imaging train in hand. It may be a bit long, but I managed to find one perfect for my Uni tripod.

[AstroNebulee]

20 minutes ago, Elp said:

If it makes it more convenient, you may be able to find a cheap yoga mat carry bag for it and carry out the azgti and imaging train in hand. It may be a bit long, but I managed to find one perfect for my Uni tripod.

Thank you that sounds great and could spread the weight better, I shall look into it 👍

Lee 

[LaurenceT]

47 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Yep I agree it is heavier but still more manageable than I thought 😊

It's been a game changer for me, done away with vibrations when observing even on the Mak127.

I thought that I'd have problems carting it around being somewhat advanced in years but it's manageable.

[AstroNebulee]

12 minutes ago, LaurenceT said:

It's been a game changer for me, done away with vibrations when observing even on the Mak127.

I thought that I'd have problems carting it around being somewhat advanced in years but it's manageable.

I will quite agree once I get some clear skies to try it out, I'm hoping even if there's a little breeze it won't wobble and vibrate as much as it used to, if at all. 

Lee 

 

[bomberbaz]

TBH I have never found the need to put mine onto my steel tripod and simply keep the smaller SW tripod permanently set up.  

I do agree that in terms of stability it is an improvement but how significant that is is arguable.

I have been meaning to put details of my minor mods up so here goes.

I placed a small but fat spring between the outer casing and the drive motor (see red arrow). When this is fastened up is stops the slop in RA as the small spring  installed is simply too weak.

I also slipped two small pieces of plastic (I sabotaged a teflon type chopping mat) and slid them between the motor housing casing and the actual drive mechanism housing. (see yellow arrow) This helps take out a little of the slack in RA too. Since I did this with the new mount, my tracking has tightened up significantly and is always under 1 and I guess is averaging at 0.8. (previously circa 1.2)

If anyone needs pictures, let me know.

Steve

[AstroNebulee]

22 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

TBH I have never found the need to put mine onto my steel tripod and simply keep the smaller SW tripod permanently set up.  

I do agree that in terms of stability it is an improvement but how significant that is is arguable.

I have been meaning to put details of my minor mods up so here goes.

I placed a small but fat spring between the outer casing and the drive motor (see red arrow). When this is fastened up is stops the slop in RA as the small spring  installed is simply too weak.

I also slipped two small pieces of plastic (I sabotaged a teflon type chopping mat) and slid them between the motor housing casing and the actual drive mechanism housing. (see yellow arrow) This helps take out a little of the slack in RA too. Since I did this with the new mount, my tracking has tightened up significantly and is always under 1 and I guess is averaging at 0.8. (previously circa 1.2)

If anyone needs pictures, let me know.

Steve

Hi Steve 

Is this the spring that you replaced? Also do you know where you got the new spring from as I was thinking of fitting more substantial ones to my Az gti. 

Nice mods and thank you for sharing 👍

Lee 

Edited August 23, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[bomberbaz]

45 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Hi Steve 

Is this the spring that you replaced? Also do you know where you got the new spring from as I was thinking of fitting more substantial ones to my Az gti. 

Nice mods and thank you for sharing 👍

Lee 

I didn't replce it Lee, just added an extra one as mentioned above.  Refer to the small red arrow in my first picture. The spring pushes against the casing and motor housing as oppose to pulling like the installed one does. 

[CKP]

I forgot about this thread and should of posted this here. My apologies.

 

Hi,

If I do the eq mod on the SkyWatcher az gti, would I need to use tube rings? I've heard you need to be either a contortionist or move the OTA  in its rings? I've no experience with eq mounts so I have no idea. Currently I'm using the fixed vixen bar on my heritage 130p without the eq mod.

Thanks.

[Elp]

As long as the OTA is secured and can be clamped into the azgti you can use it however you like. Ive used it with vixen dovetail bars, vixen bars with tube rings, vixen bars and assorted mounting plates mounted on top, as long as it's vixen it fits to the standard clamp. The issue with tube rings relates to when you're using a Newtonian telescope, it doesn't matter which mount you're using, at some point you'll have to loosen the tube rings to rotate the scope for the ideal eyepiece orientation, I've had to do this with my refractor also because the focus knob was interfering with the clamping knob, all sorted now that I've double mounted my OTA onto two vixen dovetail bars to lift it up.

[Penumbrella]

Exciting day as I've just received an early birthday present from myself (I always get such thoughtful presents from me!). 

I'll be using it for visual in alt-az for now (I don't have a wedge or immediate plans for long exposure photography - might try EEA down the road though) and tried my 130pds on a friend's az-gti before pulling the trigger. 

Currently trawling through the mine of knowledge on this thread and waiting for the, inevitable, clouds to clear for first light. 

[AstroNebulee]

On 23/08/2022 at 21:25, bomberbaz said:

I didn't replce it Lee, just added an extra one as mentioned above.  Refer to the small red arrow in my first picture. The spring pushes against the casing and motor housing as oppose to pulling like the installed one does. 

