Skywatcher AZ GOTO Mount

[rikyuu]

SXINIAS,

thank you for the bit you posted about the tripod wobble, it prompted me to check my Celestron SLT mount......... and to promptly rectify it!

See my other post:

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/81613-improving-azimuth-celestron-slt-goto.html#post1235476

cheers

[FLO]

mmm, interesting I wonder how a WO 66SD will fit on one of these.

The William Optics ZS 66 has a mounting shoe that is the same shape as a Vixen-style dovetail so it will slide straight into the mounts saddle without adapters. You can also remove, rotate and re-fit the shoe which effectively moves the telescope forward for a better balance when using a 2" diagonal and eyepiece or a binoviewer.

HTH

[sxinias]

SXINIAS,

thank you for the bit you posted about the tripod wobble, it prompted me to check my Celestron SLT mount......... and to promptly rectify it!

See my other post:

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/81613-improving-azimuth-celestron-slt-goto.html#post1235476

cheers

I think that this thread concerning mount reivews, problems, and fixes probably belongs in the DIY group where you posted your fix and am posting my comments there

JOe

sxinias greece

[BlueAstra]

I have this mount with a SW 1145p OTA. It works great as a grab and go mount. After alignment the goto always got the target, and the tracking was good for a large percentage of subs up to 15-25s, or longer if you are webcamming a planet or the moon. I found the tripod benefitted from bracing with (in my case) a large brick. I also found the inserts holding the leg extensions pulled out if you overtightned the locking screws. I added a locking ring to prevent this. Overall great value and works well.

[sxinias]

Latest update on my attempt to mount a 4.5 kg 150 mm Celestron C6S SCT on the SkyWatcher SynScan GOTO Alt/Az Mount and tripod.......SUCCESS AT LAST.

Solution:

1. tighten the leg hinge bolts

2. tighten the bolts attaching the center brace to the tripod's legs.

3. make sure the accessory tray is installed and firmly locked in place.

4. only extended the extension legs about 30% (this one I’ll experiment with more.).

These four simple actions stiffened the tripod considerably and sufficient that on my test run tonight, the mount's goto accuracy was 100 % on assorted objects; stars in different parts of the sky, Saturn, and a couple of Messier objects. (f=1500, f/10 scope with a 25 mm eyepiece)

Now I have me a great grab and go GOTO telescope.

Joe

Sxinias Greece

Meade 2090AT refractor, 90 mm, f=800, f/8.9

Meade 2045LX3 SCT, 102 mm, f=1000, f/10

Celestron C6S SCT, 150 mm, f=1500, f/10

Meade DS2000 GOTO Alt/Az Mount

SkyWatcher SynScan GOTO Alt/Az Mount

Celestron CG5 Mount iOptron Nova GOTO

8x50 Binoculars

[Greg]

mmm, interesting I wonder how a WO 66SD will fit on one of these.

Mine fits straight on using the WO shoe...

Cracking Grab n go holiday setup..

I've had my SW ED80 Pro II on there with no problems..My kids love it!

[New2Astronomy]

I have this mount with a SW 1145p OTA. It works great as a grab and go mount. After alignment the goto always got the target, and the tracking was good for a large percentage of subs up to 15-25s, or longer if you are webcamming a planet or the moon. I found the tripod benefitted from bracing with (in my case) a large brick. I also found the inserts holding the leg extensions pulled out if you overtightned the locking screws. I added a locking ring to prevent this. Overall great value and works well.

Hi Blueastra, i recently got a skymax 127 goto as my first scope. the nut on the tripod leg came off the first time I used it probably my luck to get a lemon! I would be interested to know where you got the locking nut from. in your photo, you have a black bolt attacked to the scope, what is this attached with if the gold nut come out when you tighten it? would appreciate your help, because can't find anyone else on here with the same problem! thanks!

Mo

Skymax 127 GOTO

[BlueAstra]

I'm afraid you need some engineering equipment to do it. I had the same problem when I overtightened the bolts, the nuts came out. Metal inserts in a plastic substrate, hmmm.

My solution was to push the nuts (inserts) back in coated with araldite adhesive to secure them. I then replaced the wing nuts with cap head bolts (M5?) to prevent excessive leverage when turning them with fingers.

