Telescope Reviews: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray!

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray!
#5355837 - 08/07/12 01:13 AM

I just ordered the new accessory tray Orion has released for the Atlas/Sirius mounts. Finally, an actual spot for the Hand Controller! I had figured it out on my standard tray, but what an improvement! And yes, I know, many of you don't even use it because of EQMOD but I still use it and like it!!

Post Extras:

dvb
different Syndrome.

Reged: 06/18/05

Loc: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rigel123]
#5356190 - 08/07/12 09:51 AM

A link or photo would be appreciated!

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ion
professor emeritus

Reged: 04/26/08

Loc: Bortle Scale 2

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: dvb]
#5356300 - 08/07/12 11:13 AM

Orion Deluxe Accessory Tray for Atlas/Sirius/SVP Mounts

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: ion]
#5356466 - 08/07/12 01:10 PM

Thanks for posting that link Ion! It will be nice to have 3 spots to hang the HC if need be, plus the extra space for eyepieces and other sundries!

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Lane
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/19/07

Loc: Frisco, Texas

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rigel123]
#5357440 - 08/08/12 12:54 AM

Mine arrives on Thursday. I like my homemade wooden tripod spreaders, but this new Orion accessory might just replace them.

I notice they added a small hole for the power wire to pass through to attach to the battery below the tripod, nice touch there. I forgot about that when I made mine and had to add it later.

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austin.grant
sage

Reged: 10/18/10

Loc: Shreveport, LA

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: Lane]
#5357455 - 08/08/12 01:12 AM

Quote:

I notice they added a small hole for the power wire to pass through to attach to the battery below the tripod, nice touch there.

Afraid not. That's the hole for the screw/wingnut combination that attaches the tray to the spreader. You can see it in the pics, and the hole looks too small for the power adapter prong anyway.

Per Orion, "The Deluxe Accessory Tray fastens firmly on top of the tripod spreader with a single screw and wingnut (included)."

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Lane
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/19/07

Loc: Frisco, Texas

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: austin.grant]
#5357466 - 08/08/12 01:22 AM

I was thinking this would replace the spreader, guess I should learn to read. Well that means they screwed up then, because now you have to waste an eyepiece hole for the power cord. I will probably just drill one near the center then.

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simpleisbetter
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/18/11

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: Lane]
#5357472 - 08/08/12 01:29 AM

Why use an eyepiece hole? I use Velcro ties to tie my power cord and laptop cable to a tripod leg, keeping them tucked out of the way of my eyepieces - and feet...

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Lane
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/19/07

Loc: Frisco, Texas

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: simpleisbetter]
#5357501 - 08/08/12 02:23 AM

Cord is to short for that, I need to most direct route to the battery.

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jgraham
Postmaster

Reged: 12/02/04

Loc: Dayton, Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: Lane]
#5357619 - 08/08/12 07:23 AM

Eh, for me the leg spreader is a bit low for the hand controller. I use a small camera pouch attached to the north tripod leg with zip ties.

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: simpleisbetter]
#5358622 - 08/08/12 06:56 PM

Quote:

Why use an eyepiece hole? I use Velcro ties to tie my power cord and laptop cable to a tripod leg, keeping them tucked out of the way of my eyepieces - and feet...

Ditto on the velcro for the power cord cabled to a leg.

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dvb
different Syndrome.

Reged: 06/18/05

Loc: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rigel123]
#5358942 - 08/08/12 10:56 PM

Hmm - I wonder if it could be used with the iEQ45 mount?

Its spreader doesn't have any eyepiece tray holes or HC holder - an addition like this would be very useful.

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: dvb]
#5360526 - 08/09/12 07:18 PM

I got it today and I'll post pictures later tonight. It is a nice accessory, loads of room on it.

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Lane
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/19/07

Loc: Frisco, Texas

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: dvb]
#5360568 - 08/09/12 07:39 PM Attachment (17 downloads)

Quote:

Hmm - I wonder if it could be used with the iEQ45 mount?

Its spreader doesn't have any eyepiece tray holes or HC holder - an addition like this would be very useful.

If you can measure the distance from the center of your tripod spreader to the point where it makes contact with the tripod leg then you will know if it will fit or not.

