Telescope Reviews: Side-by-Side mount

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

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JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp

Reged: 02/20/05

Loc: In the Primordial Soup

Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage
#3060776 - 04/22/09 10:32 PM

Recently I purchased an ADM side by side plate. But like most side by side plates it required rotating the Dec plate on the GEM 90 degrees in order to use it.

So I decided to modify it using a Losmandy dovetail adapter. They in the model shop at work did the drilling an tapping for me as the setup will be used in a solar observing session at work next month as part of our Young Minds at Work.

above you can see the Losmandy adapter attached to the ADM side-by-side plate.

Here is the bottom of the modified plate. Notice the bow-tie shaped lighting cutouts on each side of the Losmandy adapter, they are perfect for the clamping screw. The cutouts allow the screw to turn so you can tighten it.

In this last photo you can see the 5 new drilled and tapped 1/4-20 through holes on the top side.

Now I can easily mount a side-by-side setup on my LX200GPS or LX200R OTA via the DM10 or DM12 top rail.

Post Extras:

varmint
I invite more abuse

Reged: 02/10/07

Loc: Pacifica, CA, USA

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: JAT Observatory]
#3060856 - 04/22/09 11:13 PM

Great Pics, and looks like an awfully useful Mod. I bet Anthony would do it if asked (which assumes you know you need it...).

I just got one too (arrived today!!!), but don't think I'll have that issue, I also had to get the CGE adapter plate for Side-by-side which rotates the assembly 90 degrees while raising the assembly an inch to clear the CGE DEC clutches. Does add a bit of weight though.

Can't wait to see pics with the scopes setup!

[Edit: I guess I do sort of have this issue... I thought the CGE SBS adapter would be 90deg, but it's not. I think there's a mount setting to rotate DEC 90degrees for SBS...gotta look that one up now too...]

[Edit2: Now I'm just getting myself confused. I looked on the ADM site and the CGE SBS is shown 90deg. He probably had it assembled parallel for shipping...now just gotta find my allen wrenches...]

Edited by varmint (04/22/09 11:42 PM)

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chitown
super member

Reged: 01/26/09

Loc: Plainfield, IL

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: varmint]
#3061552 - 04/23/09 09:29 AM

Hi - i have the same ADM plate, but i did not add that losmandy adaptor as you did.

My question is, do we have to add that? And what would happen if you dont have it?

Thanks

Post Extras:

mclewis1
Thread Killer

Reged: 02/25/06

Loc: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: chitown]
#3061699 - 04/23/09 10:34 AM

If you have a CG5/CGEM/CGE/CGE Pro you don't need to adapt anything. The side by side plate can be installed in it's 90° orientation and all you need to do is use the OTA orientation function in the HC firmware 4.15 or higher to tell the mount that the Dec axis is starting out rotated 90° east or west. You don't even need to do that with the CG5 or CGEM but doing so allows you to start with the index marks aligned.

So if you have a CGE and firmware 4.15 you no longer need Anthony's CGE adapter.

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RAKing
Postmaster

Reged: 12/28/07

Loc: West of the D.C. Nebula

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: chitown]
#3061703 - 04/23/09 10:35 AM

Quote:

Hi - i have the same ADM plate, but i did not add that losmandy adaptor as you did.

My question is, do we have to add that? And what would happen if you dont have it?

My Losmandy GM-8 doesn't have any switches and you don't have to change the firmware or anything. If your mount is like mine, just rotate the saddle 90 degrees and use the SBS plate as is.

Ron

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JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp

Reged: 02/20/05

Loc: In the Primordial Soup

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: RAKing]
#3062051 - 04/23/09 01:01 PM

While you don't need the do this, I don't want to have rotate my Dec plate on my GEM for a SBS setup, as it has hard stops.

The main thing is it is now also easily used to piggy-back dual scopes on top of my 10" LX200GPS and 12" LX200R OTAs.

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varmint
I invite more abuse

Reged: 02/10/07

Loc: Pacifica, CA, USA

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: JAT Observatory]
#3063339 - 04/23/09 11:28 PM

Quote:

While you don't need the do this, I don't want to have rotate my Dec plate on my GEM for a SBS setup, as it has hard stops.

The main thing is it is now also easily used to piggy-back dual scopes on top of my 10" LX200GPS and 12" LX200R OTAs.

If I'm reading your post correctly, you mean to say you're going to have four scopes setup on one rig... that would be a sight to see.

Post Extras:

JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp

Reged: 02/20/05

Loc: In the Primordial Soup

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: varmint]
#3063375 - 04/23/09 11:50 PM

No I meant I would piggy-back the SBS on my LX200. Although the 4 scope configuration is possible, but who would do such a thing?

Post Extras:

varmint
I invite more abuse

Reged: 02/10/07

Loc: Pacifica, CA, USA

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: JAT Observatory]
#3063526 - 04/24/09 01:43 AM

Quote:

No I meant I would piggy-back the SBS on my LX200. Although the 4 scope configuration is possible, but who would do such a thing?

Ahhh, I think I get it now. So it'd be a triangle configuration.

Nice shot of the 4-stack. Almost looks like something out of a Star Trek movie...

Edited by varmint (04/24/09 01:44 AM)

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JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp

Reged: 02/20/05

Loc: In the Primordial Soup

Re: Side-by-Side mount - The perfect marriage new

[Re: varmint]
#3066873 - 04/25/09 07:28 PM

Here's a shot of the ADM/Losmandy SBS with a HA and a CaK solar scope mount on my 10" LX200GPS.

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