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After 16 years using an NEQ6 with a variety of OTAs I am looking to upgrade to a mount capable of carrying a C14 in a very heavy bespoke set of tube rings.
After lots of reflection (months in fact), I have decided the Messu 200, Ioptron CEM120 and 10 microns are not for me.
While I would like a Software Bisque MyT – having used an MEII occasionally – I have noticed they rarely appear on the used market – and even then are often £6k+, which is more than I have in the budget.
Consequently, I am currently thinking of an EQ8-R with an OAG and possibly adding a Shibumi Astro Engineering upgrade to the gearing on the RA axis later.
So, I have a plan that is cunning and just about affordable.
Unfortunately, while my old pier is hugely robust it is topped with an adaptor plate for an EQ6. I can’t see an EQ8 sitting on that without modification and so I wonder if anyone on here has experience of this… Are there adaptor plates commercially available or do I have to perform major surgery on my pier? Theres one mentioned on the FLO website bit I’m not seeing how that works.
Grant,
There are commercially available adapter plates. I got one of these from Altair Astro when we mounted an EQ8 on a steel pier:
https://www.altairastro.com/skywatcher-eq8-r-and-cq350-pro-pier-adapter-plate-443-p.asp
Out of interest, why put the C14 in rings and not just use a dovetail?
James
I have found two pictures of the adapter plate we used:
Attachments:
Thanks for that.
Thats similar to the FLO adaptor for an EQ8 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/pulsar-observatories/astro-essentials-pulsar-pier-adaptor-for-eq8cq350cem120myt-mounts.html#faq but half the price – the FLO plate also works for Ioptrons and the SB MyT. Thanks for spotting it. Not sure how I missed it.
For either of those I have to take the existing EQ6 adaptor plate off. I was hoping for something that might go over the top. I was probably being unrealistic. But I had figured its an obvious upgrade path for people who are not going as up market as the MyT or 10 microns and hence someone might have done it.
I will have to check the diameter of the central hole.
I shall wait until a rainy day in winter, dismantle the scope, clean the mirror and see how difficult it will be to remove the existing EQ6 pier adaptor – it was attached by the previous owner via araldite and bolt or just rusted bolt… I really don’t want to replace the pier as its rock solid. Its times like this I wish I still had access to a machine shop. 🙂
Post some pictures of the current set-up from the side, so we can see what the top of the pier is like and the current adapter plate under the mount. If there is an owl hole, try and get some pictures inside there too looking at any bolts.
If it was me, I’d remove the old adapter plate, clean off the top of the pier, maybe re-paint it, and then attach the new adapter plate. If you know what sort of pier it is we could work out if the new plate would fit. Do you have any old photos of the pier with the current plate attached to see? Or whoever you purchased it from may know what adapter plate the EQ6 one is (where he got it from) or have some photos.
I think if you can do as much planning and preparation in advance of taking the whole kit down, your kit will be out of action for the shortest time possible.
The pier is bespoke – the farmer/astronomer who made it and welded it all only made 2. Not a commercial effort, but I managed to buy one from him when he gave up the hobby for a while.
I think the only bit easily modified will be the metal plate supported 3-4″ above the top on 3 thick bolts. I looked at upgrading the bolts once and found they were a weird Imperial threading, so will reluctantly stick with them and – if need be – create a new plate from scratch.
Anyway, the rest will wait until winter now then. Will post more then…
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