Tangerinedream Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 On 22/01/2024 at 06:55, Nightspore said: As long as the tripod is sturdy enough. Do you know a tripod that you could recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 34 minutes ago, Tangerinedream said: Do you know a tripod that you could recommend? Would an old surveyors tripod be any good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 9 hours ago, Tangerinedream said: Do you know a tripod that you could recommend? Vixen HAL 130 SXG (Shown with Porta II mount) is probably the most stable. The Vixen APP-TL130 will do the job for a 102mm, f/7 doublet. You might just about get away with a Sky-Watcher AZ5 (below). Although in my opinion it is too light for my Altair Starwave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 8 hours ago, Tangerinedream said: Would an old surveyors tripod be any good? Depends how sturdy it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 46 minutes ago, Nightspore said: Vixen HAL 130 SXG (Shown with Porta II mount) is probably the most stable. The Vixen APP-TL130 will do the job for a 102mm, f/7 doublet. You might just about get away with a Sky-Watcher AZ5 (below). Although in my opinion it is too light for my Altair Starwave. Okay thanks. After a bit of googling, I think the AZ4 has a higher weight capacity than AZ5 but doesn't have slomo controls. I like the look of the Skytee2 aswell so would probably choice between that and a porta 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 49 minutes ago, Nightspore said: Depends how sturdy it is. I'm looking at a wooden (possibly beech) on eBay for £35 needs a bit of TLC, adapter to mount the mount and some chains for spread support. Look sturdier than most tubular tripods but don't know until I see in the flesh. Worth a gamble and bit of tinkering at £35 me thinks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckstar Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 49 minutes ago, Tangerinedream said: I'm looking at a wooden (possibly beech) on eBay for £35 needs a bit of TLC, adapter to mount the mount and some chains for spread support. Look sturdier than most tubular tripods but don't know until I see in the flesh. Worth a gamble and bit of tinkering at £35 me thinks! I had a surveyor tripod once, but it was an aluminium one, it was a nightmare to get level and you'll definitely need a spreader rather than chains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 1 hour ago, Tangerinedream said: I'm looking at a wooden (possibly beech) on eBay for £35 needs a bit of TLC, adapter to mount the mount and some chains for spread support. Look sturdier than most tubular tripods but don't know until I see in the flesh. Worth a gamble and bit of tinkering at £35 me thinks! Might be worth a shot. Difficult to beat the HAL130 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 9 hours ago, Nightspore said: 9 hours ago, Nightspore said: Might be worth a shot. Difficult to beat the HAL130 though. Just a bit conscious of my budget though. Would a eq5 steel tripod be suitable? They are quite and sturdy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 36 minutes ago, Tangerinedream said: The EQ5 tripod is pretty sturdy, but I'm not sure on fitting a Vixen (or other) AZ mount to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 3 hours ago, Nightspore said: The EQ5 tripod is pretty sturdy, but I'm not sure on fitting a Vixen (or other) AZ mount to it. If the Eq5 tripod can mount an AZ4 I think that will be my best option for now so I can put more money towards the OTA. I would like a berlebach in the future though 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 10 hours ago, Tangerinedream said: If the Eq5 tripod can mount an AZ4 I think that will be my best option for now so I can put more money towards the OTA. I would like a berlebach in the future though 😊 Everybody wants a Berlebach lol. Honestly though, the tripod/mount is as important as the scope. I've had my fair share of disappointments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 13 hours ago, Nightspore said: Everybody wants a Berlebach lol. Honestly though, the tripod/mount is as important as the scope. I've had my fair share of disappointments. Really tempted to buy a berlebach uni 28 and a skytee2 and just using that with my Mak for now until I have to funds to buy a new OTA. Or do you think that would be a mistake 😬? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, Tangerinedream said: Really tempted to buy a berlebach uni 28 and a skytee2 and just using that with my Mak for now until I have to funds to buy a new OTA. Or do you think that would be a mistake 😬? Depends if you want a frac or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 30 minutes ago, Nightspore said: Depends if you want a frac or not. I do, but at £900 for a 4"ED that's just the OTA, that's all my budget gone unfortunately 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 3 hours ago, Tangerinedream said: I do, but at £900 for a 4"ED that's just the OTA, that's all my budget gone unfortunately 😞 Astronomy isn't a cheap hobby! The problem with a good frac is having a good mount/tripod for it. The combination gets expensive quickly. I actually bought my first TL-130 for my 127mm Mak as the bundled AZ5 seemed a little underwhelming. It worked out fine for my smaller scopes though. But anything over 80mm, or my 80ED, which has a 100mm OTA, I prefer the Vixen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 On 23/01/2024 at 16:27, Glafnazur said: Didn't you have a big dob/newt Rob? Can you remind me what