I then took some Al bar and created a short hollow cylinder ring on a lathe. I then drilled and tapped a hole in the side for the original wing nut. I then drilled out the pop-rivet from the cap on the end of the tripod leg, removed the cap, slid on the new ring and re-fixed the cap on the end of the leg with a new pop-rivet. Repeat for the other two legs.

So I now loosen the cap head bolt in the original insert first. then hold the tripod leg while loosening the wing nut in the new ring. I can then ease the leg up or down with the ring to level and secure it by clamping the wing nut really tight. I then just snug up the cap head bolt finger tight so there is little strain on it. The weight of the system is taken by the rings. Sorted!

[Penelopa]

I have the problem with this Skywatcher tripod. One of the legs is loose and after investigation I realised that the cause of it is the gold ring not properly pushed in the plastic. Anyone has an idea how to push it back? I don't want to try hammer solution because I'm afraid I may break plastic around it. I tried to push it back using other tools without success.

See attached pictures.

The other leg with working nuts:

[A McEwan]

I've seen that on other Skywatcher tripods, not specifically the AZ mount. I used a rubber mallet to tap it back in, with a block of wood between the nut and the mallet to prevent damage. Worked ok for me, but don't blame me if you try it and it falls apart!

[Macavity]

How accurate is the mount? I frankly don’t know. So far, for me, it is a closeto not a goto.

Well, I was getting (a tentative) 0.25 degrees over the whole sky - When using a pillar mount to support the head. Thus the notion of "beefing up" the tripod would appear to be a very good one.

Such may not yet be the limit either. There is, of course the fine-tune feature and also a (my rhetorical!) question regarding exactly WHEN the thing starts to track. I sense this is after the second star is located, so what it's doing in the interim may effect alignment.

But these many, useful(!) points are indeed becomming a tad fragmented, so might indeed sit well on the equipment forum.

[sxinias]

Well, have used my SkyWatcher SynScan AZ GOTO mount for almost one year now; overloaded with a CCelestron 6S, telrad, and often a DSLR. The accuracy of the mount, both goto and tracking, continues to amaze me ... within the center third of the eyepiece (F=1500, f/10 SCT; 32mm eyepiece). The longest I every tracked an object was 4 hours and the object was still pretty much centered in the eyepiece. The tripod continues the weak link in the system requiring periodic maintenance to keep up goto accuracy .... tightening loose nuts and bolts, etc.

As you may recall my posting last June I had found that the tripod wobbled and came up with these fixes to solve the problem

1. tighten the leg hinge bolts

2. tighten the bolts attaching the center brace to the tripod's legs.

3. make sure the accessory tray is installed and firmly locked in place.

4. only extended the extension legs about 30%

Since then, I've refined these interventions with the folowing additional actions:

1. lowered the center tripod brace and accessory tray bracket to a position 34 cm below the bottom of the mount head (bottom of the big plastic cap on the bolt that secures the goto mount to the tripod's head)

2. injected epoxy in the very thin space between the stainless steel legs and the plastic leg sockets on the tripod's head.

3, injected epoxy in the very thin space between the stainless steel legs and the extenion leg locking bolt bracket.

5. extend the extension legs no more than 25 cm

These above actions not only eliminated the tripod wobble but also impacted its vibration problem. vibration is still present .. but the frequency and amplitude is much lower and of shorter duration... more than livable. The epoxy and lowering of the tripod's center brace reduced vibration the most. I would like to lower the center brace to the bottom of the upper legs but feared the resulting decrease in the tripod's footprint, its decrease in stability, may be too much and simply quit while I was ahead.

I have also determined that mount works like a champ for loads up to 5.5 kg. After than accuracy begins to rapidly degrade.

[Mikea]

Thanks to sxinias, I have improved my tripods stability too. Rather than injecting epoxy into the gap on the top leg socket, I actually drilled out the rivets and removed the legs completely. Then I put a ring of epoxy in the base of the socket and a thin layer on the inside wall of the socket and on the leg. Wipe off the excess epoxy and use 2 x 3.2x6mm aluminium rivets to complete the job. I used the "precision, extra strong" stuff and left it overnight to cure. Huge improvement. I haven't done the lower sockets - they seem tight enough to me. Thanks for pointing this out!

[Trevor-Austin]

Steve - looks good bit of kit for people who want to take their scope abroad on holiday.

How much does it weigh and what's the size when collapsed? Presume the head can be taken off the tripod?

