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Pyper70
member
Reged: 10/22/08
Loc: Athens, Greece
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How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
#4514707 - 04/13/11 03:20 AM
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I am wondering the best way to weigh down my mount so I can cut down the vibrations while gazing. My tripod has the aluminum square tubing and a friend of mine said to drill a 1/2" hole at the top. put in a funnel, and load it up with sand. To me that is going to be a back breaker. Carrying an extra 10 pounds on the scope everywhere you go.
I opted to drill out the center section of my plastic spreader that holds the legs together on the tripod and run a stainless eyelot (eyelot towards the bottom) and using a rock climbing snap I hooked up a HUGE bucket with which I can fill with water, rocks, dirt...whatever is around me. The latter worked but viewing last night a mild wind came by and the scope shook. I dont think the tripod went anywhere. I can grab my tube and move the gear section (the part where the diagonal goes in) and there is alot of endplay there....unless you use the set screw but then loosening and refocusing after changing out the eyepiece and tightening...over and over again is a hassle.
The only other thing that moves is the declination clutch, there is some end play on that and there really is no way to tighten that up. The R.A. clutch seems to be holding together just fine.
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Cyclop_si
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/13/08
Loc: Slovenia
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Re: How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
[Re: Pyper70]
#4514727 - 04/13/11 03:54 AM
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I am not sure, but I think you can put EQ3 head directly on steel tripods for EQ5/HEQ5/etc mounts. They come with 1.75" or even with 2" legs.
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Midnight Dan
Postmaster
Reged: 01/23/08
Loc: Hilton, NY, Yellow Zone (Bortl...
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Re: How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
[Re: Cyclop_si]
#4514879 - 04/13/11 07:11 AM
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Antivibration pads do work and will reduce vibrations about in half. If you have a power tank, many people hang those from the spreader to add stability. However, viewing in a strong wind is going to be a problem no matter what you do.
-Dan
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eric_zeiner
Phoenix's Dad
Reged: 12/09/06
Loc: Georgia USA 34 31'57.18N 83 53...
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Re: How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
[Re: Midnight Dan]
#4514964 - 04/13/11 08:20 AM
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I hang a one gallon milk jug full of water from the spreader bars and that works very well. The best solution I have found though and if it is possible for you is to set up on grass.
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
[Re: eric_zeiner]
#4515409 - 04/13/11 12:10 PM
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In my experience the issue with the stability of the EQ-3 mounts is the tripod, in particular the tripod legs. Currently I am wooden Vixen SP legs on mine but in the past I used a much more substantial tripod with a Orion 120mm F/8.3 refractor with very good results.
Jon
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ZeroID
sage
Reged: 04/21/10
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
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Re: How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#4516836 - 04/14/11 12:05 AM
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Wooden legs and a small anvil slung beneath out on the grass on my old cheap mount. If it's blowing I don't go out.
The EQ6 Pro doesn't need an anvil .. !! I still don't go out in the wind.
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Ad Astra
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/12/10
Loc: Riverside Co., California
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Re: How do you weigh down your EQ3 mounts?
[Re: eric_zeiner]
#4517653 - 04/14/11 12:09 PM
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Quote:
I hang a one gallon milk jug full of water from the spreader bars and that works very well. The best solution I have found though and if it is possible for you is to set up on grass.
The milk jug trick works well, and is easier to carry than iron weights like an anvil. 
The other suggestion is to get a meatier tripod/mount combo. My CGE Pro is about 175 lbs (with 50lbs of CW) before the scope goes on. I suppose a hurricane could blow it over... but not much else. When someone stumbles into this thing in the dark - they just bounce off. 
Dan
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