Meade LX200 12'

[Spaceship]

Hello my LX200 12” did have a weight. 
 

I de-forked and started the cleaning/lubing process.  With intent of trying it with my EQ6
Installed Peterson’s Focus kit

Removed the weight I believe it was 4-6 lbs. can’t remember. I believe my OTA weight was 38lbs once completed. 
 

It worked on the EQ 6 but it looked like a big camper on a half ton pickup  

It’s now on a Losmandy G11

Edited March 9, 2023 by Spaceship

[Jasonb]

Funny, my Tripod is the Meade Tripod that was given with this Telescope years ago. It's a monster of a tripod, I got it cheap, I think it would take *my* weight!

[michael8554]

Meade SCTs don't have a rear internal counterweight.

The 7" Maksutov does, as in Spaceship's images, maybe as suggested to allow the physically-long OTA to be mounted further  forward in the forks.

My SCT external balance system has to have its weight almost at the front of the OTA.

Michael

Edited March 11, 2023 by michael8554

[Froeng]

I am confused! Meade SCT (not Maksutov) added internal weight? Yes - or No?

???

[gorann]

2 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Meade SCTs don't have a rear internal counterweight.

The 7" Maksutov does, as in Spaceship's images, maybe as suggested to allow the physically-long OTA to be mounted further  forward in the forks.

My SCT external balance system has to have its weight almost at the front of the OTA.

Michael

Well, apparently at least some do as seen in the post by @Spaceship above. I can see it in one of the pictures.

Edited March 11, 2023 by gorann

[Elara]

On 09/03/2023 at 22:44, Spaceship said:

Hello my LX200 12” did have a weight. 
 

I de-forked and started the cleaning/lubing process.  With intent of trying it with my EQ6
Installed Peterson’s Focus kit

Removed the weight I believe it was 4-6 lbs. can’t remember. I believe my OTA weight was 38lbs once completed. 
 

It worked on the EQ 6 but it looked like a big camper on a half ton pickup  

It’s now on a Losmandy G11

Thanks for the post and photos!
I’ve just had my Meade 12” SCT (possibly an original LX200 OTA) serviced, cleaned and primary mirror/secondary recoated. My ‘first light’ opportunity was yesterday and I was reminded of how much ‘play’ there is with the focuser. The scope has travelled a bit since collecting it, so it needs collimating again which I didn’t do due to the limited ‘clear sky’ opportunity.

My question is whether the Peterson focuser upgrade is easy to do for a ‘non-diy’ type such as myself.

(To the OP: I’d add that the scope sits on a NE6R with 4 counterweights and seems to balance nicely. I’m a visual observer only btw)

[Spaceship]

It was easy. You can do it!

If you look at my pictures you’ll see the back of the mirror has a stem that the focus knob attaches too. I cleaned and re-greased the mirror slide tube for ease of operation.  There’s a video put out by Meade mods that describes the process also. 
 

 

[Spaceship]

13 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Meade SCTs don't have a rear internal counterweight.

The 7" Maksutov does, as in Spaceship's images, maybe as suggested to allow the physically-long OTA to be mounted further  forward in the forks.

My SCT external balance system has to have its weight almost at the front of the OTA.

Michael

My LX200 12” Classic did have the weight. You can see it in the back of the tube in my pictures then on my kitchen table. I flocked the tube and in that picture you can see the weight has been removed. 
 

I believe it’s the 7” and the 12”. Not sure about the others. 

[michael8554]

Okay, my bad, missed the 12" bit in Spaceship's post.

Michael

[Elara]

10 hours ago, Spaceship said:

It was easy. You can do it!

If you look at my pictures you’ll see the back of the mirror has a stem that the focus knob attaches too. I cleaned and re-greased the mirror slide tube for ease of operation.  There’s a video put out by Meade mods that describes the process also. 
 

 

Thank you for the positive encouragement!

I have seen the Meade Mods video on YTube. 
On other forums showing a Starlight Microfocuser (SCT) being installed, things looked ‘fiddly’? 

Perhaps I’m making too much of what appears easy? 
Question: Is it straightforward to detach the end of the focuser, therefore ‘learning’ how to re-attach.
Is that the ‘stem’ you mention ( at about 5:25pm) on the attached copy photo? 

Apologies to any dyslexics, but I’m mechanically ‘similar’, so don’t want to end up bodging it!!

Thanks for any help! I

[Spaceship]

6 hours ago, Elara said:

Thank you for the positive encouragement!

I have seen the Meade Mods video on YTube. 
On other forums showing a Starlight Microfocuser (SCT) being installed, things looked ‘fiddly’? 

