Does anyone know ....

[brianb]

.... where it might be possible to get a pair of tube rings to fit a Meade 8" LX90 OTA?

[Merlin66]

Why tube rings? Could you use a dovetail mounted to the OTA?

ADM have the necessary, correct dovetails.....

I have a 8" Lx sct mounted on the HEQ5pro.....

Ken

[brianb]

Why tube rings? Could you use a dovetail mounted to the OTA?

More solid, without the risk of stress points damaging the tube at the points where the dovetail is fixed. But it is a possibility.

[Merlin66]

Brian,

Maybe I've been lucky... I have both my 10" sct and 8" sct mounted with dovetails ( Losmandy on the 10", ADM on the 8") and haven't had any issues with them. They get pretty well loaded with spectroscopes/ camera/ guiders etc etc.

Ken

[russ]

I use the Scopestuff bar for my LX50 8". It's a wide bar with 4 support screws to reduce stress on the mounting points. It's a very rigid setup. My SCT isn't as heavily loaded (Crayford, binoviewers etc) as others, so perhaps an imaging setup with guidescope etc hanging off would require the rings.

[ollypenrice]

I too use a dovetail on a 10 inch. I opted for this after a very competent guest said he had done so with his 12 inch. On the 8 inch I really think you'll find it a non-issue, Brian. The rail is more competent than it looks.

Olly

[SteveP]

Brian

You could try Parallax Rings in the US ... but sit down when you check their prices. There is also somebody in the UK who makes them - CNC'd alloy. I can't recall his website but he also makes Bahtinov masks as well. You might try a google. They're not cheap but I've seen a set of his smaller ones and they're certainly good quality and very well machined

Just remembered - he's called something like 'Stay Focused'

Steve

[Helen]

I've been looking at adding rings to my C11 to make it manageable for me to get it on the EQ6, and then balance it, without help. I spoke to Brian Brooks from Astroparts at Astrofest and he's happy to make them to my measurements. I've used Brian before and he's very good. So if you still want rings I'd say he's worth a look Astroparts Home

Helen

[brianb]

Thanks. I'm not convinced I'm barking up the right tree anyway.