Replacement 3/8 "bolt

[AstroNebulee]

Hi

This will undoubtedly of been asked on here before but after a search I'm blowed if I can find it. I have a celestron 1.25inch tripod and want to use it with my soon to be AZ5 which uses a 3/8 inch thumb knob bolt but the one with the celestron tripod I'd to short and 8 need one around 50mm in length to suffice. I do have an M10 one and I doubt it will work. So can anyone advise where I can get a 3/8" x 50mm thumb knob bolt and I'm aware that's metric and imperial 😂.  I can use my Star adventurer alloy tripod in the meantime but wanted to use my beefier celestron tripod. 

Cheers 

Lee 

Edited December 27, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[westmarch]

Hi,

there is a thread (no pun intended) here on bolts and where to get them:

hope that helps

John

[AstroNebulee]

@westmarch like the pun. Thank you I shall give this a look see and hopefully something there.

Lee 

[vlaiv]

17 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

So can anyone advise where I can get a 3/8" x 50mm thumb knob bolt and I'm aware that's metric and imperial 😂

That is 9.525mm x 1.968504" for all those that use imperial and metric rather than metric and imperial

This web site lists them

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/adjusting-screw-steel-imperial-unc-wds-605/c-385/p-1595

(you want 3/8 2" long version)

[AstroNebulee]

1 minute ago, vlaiv said:

That is 9.525mm x 1.968504" for all those that use imperial and metric rather than metric and imperial

This web site lists them

https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/adjusting-screw-steel-imperial-unc-wds-605/c-385/p-1595

(you want 3/8 2" long version)

Thank you vlaiv, yes it's imperial and metric 😁 wrong way round me haha. 

I'll give them a look 

Lee 

[Turbocoo]

This is why I bought an az4, straight fit to an eq3, eq5, heq5 etc tripod 

[jjohnson3803]

Shame on me I guess, but I use M10s and 3/8s interchangeably.  They've worked ok so far.  Hope I'm not really screwing up the threads on anything - no pun intended.

 

[AstroNebulee]

11 minutes ago, jjohnson3803 said:

Shame on me I guess, but I use M10s and 3/8s interchangeably.  They've worked ok so far.  Hope I'm not really screwing up the threads on anything - no pun intended.

 

I did try the M10 bolt gingerly on the AZ5 mount and would take a couple of threads but didn't want to force it so put the AZ5 on my SA tripod for now with the 3/8 bolt until the longer 3/8 bolt comes for the celestron tripod. Had a very quick try on the moon earlier and quite stable even with the legs fully extended, wobble took a while to dampen so not the best. 

Lee

[Elp]

I generally use eBay, but if you have a local fastener shop (not DIY stores), they'll likely give you one for free as for them it's fractions, good to have a good rapport with a fastener company in general.

Edited December 29, 2022 by Elp

[SteveNickolls]

Kinda similar.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[AstroNebulee]

 

Multiple post can be deleted. Sorry mods. 

1 hour ago, jjohnson3803 said:

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, AstroNebulee said:

I did try the M10 bolt gingerly on the AZ5 mount and would take a couple of threads but didn't want to force it so put the AZ5 on my SA tripod for now with the 3/8 bolt until the longer 3/8 bolt comes for the celestron tripod. Had a very quick try on the moon earlier and quite stable even with the legs fully extended, wobble took a while to dampen so not the best. 

Lee

Update, as the new 3/8 x 2inch bolt has just arrived and now fitted to my celestron 1.25inch tripod, will see how this fares for sturdiness now. 

Lee 

[Elp]

Always wondered about these mount heads as you have the useful slowmo controls?

[Ratlet]

I like my az5. The slow mo controls are pretty darn handy.  I've got a 130pds on mine.  Only issue is the mount has a bolt that holds the dovetail and it chews up the anodising on the dovetail something fierce

 

[jjohnson3803]

9 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

I like my az5. The slow mo controls are pretty darn handy.  

Agree.  I alternate between using my AZ5 and ScopeTech Zero.  I think my ST120 and 1002ED are at the upper limit of what they can realistically handle though.

I tried 2 or 3 friction mounts and didn't like them at all compared to my AZ5 and STech slo-mos.  YMMV.

[AstroNebulee]

42 minutes ago, Elp said:

Always wondered about these mount heads as you have the useful slowmo controls?

Yes that's what drew me to the AZ5, really need those slo mo controls. I think I'll swap the azimuth short one for the long one included in the box so I can reach around the bazooka better. But so responsive.