Allen Key Size ?

[johnb]

Hi

I have an EQ6 Mount and have a saddle upgrade for which I have to remove 3 Allen Screw on the head of the mount, Im struggling to find the correct size 3mm is to big 2.5mm is to small

Help appreciated

Regards

John B

[simon84]

Just been out and double checked mine for you, mine are 3mm....they are the original grub screws.

[Bizibilder]

Try 7/64 inch!! = 2.778mm

[johnb]

thanks, will try my 3mm again, can you actually buy 2.77mm, its the 3 visible grub screws i assume rather that whatever is under the 3 normal screw on the mount head ?

Regards

John B

[simon84]

You can buy imperial allen keys but I would imagine Synta would be metric, did you buy your mount new? If you have another 3mm key it might be worth trying that, I think that Synta supply a small "toolkit" with their mounts and the right size key should be in there.

If you look at the picture you need to loosen the grub screws that are between the silver slotted screw and the saddle.

[LongJohn54]

I've just bought an NEQ6 Pro Synscan and the 2 allen keys supplied didn't fit anything on the mount. I assumed someone at the factory dropped the wrong toolkit into the box.

The mount was supplied with the Losmandy saddle fitted and I needed to swap to the Vixen. None of my imperial or metric keys fitted but a neighbours 3mm fitted perfectly. The difference between my 3mm and the neighbours was that mine is unused (and was probably bought in a pound shop!) and his was well used. Must be tight tolerances.

[simon84]

My keys are well used but are ball ended which makes life a bit easier.

[brantuk]

I would either go back to the retailer and say you may have the wrong toolkit, or, pop down to B&Q and get a decent set of imperial and metric allen keys. Pound Shop and Astronomy don't really go hand in hand lol

[simon84]

The options available at B+Q are almost as bad as the Pound Shops, screwfix offer a nice range of allen keys. I've always had sets of both what with being in engineering most of my life. You dont need to go mad for a decent set of keys but they are an excellent tool to have around when doing bits to your mounts and scopes.

I highly recommend the ball ended type which allow you to get at small grubs screws and socket caps from odd angles.

[Photosbykev]

Coming into astronomy very late in life I found it quite amusing to have to source imperial allen keys again. Depending on what the main market is and who the manufacturer is there is a real mix of metric and imperial fixtures.

[Bizibilder]

The reason that I originally mentioned Imperial sizes is that they are still used in the USA as standard - I have found that quite a bit of "Chinese" kit has imperial screws etc (as well as some metric!!)

[Chris H]

I had a similar problem when fitting my Moonlite CR2 focuser. I filed down a 3mm allen key until it fitted.

[Helen]

Motor spares shops are a good source of imperial allen keys.

Helen