Telescope Piggybacking?

[OXO]

Hi All,

Wondered how you Piggyback your smaller scope's onto your larger scope's?

I am thinking about Piggybacking my ST102 on top of my Helios 8" pretty sure my Heq5 mount could take just dont know how to go about it?

James

[GazOC]

Hi James,

Have a look at www.scopestuff.com and see if they have kit of your scope, I've got my ST80 on top of my LX90 the gear from Scopestuff have over half the price of the UK kit. You'll need the oversized rings with the adjustment screws in, 120mm I'd guess.

If you don't want to drill into the OTA to fit a mounting rail, another way to do it is to buy another set of tube rings and mount the refractor from there.

Gaz

[OXO]

If you don't want to drill into the OTA to fit a mounting rail, another way to do it is to buy another set of tube rings and mount the refractor from there.

I was thinking along those lines Gaz i deff dont wanna drill into the OTA, forgive me, so could i get some tube rings and attach them to the 8" tube rings?

Thanks

James

[GazOC]

hi mate,

For the scope to balance you'll need to attach a second set of tube rings near the top of the scope (shame, I sold a set of 8" tube rings yesterday!! ) and then get a pair of 120mm drilled tube rings for the 102 refractor and just screw to two together. Viola!!

Have a look at the gear here at the top of the page.

http://www.scopestuff.com/#Rings,%20Rails,%20Dovetails,%20etc

It's as cheap as you'll get, the airfare for a kit is about a tenner, it's still miles cheaper than anywhere in the UK.

gaz

[OXO]

Hi Gaz,

I am with you now, i wasnt taking into acount the balance of the setup, seems pretty straight forward. Looked on the website and compared to prices in the UK, certainly a lot cheaper even with Air fares..

Thanks Gaz a big help!

James

[GazOC]

James,

It might be better (more stable) to have a dovetail plate inbetween the two sets of rings, they are only a couple of quid and I'n guessing they'd make a more stable setup.

Gaz

So youre keeping the ST102?

I don't blame you, everyone should have a little refractor!! Theyre just so handy!

[OXO]

Hi Gaz,

Yeah i have a couple of spare dovetails luckly so i will keep that in mind gota be worth it!

So youre keeping the ST102?

I was thinking about it Gaz, i will see if it sells by next week. I needed to know this anyway as i will deff be having a new 80ED soon(well christmas off my parents).

James

[Ant]

This is how I did it just bought another dovetail bar the same size as the one "under" the scope and there you go. This method is fine if you don't need to have the two lined up like a finder/main scope combination!

Ant

[GazOC]

An ED80? You lucky git!!!

The ED80 is the same tube size as the 102mm (don't know why?), so any stuff you buy to mount the 102mm will work with you new scope. The problem might be the lenght, you'd have to have the ED hanging over the end of the Newt to get the eyepeice height at a decent level.

Gaz

[GazOC]

Ant,

I'm going to put my ST80 with my 10 Newt but as a finder (ie bigger rings), the eyepiece position looks like a back breaker, I think I'd want it futher up, how do you find it?

Gaz

[OXO]

Only just found out i am getting the ED80 i think my parents felt sorry for me but it's fantastic news...

Anyway looking at your setup Ant it looks fine i will have a play after my Tea and see what i can put together with what i have just for fun

JAMES

PS:Eyepiece level isnt much of a problem at the moment as it's for imaging rather than observing for now at least.

[GazOC]

You may have problems getting the two scopes aligned if you don't have the bigger rings.

Let me know how the ED goes...

[Ant]

I have to say that it was blumming close to being in perfect alignment - only about 5 minutes of arc off...

I used to image through it (like James is) so never actually put an EP into it!

I don't actually have the ST80 anymore. If you're going to use it as a finder then you'll need some fine adjustment... and ideally further up the tube - but that isn't essential I wouldn't have thought.

Ant

[GazOC]

Ant,

I'm thinking of one extra tube ring to get the refractor 2/3rds of the way up the Newt, mount it on the upper ring and the new ring? what do you reckon?

Gaz

[OXO]

I'm thinking of one extra tube ring to get the refractor 2/3rds of the way up the Newt, mount it on the upper ring and the new ring? what do you reckon?

Thats a good idea Gaz personally i think it would make it hell of a lot more stable and easier to center/align..

James

[GazOC]

I have to say that it was blumming close to being in perfect alignment - only about 5 minutes of arc off...

My LX90 was close, i just couldn't get it quite right, I think it was more infuriating (sp) than if it was miles out!!