Slipping Dovetail

[rwg]

So, my Nexstar 102 tube ended up on the floor last night because it slipped out of the dovetail bracket. Fortunately it didn't fall far, I got my leg in the way to break its fall and it seems OK (tough things, refractors -relatively, anyway...).

To try to prevent any repeat performances, I've just glued some thin rubber strips to the inside of the dovetail jaws - the idea being that even if I don't quite get the jaws perfectly tight again sometime, it should give much more friction than metal on metal. I'm hoping that the fact that the rubber will compress slightly will help too - if the tube moves a bit then there should still be some pressure. I used electrical heatshrink, which just happened to be to hand, but perhaps cycle inner tube would have been better.

Anyone else suffered from the problem and got any other homebrew suggestions to help avoid expensive accidents?

cheers,

Robin

[m.tweedy]

I was worried about my C8 slipping from the tube rings:eek: so I used sticky back velcose on the inside of the tube rings and on the tube. seems to be solid now.

[rwg]

Sounds good - velcro on two rings should definitely keep it in place! I dug around a bit on the web to see if anyone else had had dovetail slip problems earlier and found a couple of people who'd lost C8's or similar by them dropping out. Apparently the corrector plate on SCTs is thin and fragile . Mind you, I'd still like to get one

Robin

[m.tweedy]

another suggestion that a friend used was a piece of hobbyists cork sheeting stuck around the rings

[skye at night]

Don't be afraid to make them tighter to make sure they are 'secure'. You can also use that thin silicone type sheeting stuff a s liner, it grips very well...

My biggest fear was always the dovetail itself slipping out...

if you use losmandy type dovetail and saddle as I do.. you can drop a bolt or pin through the spare holes to make a seriously secure 'lock' against such events...

the smooth vixen types always gave me the 'heebies' especially when used with those screw type saddles which also marr the dovetail..

You can also upgrade the vixen type saddle to a full surface type which grips better.

Steve

[riogrande100]

Don't be afraid to make them tighter to make sure they are 'secure'. You can also use that thin silicone type sheeting stuff a s liner, it grips very well...

My biggest fear was always the dovetail itself slipping out...

if you use losmandy type dovetail and saddle as I do.. you can drop a bolt or pin through the spare holes to make a seriously secure 'lock' against such events...

the smooth vixen types always gave me the 'heebies' especially when used with those screw type saddles which also marr the dovetail..

You can also upgrade the vixen type saddle to a full surface type which grips better.

Steve

Steve,

wheer can i find one of these no marring vixen type saddles?

[beamish]

Strangely I've been considering this myself. I have had the scope slip before but thankfully the bolt ( head) securing the ring to the dovetail acted as a brake, stopping the dovetail from slipping off the mount head !!

Steve " Flo" has these

Dovetail bars - ADM Dual Saddle upgrade for HEq5 and EQ6 series mounts

and I know Altair Astro have some too but the ADM are significantly cheaper and still come highly recommended

[riogrande100]

Strangely I've been considering this myself. I have had the scope slip before but thankfully the bolt ( head) securing the ring to the dovetail acted as a brake, stopping the dovetail from slipping off the mount head !!

Steve " Flo" has these

Dovetail bars - ADM Dual Saddle upgrade for HEq5 and EQ6 series mounts

and I know Altair Astro have some too but the ADM are significantly cheaper and still come highly recommended

Thanks Carlo i best holla at Steve LOL!

[riogrande100]

Forgot to mention would these saddle upgrades work on the CG5?

[beamish]

Sorry I'm not sure, best talk to FLO.

[riogrande100]

Sorry I'm not sure, best talk to FLO.

FLO has been contacted