it was (I think it may have been an Orion Optices) and how you got on with it? @Glafnazur sorry Dave, i forgot to reply to this..... I've had 4 Orion Optics scopes altogether Dave. Around 10 years ago i purchased a second hand VX10 F6.3 long tube 1600mm It performed ok, but i was really after low power, rich field views and the long tube made it a bit unwieldy Then after selling that i put funds towards a new VX12 F4 short tube which i had for a while, and enjoyed. I put a moonlight on it, flocked it and set up a DSC computer on it. The negatives were that they were both big heavy scopes (a 12" mirror is not lightweight) and balancing them was often challenging if it was a bit breezy. Then you have to collimate and cool them before use. The positives of course were the dark sky views which were terrific with the 12" It also fitted across the back seats of the car unlike the long VX10 I used the metal OO dob mounts for both of these scopes which work well to a point. I ended up selling the 12" as i was finding it too hefty given my advancing years, and with my light pollution it wasn't getting the use it should, so i answered a wanted ad and sold it on and put the funds towards my current refractor. More recently i brought another used 10" OTA - this time a CT 10 F4.8 / 1200mm. The plan was to use it on my alt-az mount, rather than buy another Dob mount for it, but it was too big and heavy for the mount so i sold that on too. If i was buying another i'd give the FLO Stellalyra 10" F5 serious consideration. They have a 12" F5 but at 1500mm (rather than the 1200 of my old OO) its a big big scope, almost the size of a mailbox. VX10 long tube Vx12 short tube CT10 short tube alt-az style +Glafnazur 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 17 hours ago, Nightspore said: Astronomy isn't a cheap hobby! The problem with a good frac is having a good mount/tripod for it. The combination gets expensive quickly. I actually bought my first TL-130 for my 127mm Mak as the bundled AZ5 seemed a little underwhelming. It worked out fine for my smaller scopes though. But anything over 80mm, or my 80ED, which has a 100mm OTA, I prefer the Vixen. There's an Ad on Astrobuynsell for Evostar 100ED with Giro 2 mount, EQ6R tripod and various eyepieces all for just under £900 . Seems like a good deal but the seller is too far away so would have to pay for shipping and purchase blind. Is the Evostar 100ED a good OTA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 15 hours ago, Tangerinedream said: There's an Ad on Astrobuynsell for Evostar 100ED with Giro 2 mount, EQ6R tripod and various eyepieces all for just under £900 . Seems like a good deal but the seller is too far away so would have to pay for shipping and purchase blind. Is the Evostar 100ED a good OTA? AFAIK the flint on the 100ED is now an FPL-53 equivalent (probably made by CDGM in China), IDK about the crown. I do know Synta's deal with Schott has ended. I don't know the vintage of the 100ED on Astrobuynsell but if it's anything like my 80ED it will be good. My 80ED has FPL-53 with a Schott crown however. It is exceptional for its size aperture. "Caveat emptor" as the Romans used to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bryand Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 For a cheaper Berlebach tripod, you could buy just the tripod head to fit your mount (mine, for an iOptron AZ Mount Pro cost £147) then add the legs yourself. Spruce sticks from B&Q cost about £38; Ash would be about £65. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 6 minutes ago, bryand said: For a cheaper Berlebach tripod, you could buy just the tripod head to fit your mount (mine, for an iOptron AZ Mount Pro cost £147) then add the legs yourself. Spruce sticks from B&Q cost about £38; Ash would be about £65. That's definitely something to consider thanks. Or if I could adapter surveyor tripod legs to fit on the berlebach head. I'm just really confused as to what would be a good alt az mount for a 102ED F/7 OTA. As I feel a Porta 2 or AZ4 would not be as sturdy of other options. But I don't want to go as costly as a giro ercole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bryand Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 I had an AZ5 aka Explore Scientific Twilight aka Astro Essentials Alt-Az which I used for my 100 mm refractor. Very stable and solid even with a heavy prism and eyepiece on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stu Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 12 hours ago, bryand said: I had an AZ5 aka Explore Scientific Twilight aka Astro Essentials Alt-Az which I used for my 100 mm refractor. Very stable and solid even with a heavy prism and eyepiece on it. I use this one with my 6" Mak (Bresser branded but same thing). Also used with 90/900mm refractor and 6" newt with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 16 hours ago, bryand said: I had an AZ5 aka Explore Scientific Twilight aka Astro Essentials Alt-Az which I used for my 100 mm refractor. Very stable and solid even with a heavy prism and eyepiece on it. Thats good to know. If it's on sturdy tripod will it perform well even under high magnification? I.e short vibration settle time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerinedream Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 To future proof I have decided to go with Skytee2 mount with Eq5 tripod that will carry the Starfield 102ed f/7. I appreciate all the helpful comments from everyone thanks a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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