Perhaps I’m making too much of what appears easy? 
Question: Is it straightforward to detach the end of the focuser, therefore ‘learning’ how to re-attach.
Is that the ‘stem’ you mention ( at about 5:25pm) on the attached copy photo? 

Apologies to any dyslexics, but I’m mechanically ‘similar’, so don’t want to end up bodging it!!

Thanks for any help! I

The primary mirror is held against a spring. You need to lock the mirror in place first. My 12” is the older Classic. I had mine apart when I installed the new focuser so it was very easy. You’ll need to create a mirror lock tool first. (See attached).   I also attached a Moonlight Crayford focuser to minimize the amount of mirror movement. Hope this helps.   Watch enough videos until your confidence is up. It’s pretty straight forward. 

[Spaceship]

2 minutes ago, Spaceship said:

Yes that is the stem. the little threaded hole next to it is for the mirror lock (screw/bolt) that you’ll need to make or purchase. 

The primary mirror is held against a spring. It will spring forward in the tube if you don’t hold it in place when you release the original focuser.  
You need to lock the mirror in place first. My 12” is the older Classic. I had mine apart when I installed the new focuser so it was very easy. You’ll need to create a mirror lock tool first. (See attached).   I also attached a Moonlight Crayford focuser to minimize the amount of mirror movement. Hope this helps.   Watch enough videos until your confidence is up. It’s pretty straight forward. 

 

[Elara]

Again, many thanks!

I have the aftermarket mirror lock already installed, so just a case of tightening it up prior to installing the Peterson Engineering EZ Focus Upgrade, which I’ve ordered from the UK distributor, RVO. I’ve also ordered the Peterson Eyeopener III. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Having been ‘away’ from using my setup for several years owing to personal circumstances, I’ve decided to join a local Astronomical Society, so I’m sure I’ll get lots of assistance from them too.

Clear Skies!

Cheers!

[Spaceship]

5 hours ago, Elara said:

Again, many thanks!

I have the aftermarket mirror lock already installed, so just a case of tightening it up prior to installing the Peterson Engineering EZ Focus Upgrade, which I’ve ordered from the UK distributor, RVO. I’ve also ordered the Peterson Eyeopener III. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Having been ‘away’ from using my setup for several years owing to personal circumstances, I’ve decided to join a local Astronomical Society, so I’m sure I’ll get lots of assistance from them too.

Clear Skies!

Cheers!

Excellent!!  Good job. Local help is always the best!!

[GTom]

Wow, that's new, I am doing my homework before buying an 11-12" SCT and found several comments on cloudynights claiming the LX200 STOCK OTA-s have manufacturer installed mirror lock, the LX90's not. Hence I decided to forget the LX90's, but seems the stock LX200 doesn't have a mirror lock either?

On 12/03/2023 at 16:09, Spaceship said:

The primary mirror is held against a spring. You need to lock the mirror in place first. My 12” is the older Classic. I had mine apart when I installed the new focuser so it was very easy. You’ll need to create a mirror lock tool first. (See attached).   I also attached a Moonlight Crayford focuser to minimize the amount of mirror movement. Hope this helps.   Watch enough videos until your confidence is up. It’s pretty straight forward. 

 

[GTom]

Right, just picked up a 10" lx200: it came with stock mirror lock

[Albir phil]

Never heard of built in counter wights.i have a 8inch mead with a sliding counter weight fitted

[bosun21]

I have seen many older Meade SCT's with counterweights fitted behind the primary mirror. I think it's due to them having to move the fulcrum further back to allow diagonals etc to have enough clearance of the fork mount when observing near or at the zenith.

[John]

The meade newtonians and their 7 inch mak-cassegrain certainly have large metal weights behind the their primary mirrors.

Often an early modification of such scopes is to remove the counterweight. I understand that it is thought that the weight slows down the cool down process by adding mass close to the primary mirror.

 

[GTom]

2 hours ago, John said:

The meade newtonians and their 7 inch mak-cassegrain certainly have large metal weights behind the their primary mirrors.

Often an early modification of such scopes is to remove the counterweight. I understand that it is thought that the weight slows down the cool down process by adding mass close to the primary mirror.

 

Having a heavy camera it would be a great idea to remove any weight from the primary side. Will have a look on my copy, being a wee bit scared to disassemble the entire OTA though 😀

[John]

13 minutes ago, GTom said:

Having a heavy camera it would be a great idea to remove any weight from the primary side. Will have a look on my copy, being a wee bit scared to disassemble the entire OTA though 😀

Having looked at a few pics of an LX200 12 being dismantled, I'm not sure that it has that weight behind the mirror. 

This SGL member has done quite a bit of work on an LX200 12 inch - there might be some useful information in here for you:

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by John

[GTom]

Took my 10" LX200 GPS apart last night (decent cleaning is still to do): no counterweight