Telescope Reviews: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount?

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

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Starlighter
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/03/07

Loc: Sunny California

Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount?
#3079246 - 05/01/09 03:21 PM

After my rather disappointing Orion SkyView AZ mount and the dreadful SV MG mount, I'm still looking for a good AZ mount. The Desert Sky single head model looks to be well made as does the dual headed version. I've spoken to Raul and he pretty much told me what he manufactures would meet my criteria except with his mount, proper balance needs to be maintained. He did feel that with his mounts there is enough tension to lock them down so I could change out an eyepiece without the scope pitching forward which was the case with the Orion. I never had a chance to test the SV MG mount since it arrived in an unworkable condition forcing me to return it for a refund.

So if anyone uses the Desert Sky, I'd appreciate some views on it. Maybe some pictures.

Thanks

Post Extras:

GShaffer
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/28/09

Loc: Bogart, Ga USA

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: Starlighter]
#3079632 - 05/01/09 06:36 PM Attachment (50 downloads)

I have one I bought used on Amart, the dual headed version. And have a few pics I took with my SV70ED on it. I use it on both a 4" AP pier and also on a LX200 tripod. I have abused it quite sufficiently to the point of putting both a Vixen NA140SS and a Vixen ED102S on it at the same time which is a bit much for it. Only issue though was enough hand power to tighen it enough to hold the load LOL.....

Very smooth and I cant think of anything I dislike about it.....one of the heads is adjustable in 4 directions so you can sight both scopes to center on the same object....a nice feature.

Quote:

After my rather disappointing Orion SkyView AZ mount and the dreadful SV MG mount, I'm still looking for a good AZ mount. The Desert Sky single head model looks to be well made as does the dual headed version. I've spoken to Raul and he pretty much told me what he manufactures would meet my criteria except with his mount, proper balance needs to be maintained. He did feel that with his mounts there is enough tension to lock them down so I could change out an eyepiece without the scope pitching forward which was the case with the Orion. I never had a chance to test the SV MG mount since it arrived in an unworkable condition forcing me to return it for a refund.

So if anyone uses the Desert Sky, I'd appreciate some views on it. Maybe some pictures.

Thanks

Post Extras:

GShaffer
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/28/09

Loc: Bogart, Ga USA

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: GShaffer]
#3079636 - 05/01/09 06:37 PM Attachment (43 downloads)

Another angle:

Post Extras:

GShaffer
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/28/09

Loc: Bogart, Ga USA

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: GShaffer]
#3079646 - 05/01/09 06:41 PM Attachment (37 downloads)

Yet one more angle:

Post Extras:

Starlighter
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/03/07

Loc: Sunny California

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: GShaffer]
#3079679 - 05/01/09 06:58 PM Attachment (34 downloads)

Thanks. I guess it would easily handle my 102mm Celestron C4-R shown here side-by-side on the Orion with my Meade 80mm. Had the Orion not had a tension problem, I would have kept it. It was quite stable using heavier scopes.

Post Extras:

SteveC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/15/06

Loc: The Garden State & Ocean State

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: Starlighter]
#3083315 - 05/03/09 06:39 PM Attachment (28 downloads)

I owned the Desert Sky at one time. It was well made, but you did have to lock it down every time you changed an EP. If you don't mind following that routine, then it should work very nicely for you. Cosmetically, you will have no complaints about the mount.

Post Extras:

therocksal
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/02/08

Loc: Everett, WA

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: SteveC]
#3083428 - 05/03/09 07:35 PM

Unistar Deluxe with the medium or heavy tripod can hold A LOT.

I demo'd one at my local astro shop, ended up buying a Voyager but I've sold my Voyager and will buy one of these after the summer for all my scopes for GandG.

http://universalastronomics.com/UniStarPictures.html

At the bottom of that page, it shows a 14" cat on the Unistar...impressive.

Post Extras:

coopman
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/23/06

Loc: South Louisiana

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: therocksal]
#3084559 - 05/04/09 12:06 PM

I have a Unistar Basic & it is a good strong mount. Even though it may hold a C14, what will the settling time be at high power for the OTA on that mount? I have put my TV Genesis on the Unistar Light too, and yes it will hold it, but the settling time was too much for my tastes at high mags.

Post Extras:

Starlighter
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/03/07

Loc: Sunny California

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: SteveC]
#3084640 - 05/04/09 12:41 PM

Quote:

I owned the Desert Sky at one time. It was well made, but you did have to lock it down every time you changed an EP. If you don't mind following that routine, then it should work very nicely for you. Cosmetically, you will have no complaints about the mount.

Any mount lacking slow motion controls that works on the theory of always maintaining proper balance, will need the ability to be locked down while changing out an eyepiece. Then unlocked and rebalanced. That doesn't bother me. What bothered me was the Orion not being able to lock down enough to keep my scopes from falling forward when I removed a heavy eyepiece.

Raul suggested that his mount is best designed for smaller, shorter scopes, that if I tried to mount my long C4-R 102mm, I'd notice some vibration problems.

The folks at Orion now claim their SkyView AZ mount has tension knobs that work better than the earlier version. I'm thinking of trying another. It's a very well made mont that looks great. Just before I sent it back I tried my Meade 80mm on it and the movements were quite fluid. When I stopped slewing, the scope remained right were it was, no matter what position that was.

Post Extras:

Starlighter
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/03/07

Loc: Sunny California

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: Starlighter]
#3084901 - 05/04/09 03:13 PM

I decided to get another Orion SkyView AZ mount. They claim the tension problem has been fixed.

Post Extras:

LateViewer
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/17/05

Loc: Manhattan

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: Starlighter]
#3088037 - 05/06/09 08:17 AM

I have one and all the things said above apply.

I set mine up with a 66mm refractor and a 127mm Mak. EP's are not a problem until I bring out the monster EP's.

Post Extras:

SteveC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/15/06

Loc: The Garden State & Ocean State

Re: Anyone use a Desert Sky AZ mount? new

[Re: Starlighter]
#3089238 - 05/06/09 08:03 PM

Quote:

Any mount lacking slow motion controls that works on the theory of always maintaining proper balance, will need the ability to be locked down while changing out an eyepiece. Then unlocked and rebalanced.

Not the DM4 & DM6, but I suspect you didn't want to go there at those price points.

Post Extras:

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