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Mike Conley
sage
Reged: 09/23/07
Posts: 284
Loc: NW Ohio
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I'm looking to purchase or build with a kit I found online. Any feedback on good/bad kits or platforms ?
Thanks Mike
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bartine
sage
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 333
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Hi Mike.
Roundtableplatforms.com and Equatorialplatforms.com both provide very nice platforms.
I have an old Johnsonian Type IV platform that I purchased used - it supported my Discovery 15" PDHQ with ease, and tracked flawlessly. However - it is big and rather heavy.
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Portaball 12.5" with Galaxy Optics mirror
Celestron SkyTour
C8
Meade LX50 10" with Magellan II
Meade EXT-80
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bherv
super member
Reged: 03/10/06
Posts: 163
Loc: WMass
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Mike,
I also have the Johnsonian type 4 platform that I use with
my 16" Lightbridge.It is well made and tracks very well. It
also is latitude adjustable. Unfortunately they are not made
anymore.You can sometimes find them on A-mart as I did.
Barry
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jayscheuerle
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 2990
Loc: S. Philadelphia, PA
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The EZ kits have gotten mixed reviews. I had considered them until I read the reviews and then went with a Roundtable Platform. No regrets. - j
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12" Green Goblin (trusser w/Protstar secondary and OWL refigured primary)• 6" f/5 Eero2 ball-scope • 6" f/5 Frankenscope • Garrett Optical 10x50 binos • Edmund 8" yoke-mounted red-tube reflector • Edmund 6" GEQ red-tube reflector (on loan to Dad)
Gone, but with lessons learned:
Skyquest XT8 • NexSTar 8i • Eeroscope 6" f/5 ball(sacrifice was not in vain) • Vixen ED80sf • Edmund red-tube 4.25" f/10 • Edmund Astroscan
Facts are stubborn things.
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backwoody
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/08/07
Posts: 903
Loc: Idaho USA
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Mike, given the mixed reviews heard about various kits, and my impatience (and lack of tools and skills) with building my own platform, I too went with Rountable. It was a good choice for me, as the platform works perfectly. It might work for you too, despite the additional expense of purchasing a finished product rather than a kit.
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woody
a parsec farther out...
12.5" f/4.8 custom truss dob, EQ platform
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Illinois
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/18/06
Posts: 557
Loc: near Chicago, Illinois USA
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Astromart? Equatorial Platform would be good is depends on where you live! Chicago wouldn't work in Florida!
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Astronomer since 1975!
Meade 16" Lightbridge Dobsonian
Orion 10" SkyQuest Classic Dobsonian
Tele Vue Eyepieces
Orion Expanse Wide-Field 6mm eyepiece
4.5" F5 Reflector since 1982!
Orion Narrowband and SkyGlow filters
Member of IDA, let's fight light pollution!
Old Edmund 6"F8...donated to cousins
Super Polaris C8...donated to Byron Observatory in Illinois
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backwoody
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/08/07
Posts: 903
Loc: Idaho USA
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Correct. Equatorial Platforms are 'tuned' for a particular latitude, to correctly match the movement of stars from your location. An observer can move +/- 5 degrees or so (about 300 miles) north or south of the 'design' latitude without tons of visible error; beyond that, shimming the platform off true level is required for accurate tracking.
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woody
a parsec farther out...
12.5" f/4.8 custom truss dob, EQ platform
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