Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
#3093237 - 05/08/09 07:15 PM
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So, I recently purchased an AT Voyager with an extension used (it was in mint/never used condition). I found that while it's a great "grab-n-go" mount there were some improvments that can be made.
I wasn't happy with the "push-to" ability of the stock mount. I'd have to grab onto the scope and mount at the same time to pan around to a different object.
Another thing I wasn't a big fan of was the way scopes are mounted to the "hockey puck" sideways and having to always turn the focuser (or diagonal) 45 degrees.
I also thought that the tripod spreader, while ok, could have been stronger and gave the mount more support. And the eyepiece tray that AT offered, 1 didn't look good, 2, didn't add support & 3, I did't like where I would have to mount it.
Enter "Manny Myles" (that's his screen name). After searching through the Mounts Forum here on CloudyNights and came across a few threads (csa/montana's specifically) that had the Manny Myles Mods done to the AT Voyager mount. his modifications answered ALL of my negatives I thought of the stock AT Voyager.
Manny (Dave) was VERY communicative and answered all my questions. I ended up ordering an eyepiece tray with 3 2" holes and 6 1.25" holes. I also ordered a PhAT RaAT w/ Pan Handle from him.
After installing everything (everything you need to install comes with the package, by the way). Boom, mount was sturdier, push-to was easy, you don't even have to touch the scope.
Manny's (Dave's) work is proffessional grade. The paint job he did matched the painton the Voyager exactly, and the eyepiece tray was light weight and fit perfectly. (the welding job was spot on also  )
Manny Myles also sells another bracket, I forget the name, but it's installed at the lower end of the arm of the Voyager, which also helps with balancing and the overall sturdiness (is that a word?) of the mount. He also has a bracket with just the Pan Handle for push-to'ing.
Now my AT Voyager mount is modified exactly the way I wanted thanx to Manny Myles.
He gets a "5 bow rating from me:
Well, here are some (a bunch actually) pictures.
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093239 - 05/08/09 07:16 PM Attachment (65 downloads)
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Here's a pic of the eyepiece tray. The small piece goes under the tripod spreader - making sure the spreader is level:
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093241 - 05/08/09 07:18 PM Attachment (71 downloads)
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Here's a pic of the PhAT RaAT & Pan Handle (I think he's calling that a Pan Handle - corrrect me if I'm wrong)
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093244 - 05/08/09 07:19 PM Attachment (53 downloads)
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Here's the PhAT RaAT & Pan Handle together:
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093245 - 05/08/09 07:20 PM Attachment (63 downloads)
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In this picture, it's the OLD WAY of mounting the scope. See how the scope is "on it's side" and you'd have to move the focuser and/or diagonal?
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093249 - 05/08/09 07:21 PM Attachment (56 downloads)
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Here's the PhAT RaAT & Pan Handle installed on the Voyager. You can see on the PhAT RaAT where the stock "hocky puck" is installed = Better mounting
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093253 - 05/08/09 07:22 PM Attachment (50 downloads)
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PhAT RaAT w/ stock "hockey puck" installed.
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093261 - 05/08/09 07:24 PM Attachment (71 downloads)
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Now a pic with the scope mounted, not sideways. This is the perfect mounting position, IMO. It also brings the scope closer to the center of gravity. Makes mounting easier, makes balancing easier, and it improves stability.
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093262 - 05/08/09 07:25 PM Attachment (60 downloads)
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A pic from the front:
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093267 - 05/08/09 07:27 PM Attachment (48 downloads)
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And another one from the other side. You can see there's plenty of clearance between the scope and mount arm. Very well thought out by Manny Myles. And there's also room to mount a bigger scope. The TMB92SS is only about 8-9#'s
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093271 - 05/08/09 07:28 PM Attachment (44 downloads)
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And my last pic of the eyepiece tray installed:
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093338 - 05/08/09 08:04 PM
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Oh yeah, I probably should have cleaned my room before taking pics, there's one pic with a pile of my dirty clothes.  
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gillmj24
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/06/05
Loc: PA
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3093345 - 05/08/09 08:10 PM
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Great review! Don't sweat it I have sold stuff with messier room pictures than that.
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Manny Myles
Postmaster
Reged: 11/29/05
Loc: Far South of the flyover city ...
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: gillmj24]
#3093527 - 05/08/09 10:18 PM
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Looking good there Randy, glad everything works as they are supposed to, great set of photos too<G>
m2
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Luigi
Postmaster
Reged: 07/03/07
Loc: MA
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Manny Myles]
#3094012 - 05/09/09 07:28 AM
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CG of scope is quite a bit above the alt axis. This potentiates the dreaded scope flop associated with using photographic mounts. How is this an improvement?
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Luigi]
#3094289 - 05/09/09 10:58 AM
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Quote:
CG of scope is quite a bit above the alt axis. This potentiates the dreaded scope flop associated with using photographic mounts. How is this an improvement?
In English please.
I'm no scientist, but it's a lot easier to mount, the scope is in a better position, balancing is a lot easier, overall it's sturdier. And I have less worries now about everything falling over then I did before. What's scope flop? Sounds like something Viagra would take care of.
Are you claiming the scope is more likely to fall over in this position mounted on the bracket?
Doesn't seem like it is. The overall balance of the set up is a lot better then before. Before, EVERY time I would "push-to" another object the mount would want to fall over (I call that not being sturdy). Now with the bracket/handle it's firm on all 3 legs (I call that sturdy). Solved my problem.
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Manny Myles
Postmaster
Reged: 11/29/05
Loc: Far South of the flyover city ...
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Trebor777]
#3094314 - 05/09/09 11:14 AM
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I think Astro Tech would have worked on this when they decided to create the extension for the mount, it does seem to add a bit of a lever to the overall height of the mount.
With the scope in the factory placement, the scope is further away from the center, with the bracket it moves it forward and inward towards the sweet spot, not exactly perfect but much better than factory.
Having the Bent Bar on there gets it even closer to the center of az rotation, helping get the scope's weight centered on all 3 legs.
m2
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Luigi
Postmaster
Reged: 07/03/07
Loc: MA
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Manny Myles]
#3094613 - 05/09/09 02:34 PM
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Scope flop: balance the scope when level and when pointed up it will tend to rotate backward(flop). It'll do the same thing when pointing down in the front but that's not too common in astro observing. 
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Manny Myles
Postmaster
Reged: 11/29/05
Loc: Far South of the flyover city ...
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Luigi]
#3094635 - 05/09/09 02:49 PM
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The mounts have tension adjustments to help this from happening<G>
m2
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Trebor777
Hazy
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Connecticut - U.S.
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Re: My AT Voyager w/ "Manny Myles" Mods!!!!
[Re: Luigi]
#3094660 - 05/09/09 03:00 PM
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Quote:
Scope flop: balance the scope when level and when pointed up it will tend to rotate backward(flop). It'll do the same thing when pointing down in the front but that's not too common in astro observing.
I can attest, with the tension knobs on the Voyager that wasn't/isn't an issue, well it wasn't for me. After your post before, I mounted my TMB92SS again and messed around with moving it, up/down/left right, tried different EP's, etc, etc. I didn't have any worries or scope flop. It was a lot sturdier then before, especially in regards to "push-to'ing".
Manny's brackets are a professionally made item and do what they say they're going to do. No worries about exacerbating  scope flop.
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