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Ed B
member
Reged: 08/29/07
Posts: 35
Loc: Geneva, Illinois, USA
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Since I have upgraded to the atlas, I have three scopes I would like to image with. The first is my trusty 9.25 f/10 SCT, the second is a 8" f/5.3 SkyQuest Newtonian and the third (future) is a 200 mm camera lens. I will have a 80mm f/11 guide scope that I will use for guiding.
I would love to have a side by side setup so that I could just swap imaging scope out depending on what I wanted to do. I have been cautioned against this however and told this causes problems with flex, goto's and guiding. Assuming I get a decent cross bar does anyone have experience with this type of set up?
Ed
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Ed
StardaddyEd
Celestron 9.25 SCT
Atlas Mount
ASGT mount
ST80 guide scope
Q453-HR Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Meade DSI Color
http://www.freewebs.com/stardaddyed/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/QHYCCD/join
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David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 6550
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.38 X 90....
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A lot of imagers use a side by side mounting system with great success. The big bugaboo is achieving balance. It ain't easy. I've gone to lighter scopes and will be getting a bigger mount, so I'm going back to a piggyback setup. Balancing is much easier.
David
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A few scopes and mounts.
Proud Member; PAS NOLA,
Life expectancies would go WAY up if green vegetables smelled like bacon...
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mclewis1
Thread Killer
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 2454
Loc: Colorado
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Upgrade your stock saddle to a nice robust "D" compatible one (and not simply a D insert into the stock vixen compatible model) and then use a good side by side setup and you won't have flex problems.
A source of the upgraded EQ6/Atlas saddle is ADM, the side by side setup from ADM or Losmandy (both equally robust, I prefer the ADM saddles).
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Mark
C11, C6, APM/TMB115, and AT80ED
Tandem mount CGE and CG-5A, WO EZ-Touch and AT Voyager
25x100s, 8x56s, T-Mount Light, and Mark 1 eyeballs
Modded 350D, SPC900, Mallincam
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groz
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/14/07
Posts: 542
Loc: Duncan, BC
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I use the heavy duty dual saddle adapter from kens rings on my eq6, and chris has the 'regular weight' variant on her HEQ5. We have all the telescopes in rings with a dovetail that fits. We can (and do) mix and match regularily. Williams ZS80, Skywatcher ST80, Skywatcher 127mak and an 8 inch SCT. I made sure the dovetails on everything have sufficient travel that we can balance any combination with not a lot of fuss, just slide the telescopes for and aft, then to get balance laterally, slide the dovetail from side to side.
Normal configuration here, on the EQ6 we have the SCT and the mak, on the HEQ5 the two 80mm tubes. But, we do swap around on occaision.
So far, this configuration works well for us, but, some of the kit is still relatively new, and hasn't been out that much yet. OTOH, the mak+st80 combination got used a LOT last year in the light duty dual saddle, and it was never a problem or issue.
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Bowmoreman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/11/06
Posts: 2992
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Quote:
Since I have upgraded to the atlas, I have three scopes I would like to image with. The first is my trusty 9.25 f/10 SCT, the second is a 8" f/5.3 SkyQuest Newtonian and the third (future) is a 200 mm camera lens. I will have a 80mm f/11 guide scope that I will use for guiding.
I would love to have a side by side setup so that I could just swap imaging scope out depending on what I wanted to do. I have been cautioned against this however and told this causes problems with flex, goto's and guiding. Assuming I get a decent cross bar does anyone have experience with this type of set up?
Ed
1. I would second David P's comments: balancing is a grade a "BEA- Atch!" - but can be done...
2. I just don't think an Atlas is up to the loads you're talking about here: a C9.25 AND a 8" f5.3 Newt??? too much load and moment arm (IMO)...
I can *barely* handle an SN8 and an TMB80SS on my CGE. Granted, I have the extra 12.5# of my Parallax rotating rings...
But a C9.25 and a longish 8" Newt? too much for an Atlas.
Don't forget that the tandem hardware (e.g. ADM makes good, and SOLID stuff) itself weighs quite a bit - figure 4-6# at least...
