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Steve Wheeler
member
Reged: 03/23/07
Posts: 16
Loc: Franklin, TN
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Friends -
The leg extensions on my 1 1/2 year old Atlas EQ-G have become very hard to pull out. While I normally keep them fully retracted (for imaging), I do have to occasionally pull them out an inch or two to level the mount, and it is all I can do to get them out that far much less fully extended.
Thoughts? Is there anything I can adjust?
Steve Wheeler
http://sgto.home.comcast.net
TN-USA
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Skylook123
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 3966
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Hi Steve,
I'll post the same thing here as I did on the EQ6 Yahoo! group, 'cause it never hurts to get the word out now and then.
The legs on the Atlas EQ-G/Skywatcher EQ6 are very thin/soft; they deform easily under pressure from the locks. It is easy to tighten the locks too far and warp/dent them so that the spot of the the "dent" can't get past the upper leg opening. The only cure I've heard of is to find a way to remove the black fittings from the end of the upper leg segments (I think someone used a hot glue gun?) and replace the lower legs with stouter pipes. The trick is to get the damage past the opening at the bottom of the upper leg.
Good luck.
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Jim
A Bad Night With A Telescope
Beats A Good Night Doing Anything Else
Tectron 18" Truss Dob/Sky Commander DSCs, "Derrick"
Meade 10" LX-5 SCT/Atlas-G "Ol' Blue Eye"
Orion 90mm refractor,
Meade 10" Starfinder Newt/JMI NGCMax DSCs,
Celestron 10x50 Ultima Pro
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Steve Wheeler
member
Reged: 03/23/07
Posts: 16
Loc: Franklin, TN
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Thanks, Jim.
I did notice there are two small allen screws in the outer casing - would it help to loosen those?
Steve Wheeler
TN-USA
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Skylook123
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 3966
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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I'm not sure; I saw them, too. The last I heard of anyone fooling around with them was two years ago, and I think those brain cells are toast. I do remember something about removing glue, but that might only be the leg tips.
I think that loosening the allens will just drop the fitting off the end of the upper legs. That might be enough to get the lower legs off. If that works, you might then have to remove the tips from the lower legs to completely free them and get some kind of closet pole inside to help hold the shape. Sounds like you might have crunched the tubes down near the end, and a couple of inches there is not a big deal to lose.
There is an old thread on the EQ6 site from around two years or so ago that details tripod leg work.
Good luck! I got warned soon enough that I've been careful not to deform the tubes.
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Jim
A Bad Night With A Telescope
Beats A Good Night Doing Anything Else
Tectron 18" Truss Dob/Sky Commander DSCs, "Derrick"
Meade 10" LX-5 SCT/Atlas-G "Ol' Blue Eye"
Orion 90mm refractor,
Meade 10" Starfinder Newt/JMI NGCMax DSCs,
Celestron 10x50 Ultima Pro
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Charlie Hein
Postmaster
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 6569
Loc: 26.06.08N, +80.23.08W
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I'm wondering if it would be possible to replace the tubing with something more robust...
Charlie
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Weston CSC:
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Al Canarelli
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/06/07
Posts: 1560
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I'm wondering if it would be possible to replace the tubing with something more robust...
============================================================
I was thinking along the same lines. Thick wall structural aluminum tubing is the ticket. The wall thickness is about 1/4 inch and will easily hold up against leg clamps. The trick is the diameter required. You may be lucky and find some tubing available that would give you a tight sliding fit in the EG-G main legs. If not, you will need to get the new leg extensions cut down on a lathe. Finally, the new aluminum extensions will buff up to a high luster for aesthetics.
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Al Canarelli
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/06/07
Posts: 1560
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Forgot to mention. If anyone is interested in the above solution, you can buy tubing here...
www.Mcmaster-Carr.com
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Charlie Hein
Postmaster
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 6569
Loc: 26.06.08N, +80.23.08W
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Replacing the legs would certainly make the tripod much more stable as well.
Charlie
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Weston CSC:
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