Hi Steve sorry for my late reply I thought I had, did you take a picture of where your new spring is positioned, I'm probably being thick but I can't in visage it. Edit...think I worked it out, excuse my crude drawing but is the spring placed here?

Cheers 

Lee 

Edited August 25, 2022 by AstroNebulee
addition

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, Penumbrella said:

Exciting day as I've just received an early birthday present from myself (I always get such thoughtful presents from me!). 

I'll be using it for visual in alt-az for now (I don't have a wedge or immediate plans for long exposure photography - might try EEA down the road though) and tried my 130pds on a friend's az-gti before pulling the trigger. 

Currently trawling through the mine of knowledge on this thread and waiting for the, inevitable, clouds to clear for first light. 

Very nice present indeed 😊, we'll look forward to see how you get on with it and your experiences. 

Lee 

[LaurenceT]

Anybody else seen this:

Sky-Watcher | Advertisement (skywatcher.com)

Edited August 25, 2022 by LaurenceT
better link

[CKP]

4 hours ago, Penumbrella said:

Exciting day as I've just received an early birthday present from myself (I always get such thoughtful presents from me!). 

I'll be using it for visual in alt-az for now (I don't have a wedge or immediate plans for long exposure photography - might try EEA down the road though) and tried my 130pds on a friend's az-gti before pulling the trigger. 

Currently trawling through the mine of knowledge on this thread and waiting for the, inevitable, clouds to clear for first light. 

Nice present! I bought myself the az gti for my birthday too!

How does the ota feel on the mount, I'm thinking of doing the same. I use the heritage 130p at the moment but don't like having to make light shrouds and the crappy focuser! 

[adyj1]

3 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

Anybody else seen this:

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skywatcher.com%2Fpost%2Fadvertisement%2FAZ-GTiX%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1HPdjDOLMKDIGzqxI1vNB3tj2gYpf-oTIKl0_YvANca_2UkVYKtbK95qM&h=AT2twQ1-ORMw1feWJ0NHcwGzfc7cnYHCe7N-1JRotbD26olalhKAsgkCZGloiPZSyaC_N6z1PU4F-ODXYnIjsaS9R5GFf6D_nnapR3J2O5T-avB9yfKUzhtGVJVXN6i2DYvV8YRmrkDN-97BFodHLQ

Laurance,

You may want to tidy your link up to just:

https://skywatcher.com/post/advertisement/AZ-GTiX/

as the current link goes through Facebook first...

(and it gives people an idea as to what they are clicking on)

HTH

Ady

[LaurenceT]

12 minutes ago, adyj1 said:

Laurance,

You may want to tidy your link up to just:

https://skywatcher.com/post/advertisement/AZ-GTiX/

as the current link goes through Facebook first...

(and it gives people an idea as to what they are clicking on)

HTH

Ady

Thanks for pointing that out Ady, all changed now.

[bomberbaz]

4 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

Hi Steve sorry for my late reply I thought I had, did you take a picture of where your new spring is positioned, I'm probably being thick but I can't in visage it. Edit...think I worked it out, excuse my crude drawing but is the spring placed here?

Cheers 

Lee 

Not sure Lee, that is kinda what I mean. See a more detailed sketch below to illustrate.

[AstroNebulee]

30 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Not sure Lee, that is kinda what I mean. See a more detailed sketch below to illustrate.

Thank you Steve, yep I understand it now, nice mod indeed. 

Lee 

[bomberbaz]

1 hour ago, AstroNebulee said:

Thank you Steve, yep I understand it now, nice mod indeed. 

Lee 

Best of all Lee, very simple (as well as effective).

[Ags]

As some of you may know,  my GTi has developed a jiggle in AZ making it useless for photography and planetary viewing. I thought about getting the new SA GTi or the new Ioptron SkyHunter, but I decided to keep faith with the AZ GTi and a new copy shipped today to me, this time with a polar scope too. Really realllllly hoping the new one doesn't do the AZ runaway thing.

I'll either sell the old one as spares or try to fix it.

[AstroNebulee]

7 hours ago, Ags said:

As some of you may know,  my GTi has developed a jiggle in AZ making it useless for photography and planetary viewing. I thought about getting the new SA GTi or the new Ioptron SkyHunter, but I decided to keep faith with the AZ GTi and a new copy shipped today to me, this time with a polar scope too. Really realllllly hoping the new one doesn't do the AZ runaway thing.

I'll either sell the old one as spares or try to fix it.

Good luck with your new az gti Ags, really hope you have a good one this time, let us know how you get on. 

Lee

[doublevodka]

On 25/08/2022 at 13:50, LaurenceT said:

Anybody else seen this:

Sky-Watcher | Advertisement (skywatcher.com)

They stole my idea! 😂