Now, with the 80 f11, you MIGHT make out ok with the c9.25 in parallel, but its likely close to the edge... and, given the focal length of either scope (9.25 of 80/f11), in either case it isn't "forgiving"...
Nope, I think its too much for an Atlas; unless you are permanently pier mounted, in which cased, a qualified "maybe"...
To your questions: tandem can be QUITE solid (i.e. no flex)... certainly MORE solid and with less moment arm than piggyback, but as with all things, there be trade offs here!
In MY case, piggyback isn't an option, as I'd be too tall to clear my roll-off roof!
And, as pointed out, balancing is, ahem, a "challenge" 
clear enough skies
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Dave
Ustream
YLive
XT10i, RTP, CGE, R200CF, TMB80SS
31T5, 22T4, 13Ethos, 8Ethos, TV 3-6 Zoom; Paracorr
MallincamColorHyperPlus,SBIG STV&237A;CanonRebel Xti
WilderSkiesObservatory(BYO #90)
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Ed B
member
Reged: 08/29/07
Posts: 35
Loc: Geneva, Illinois, USA
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I think I confused the issue. I currently image with the 9.25 SCT running at f/7. I guide with a ST80 running at f/5. I just upgraded the mount to the Atlas. I would like to run with the long f/11 80mm and the SCT. I do have a 8" newt that I would like to try to image with. I am not sure how I would mount the ST80 on the newt. I have the rings for the newt but nothing to piggy back (so I would need to figure that out). While I was thinking I thought about side by side. The set up's would be 80 f/11 and the SCT or the ST80 and the newt. I might mix the guide scopes but I doubt it. I have vixen rails for everything. The mount is setup on a pier. The goal for all of this is the match the scope with the object of imaging interest.
I would prefer to run piggyback but didn't know anything about side by side.
What I have heard so far is
1. Upgrade to D-saddle
2. Side by side possible but can be a hassle to balance
3. Don't image with a SCT using a newt as a guide! 
Ed 
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Ed
StardaddyEd
Celestron 9.25 SCT
Atlas Mount
ASGT mount
ST80 guide scope
Q453-HR Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Meade DSI Color
http://www.freewebs.com/stardaddyed/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/QHYCCD/join
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David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 6550
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.38 X 90....
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Your combinations should be ok, especially since you're pier mounted. However, the suggestion of getting an upgraded saddle should be the first thing you do. The standard saddle with the Vixen type dovetail will flex. That means converting all of your dovetails the the Losmandy D type.
Serious imaging isn't cheap. 
David
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A few scopes and mounts.
Proud Member; PAS NOLA,
Life expectancies would go WAY up if green vegetables smelled like bacon...
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Jaxdialation
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 1805
Loc: St. Augustine, FL
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Robin Casady makes some very stud-ish tandem (even triple) mount plates and dovetail clamps.
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John
SST/Tak/RCOS/SBIG/CCDWare
I started CCD AP December '07 Why didn't someone stop me?
New Zhumell Owner? Read this: New Zhumell Owner Upgrade Mega Thread
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yg1968
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 1745
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ADM has a saddle that accepts both Losmandy and Vixen type dovetails:
http://www.admaccessories.com/ADM%20Products/DUAL-SAD-EQG.htm
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WilRobinson
member
Reged: 02/04/08
Posts: 41
Loc: DSM. IA
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I have an ADM side by side, last night I my 6 in. mak and my Astro Tech 102 ed on it, the vertical alignment is dead even, the horizontal adjustment was just barely off, at about 175 power the stars were near the center of the eyepiece, it is truly an impressive piece of equipment. I highly recommend it.
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TMB 130 SS
Intes M603
W/O 66mm ZenithStar
W/O 80mm ZenithStar
AT 102 ED
Vixen Porta-mount
Meade LXD75/Autostar
Meade 10" Starfinder/Magellan 1
DSI II
Set of W/O SWANS
Set of W/O UWANS
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techmgr
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/31/03
Posts: 765
Loc: Southeastern Indiana
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+1 on the ADM side-by-side. Price is right and quality is good.
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John Moore
Corydon Ridge Observatory
My CN Gallery
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