MD

I know this is an old posting but...

Can the head be mounted onto any other centre fixing tripod, maybe with the help of some MDF or similar? Has anybody taken the head off or got a pic?

[Mikea]

I don't have a pic, but could take one unless someone already has one!

[gary1968]

Howdy,

I have a C80ED sitting in its box in the garage doing, well, not a lot.

I am considering the SW AltAz goto mount for it and then use it as a little grab n go set up for taking to the dark sky site I use.

So, will this scope be OK on the mount?

Gary

[bus_ter]

2. injected epoxy in the very thin space between the stainless steel legs and the plastic leg sockets on the tripod's head.

3, injected epoxy in the very thin space between the stainless steel legs and the extenion leg locking bolt bracket.

Does anyone have pictures or can explain where the epoxy was applied? I can't seem to figure out where these spaces are?

[Mikea]

The ends of the stainless steel tubes fit into plastic sockets at the head or on the legs. The tubes are fixed with 2 rivets that go through the plastic - you can see this on Penelopa's last pic. The gap is between the metal tube and the plastic socket. The only thing holding them together is the two rivets.

This thread doesn't really belong in "Sponsor Announcements" any more.

[sxinias]

As far as putting the SkyWatcher SkyScan AZ mount on another

tripod, I often put mine on a Celestron CG5 mount. The SkyWatcher attaches

via one bolt to the center of the bottom of the mount. All you need

to do is find a bolt long enough. I use one that has a threaded

length of 6 cm, I think it is 5 mm in diameter.

Concerning the posting about the portability of the SkyWatcher

SynScan AZ mount and tripod. I can pack up my kit into a carry

case that meets the standards for carry on baggage except for the

tripod (tripod can be dissembled and put in a hard back suitcase

along with the clothing).

See photos attached to posting. Sometimes I take the yellow

automotive starter battery with me and sometimes I just use the

mount's battery pack (8AA batteries that don't last very long). The

automotive starter battery will not fit in my carry case. The weight

of my kit does not include it. Note since the photos were taken, I've

improved my packing ability and here is my current kit, all of which

fits inside the travel case except for the tripod:

Travel kit

1. telescope: C6S OTA

2. mount and tripod: SkyWatcher SynScan AZ goto

3. eyepieces: 32mm, 25mm, 15 mm, 12.4 mm, 9.7 mm, 6.4 mm, and 100 rectal

4. piggyback mount

5. power cord with switch

6. hand controller with cable

7. moon filter

8. red LED flashlight

9. white LED flash light

10. diagonal

11. Telrad finder

12. camera dove tail mount

13. battery pack with 8 AA batteries

14. 8 spare AA batteries

15. screw driver with 5 bits

16. general purpose tool (pliers, knife, file, etc.)

17. roll of electrical tape

18. one leather case (45 cm L, 20 cm W, 33 cm H)

19. eyepiece case

20. small towel

21: Total Weight kg 13.6

[bus_ter]

The ends of the stainless steel tubes fit into plastic sockets at the head or on the legs. The tubes are fixed with 2 rivets that go through the plastic - you can see this on Penelopa's last pic. The gap is between the metal tube and the plastic socket. The only thing holding them together is the two rivets.

Thanks I understand now. The sockets are a pretty close fit to the tube, so you would need quite a thin epoxy to run it through the gap.

[Trevor-Austin]

Great, thanks for that, mine will mount on my gem1 mount fine then, think that's me decided unless something better comes up 2nd hand before the end of the month.

[Mikea]

Thanks I understand now. The sockets are a pretty close fit to the tube, so you would need quite a thin epoxy to run it through the gap.

Indeed - that's why I drilled out the rivets so that I could pull the tube out and get a good dollop of epoxy in!

[sxinias]

I used tooth picks to push the epoxy between the plastic sockets and steel legs. An alternative to epoxy is to simply shove plastic shirt collar stays between the sockets and legs. The ultimate fix is to remove the pop rivets and use bolts that pass completely through the sockets and legs along with epoxy. Lowering the accessory tray also helps as it increases the angle the legs make to the ground, thus, directing more energy downward rather than horizontal. This intervention does negatively impact the mount and tripod's stability a little. BTW, the mount is rated at 8 pounds (3.6 kg). So far I've had no problem with my 12 pound (5.5 kg) load on the mount.