For the Sirius and Atlas that is 5 1/4".
Smaller and the tray will not work, but longer would be ok.

You also don't want the spreader interfering with the eyepiece holes on the tray. The nearest hole edges are 3 1/2" from the center of the tray so you would not want part of the spreader being larger than that, except where it contacts the tripod legs of course.

The only other thing is how do you fasten it to the spreader. With the Atlas and Sirius mounts, the spreader has a slot that can be used to bolt the tray and spreader together. You could drill a hole in the spreader, or find something you could put under the spreader then fasten the tray to that with the spreader wedged in between.

Here is the bottom view, the shiny silver thing is a big washer and a wing nut bolt.

Post Extras:

dvb
different Syndrome.

Reged: 06/18/05

Loc: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: Lane]
#5360656 - 08/09/12 08:36 PM

Thanks for the details, and extra photo!

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Lane
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/19/07

Loc: Frisco, Texas

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: dvb]
#5360737 - 08/09/12 09:39 PM

Note that the color balance is way off in my pic, the tray is grey not brown. My carpet is almost white not orange. Guess I had something set wrong on my camera.

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: Lane]
#5360794 - 08/09/12 10:12 PM Attachment (15 downloads)

Here is a shot with it on the tripod showing how the HC fits in. Mine is black and matches the mount.

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rigel123]
#5360798 - 08/09/12 10:15 PM Attachment (11 downloads)

And one more to see if the claim about "..or even a can of soda for easy access." is true. Umm, OK, a can of your favorite beverage!

It is great as it basically adds another table for you to use for eyepieces, or other sundry items.

Edited by rigel123 (08/09/12 10:20 PM)

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jgraham
Postmaster

Reged: 12/02/04

Loc: Dayton, Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rigel123]
#5360875 - 08/09/12 11:20 PM

Ahah. With this tray installed you can't fold the legs in without dropping it off of the center bolt.

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: jgraham]
#5361226 - 08/10/12 07:48 AM

No. How could you?

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jmiele
Patron Saint?

Reged: 12/04/10

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rmollise]
#5361584 - 08/10/12 11:49 AM

You could do it by cutting through the back of the off side HC holders (they would still work) and give up the three inside (closest) 2" EP holders. Is this homemade or purchased?

Joe

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: jgraham]
#5361642 - 08/10/12 12:35 PM

Quote:

Ahah. With this tray installed you can't fold the legs in without dropping it off of the center bolt.

That's true but I never did that as I pack the tripod in a bag and put the tray in my case with my mount anyway so it is not an issue in my case, but I could definitely see it interfering with your custom "wheely bar" that you built.

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rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: jmiele]
#5361647 - 08/10/12 12:38 PM

Quote:

You could do it by cutting through the back of the off side HC holders (they would still work) and give up the three inside (closest) 2" EP holders. Is this homemade or purchased?

Joe

Hi Joe, this was purchased from Orion. There is a link in about the 3rd response down from the original post.

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jmiele
Patron Saint?

Reged: 12/04/10

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rigel123]
#5361814 - 08/10/12 02:10 PM

Ok thanks. Joe

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jgraham
Postmaster

Reged: 12/02/04

Loc: Dayton, Ohio

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: jmiele]
#5362460 - 08/10/12 09:07 PM

Warren; that makes sense. Yeah, I like to leave the EQ head attached to the tripod and pick the assembly up as a unit with my Atlas Back-Saver. Still, pretty spiffy.

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gmartin02
sage

Reged: 04/11/05

Loc: Santa Clarita, CA

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: rmollise]
#5420817 - 09/14/12 12:06 PM

Anyone tried one of these with an AS-GT or CGEM? The tripod spreader from the Atlas looks exactly the same as the one for the Celestron mounts. I also wonder if the Celestron hand controller will fit in the holes made for the SynScan?

Greg

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simpleisbetter
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/18/11

Re: Atlas Deluxe Accessory Tray! new

[Re: gmartin02]
#5420856 - 09/14/12 12:32 PM

Haven't tried one but shouldn't have to. It should work just fine on a CG-5 since it shares the same tripod with the Atlas, and believe the CGEM uses the same one too. And last I looked at them, the hand controllers of the NexStar and Synscan look close enough it should fit in the slot.

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