· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article    Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Forum Archives · Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Mounts Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 womiller member Reged: 10/05/09 Posts: 27 Loc: Bay Area, CA Best way to mount a dovetail on an OTA?       #3381433 - 10/10/09 01:01 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi folks, What are the preferred methods for attaching a dovetail to an OTA? I want to modify my 150mm Mak-Cass with a long dovetail bar to fit my Vixen saddle. I need this to improve the balance range for heavy eyepieces. Currently I have two rings with the basic Vixen dovetail bolted to them, so that the dovetail is effectively strapped to the OTA by the rings. Can I safely bolt the dovetail right to the OTA using some tapped holes and get rid of the rings and their weight? How do people avoid getting metal shavings inside the OTA after tapping a new hole? Any other ideas? Thanks Wayne -------------------- Orion Argonaut 150mm Mak-Cass Vixen GP mount Livermore, CA viewing conditions Post Extras:       AZStarGuy professor emeritus Reged: 05/05/08 Posts: 505 Loc: Scottsdale AZ Re: Best way to mount a dovetail on an OTA? [Re: womiller]       #3381820 - 10/10/09 10:14 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I would avoid tapping holes into the OTA IMO... You could just replace your existing dovetail with a new longer one. -------------------- Ron SV102ABV DSV-1 & Oberwerk Pans,Naglers & Hyperions Post Extras:       hudson_yak Pooh-Bah Reged: 11/15/07 Posts: 1106 Loc: Hyde Park, NY, USA Re: Best way to mount a dovetail on an OTA? [Re: AZStarGuy]       #3381835 - 10/10/09 10:23 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Agreed. Bolting a dovetail to the end rings potentially opens up the possibility of stressing the OTA due to differing expansion rates of the tube and the bar. Of course it's commonly done, especially on bigger scopes, but that's probably somewhat because large tube rings of good quality are very expensive. Get a longer bar, and get a solid one so the ring attachment bolts can be recessed giving you the ability to make use of the entire length. Mike -------------------- Meade 8" LX10 Orion ED100 + Losmandy GM-8 + Berlebach UNI 24 Meade 12" LightBridge Post Extras:       womiller member Reged: 10/05/09 Posts: 27 Loc: Bay Area, CA Re: Best way to mount a dovetail on an OTA? [Re: hudson_yak]       #3382215 - 10/10/09 02:05 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the advice. That's an easy fix to use the existing rings. -------------------- Orion Argonaut 150mm Mak-Cass Vixen GP mount Livermore, CA viewing conditions Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 7 registered and 9 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  Charlie Hein, lineman_16735  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 162 Jump to *International Year of Astronomy 2009* -----   Global Coordination   Cornerstone Projects   Special Projects   Special Task Groups   Global Activities   National and Regional Activities   IYA 2009 in Africa   IYA 2009 in the USA*Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Beginners Forum   Celestial Events   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Celestron SkyScout and Meade mySky   Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   General Observing   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Other* -----   Science of Astronomy & Space Exploration   AstroWebsites   Space Rocks*Speciality Forums* -----   AstroArt   Astronomy Software & Computers   Stellar Media   Astro Outreach, Clubs and Star Parties*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements CN Forums Home

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