· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements >> Vendor and Group Announcements Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | (show all) Emanuele Lord of the Ring Reged: 11/19/03 Loc: Brescia-Italy, and Iowa-US Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: StarsAbove]       #2733591 - 11/03/08 08:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi there!! Just wondering if anybody can help me on this: Would this mount support my Takahashi CN212? It weighs 18.7 OTA only and it's 33.7" long! Probably it's going to be close to 25lbs with the clamshell and diagonal! Thank you! Emanuele Post Extras:       Telescopeman54 Vendor - Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC. Reged: 08/17/07 Loc: New Hampshire Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: Emanuele]       #2778190 - 11/30/08 01:28 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Well, I have been so busy that I completely forgot about this forum! I apologize to everyone for doing that. I will pay much closer attention to this forum from now on. Strimarc: There is now way of which I am aware to hook up a hand held GPS with the Cube. Sam: All short exposures. The SAC-7b won't do long exposures without a parallel port which my laptop does not have. Yes, some were stacked. I believe I kept the best three out of 25, or something like that. Also, yes, it seems that the anti-backlash settings will have some effects on tracking. After I inspect, lubricate and adjust the MTs that I sell, I change the setting to either 0000 or 0005 on both axis. The factory setting is 0150 which is WAY to intense! Frank and David: Send it back. The DEC shaft most likely has some machining errors that are preventing the clutch knob from pushing the disk down sufficiently. I have found one of those myself and I fixed it by chucking it in my lathe and turning of about 0.3" of the threads that are used by the bearing preload nut. Unless you have these facilities and skills you will not be able to fis it. Again, send it back for a warranty replacement. Emanuele: I've had heavier OTAs on mine. It SHOULD handle the load. You WILL need some heavier CWs, though. I'd suggest at least and 11 pound CW or maybe a 15 pounder if you have one available. I know the 11 pound CW works very well with the C9.25" if that helps. Remember, if you need to contact me directly, or if I have another case of brain cramp and forget to check in here, I can be reached at Stephen.Forbes@Trapeziumtelescopes.com We also now have a BLOG on the web site where people are beginning to share their experiences and astro-photos. Just go to http://trapeziumtelescopes.com/blog/ Again, I apologize for forgetting about this forum and hope that I have been able to answer your questions. CS Steve Forbes Post Extras:       Telescopeman54 Vendor - Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC. Reged: 08/17/07 Loc: New Hampshire Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: StarsAbove]       #2779195 - 11/30/08 09:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Sam: I fogot to mention that the images that I took were all done at prime focus on a C8. Steve Post Extras:       Lenardo sage Reged: 02/19/09 Loc: Ma Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: Telescopeman54]       #2952006 - 02/26/09 10:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   i have the cube but there is some great information that is here that pertains to that as well(for the setup/alignment stuff. one thing i want to mention about the mini-tower that you've missed to help speed up the leveling part. I am a land surveyor/cad operator and we use the 3 leveling screw setup for our total stations. (this is assuming the screws remain stationary as you turn only the upper part of the mount) i do not have a minitower(might get one in a year or so) but i will explain how to do it because it may speed up your setups. the leveling screws are an equilateral triangle(all sides same length) position the bubble level to be equidistant (as you can guess) between 2 of the screws. turn only the left screw until level(you can turn both screws but generally one is easier because unless you practice you WILL turn the other one in the wrong direction and make level worse-initially). once level turn the mount to the left so that the screw you turned is centered under the bubble level. turn only the new left screw until level- while a bubble level of this type is not that precise your mount should now be level. another way of doing it is position level over a screw, turn left (or right) screw until level, rotate mount until over the screw your turned and turn new left(or right) screw the reason why is plane geometry. you have an equilateral triangle, when the bubble level is positioned between the screws, it is aligned along that side of the triangle, when the bubble level is positioned over the single screw it is aligned along the back side opposite, leaving one screw untouched makes you bring the other two into perfect alignment. just thought to toss that one out to you guys you can do the procedure using the tripod legs to get good level, its just a bit more difficult, position bubble between legs, adjust left leg, move mount over said left leg, adjust "new" left leg, ta da level. Len Edited by Lenardo (02/26/09 10:38 PM) Post Extras:       asteroid7 Post Laureate Reged: 10/19/04 Loc: CT Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: StarsAbove]       #3144666 - 06/03/09 11:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have a new minitower and I also noticed that the ALT Knob has slippage. Anyone have comments. Apparentaly not everyone has this slippage. Rich Post Extras:       asteroid7 Post Laureate Reged: 10/19/04 Loc: CT Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: StarsAbove]       #3145231 - 06/04/09 10:16 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   careful balancing seems to be the key to ALT slippage Rich Post Extras:       asteroid7 Post Laureate Reged: 10/19/04 Loc: CT Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: StarsAbove]       #3145239 - 06/04/09 10:21 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   test Post Extras:       mtlott member Reged: 07/12/08 Loc: Georgia Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: asteroid7]       #3145266 - 06/04/09 10:44 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I love my new MT but I, too, am having trouble with ALT slippage, even after careful balancing. I just can't tighten the ALT knob enough to get it to hold. One example of when it slips is when I try adjusting front solar etalons on an 80 mm refractor or removing an eyepiece to insert a camera. The mount has worked fine when I've tried it with a small scope like a PST. I weighed all the components of my heaviest set up & it only totals 11 pounds, so you'd think it'd be OK. A few weeks ago I sent the mount back to iOptron so they could check random DEC errors I was getting on the controller. They couldn't find anything wrong & thought the problem might have been low voltage (although it was running on AC via an extension cord). Perhaps the DEC controller errors were coming from the ALT knob not being tight enough, confusing the encoders? I'm thinking, sadly, that I might return my mount to my vendor. Marie Post Extras:       mikester journeyman Reged: 10/09/09 Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: J_D_Metzger]       #3508736 - 12/18/09 01:25 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Steve Forbes is a caring and intelligent guy! Helped me sort out a major problem with the folks at IOPTRON when I got a bum unit. Without his help I would have been sunk. Should have purchased one through him at TRAPEZIUM because he responds readily and with no BS! Mike Anderer pulkovo123@yahoo.com Post Extras:       mikester journeyman Reged: 10/09/09 Re: iOptron Mini Tower [Re: hammerhead]       #3513434 - 12/21/09 07:35 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Anyone out there? If you want a mini-Tower-go through Trapezium! The only guy in town who could help me out when I got a bum unit was Stephan Forbes at TRAPEZIUM! Other vendors have no expertiese and you must deal directly with IOPTRON. Unless they change their consumer relations policies and return calls; send return UPS labels on time as promised, etc. and begin shipping in something other than styrofoam peanuts (the fixed unit was again damaged) you may have a headache like I did. Mike Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 1 registered and 3 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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