Frankenmounts?

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pakarinen United States of America
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Frankenmounts?

#1

Post by pakarinen »


Curious how many people have "Frankenmounts" - XYZ head on a ABC tripod and so on. I'm told a Porta II arm will fit on a TW1, so if I could ever score a P2 arm by itself, I'd try swapping out arms on the TW.
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#2

Post by JayTee »


Does this count? It is a Meade tripod holding a Celestron SLT goto mount holding an Explore Scientific 102mm frac.
C_M_ES Combo.jpg
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∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#3

Post by Valen »


Nice!
Scope:Celestron: C8 Owned since 1976, Celestron EdgeHD 14 Mount: CGEM DX, CGX-L, Ioptron CEM120EC
EP: Tele Vue 8mm Delos, Tele Vue Ethos 21mm Tele Vue 2x Barlow, Tele-Vue 2x power mate, Tele-Vue Apollo 11 Commemorative, Celestron K12,25,40.
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#4

Post by SkyHiker »


Here's my Frankenmount, a dual axis autoguided barndoor drive for my 10" Dob. It worked fine for AP but is now rotting away in my side yard because I proved my point so the fun is over!
IMG_1506.JPG
IMG_0761.JPG
IMG_0752.JPG
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#5

Post by Bigzmey »


Here is SW AzGti mount with

EQ1 mount bar and counterbalance,

and Berlebach Tripod Photo Adapter,

on ES Twilight 1 legs

:D
AzGti-CB.jpg
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#6

Post by Lady Fraktor »


SLT mount on a homemade pier and a EQ-3 aluminium tripod, I also put the pier and mount on a ASGT tripod.
IMG_1663.png
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Kanadalainen
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#7

Post by Kanadalainen »


I have an iOptron Skyguider Pro on a vintage wooden Vixen tripod.

:)
IMG_7279.jpg


I don't have many tripods, so this one gets double duty with my C80.

Kind regards,
Ian

Fracs: Stellarvue 70T f6; SW 120mm Esprit f7; "Mark Mk. II" - 60 mm Tasco f6; C80 frac f 11.4
SCT: C8 Edge f10 or f7 with reducer
Dob: 14.5" homebuilt strut dob (f4.5 ZOC mirror), Nexus II, Moonlite focuser
Mounts - Ioptron Skyguider pro, Astro Physics GTO900
Cameras and lenses - ZWO 2600 mc, 290 mm mini, Canon 60D modded with Rokinon 10mm 2.8; Rokinon 135mm f2

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Kanadalainen
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#8

Post by Kanadalainen »


SkyHiker wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:51 pm Here's my Frankenmount, a dual axis autoguided barndoor drive for my 10" Dob. It worked fine for AP but is now rotting away in my side yard because I proved my point so the fun is over!

IMG_1506.JPG

IMG_0761.JPG

IMG_0752.JPG

Man, you can't let this thing rot!! Its too cool. :). I'll take care of it for you. :D
Ian

Fracs: Stellarvue 70T f6; SW 120mm Esprit f7; "Mark Mk. II" - 60 mm Tasco f6; C80 frac f 11.4
SCT: C8 Edge f10 or f7 with reducer
Dob: 14.5" homebuilt strut dob (f4.5 ZOC mirror), Nexus II, Moonlite focuser
Mounts - Ioptron Skyguider pro, Astro Physics GTO900
Cameras and lenses - ZWO 2600 mc, 290 mm mini, Canon 60D modded with Rokinon 10mm 2.8; Rokinon 135mm f2

Skysafari 6 Pro, Astro Pixel Processor, Pixinsight - using Mac tablet and ASIair pro to run the AP rig.

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AstroBee United States of America
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#9

Post by AstroBee »


Meade Giant Field Tripod.
Image

Custom adapter plate for the Celestron CGX.
Image

Meade Giant Field Tripod with Celestron CGX.
Image

Carrying an Explore Scientific ED127mm.
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Greg M.~ "Ad Astra per Aspera"
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
Cameras: ZWO ASI2600mm Pro, ZWO 2600MC Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm
Filters: 36mm Chroma LRGB & 3nm Ha, OIII, SII, L-Pro, L-eXtreme
Eyepieces: 27mm TeleVue Panoptic, 4mm TeleVue Radian, Explore Scientific 82° 30mm, 6.7mm , Baader 13mm Hyperion, Explore Scientific 70° 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, Meade 8.8mm UWA
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCapPro, PixInsight, PhotoShop CC, Phd2, Stellarium
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pakarinen United States of America
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#10

Post by pakarinen »


O/T: So I'm curious - Is that a sitting pool / spa or is it a flow thing where you swim against a current? Gorgeous, whatever it is.
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#11

Post by Thefatkitty »


Pakarinen, I am the last person you want to get started on "Frankenmounts" :lol:

Not so much of a Frankenmount; this is my CG4 mount that my C80-HD came with; it all was made in '96. And last of the Vixen optics in a Celestron. Since I have more than a few fracs that I've bought secondhand or made and none of them with a decent mount, I set up a process whereby I just use a piece of flat bar, drill some holes, and weld two 1/4" bolts onto it.
Wingnuts are the way to go when tightening it all up. Like I should be talking about wingnuts when I am one... ;)
IMG_2978 (2).jpg
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DSCF6948.JPG


When I bought my Celestron Nextstar 102mm, it came with the tripod, but no middle part where all the electronics go. Figures. However, being the wingnut I am and add on to the fact that at the time my daughter wanted to sit out with me and observe, I made a poor man's version of a "Twilight II". I always made sure she got the orange scope.... A bit of thread tape and some axle grease worked wonders for making this abomination rock solid.
001.jpg


Now she's a teenager, not so into it as she once was, so I rebuilt it for my Sears 60mm. So old school, but you gotta love pipe mounts.
IMG_2980 (2).jpg


And last but not least, the first scope I made with the first mount that I made. The scope is a 60mm that used to be a click-stop Tasco. Too much to explain here; it would seriously need it's own thread :lol:
00a.jpg


That was five years ago. Now my good buddy Ian (Kanadalanien) has the scope, and the mount now houses my barn-door tracker, which, if my skies ever clear for over a half-hour, I will use it... The az base is an old roller from a vertical belt sander. It rides on bearings with a 5/8" solid steel shaft through it. The alt part is made from two 60mm (go figure) skateboard wheels; that all rides on four bearings. It's all quick release to take it apart, no tools needed. Old bicycle/scooter parts. I can change the weight in seconds, as well as fit it all in a milk crate.
IMG_2969 (2).jpg
IMG_2970 (2).jpg
I think that's it. I've enjoyed looking at what everyone else has as well! So many good ideas on such a good forum... :D

All the best, everyone, and clear skies to you no matter what you use!
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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AstroBee United States of America
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#12

Post by AstroBee »


pakarinen wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:15 pm O/T: So I'm curious - Is that a sitting pool / spa or is it a flow thing where you swim against a current? Gorgeous, whatever it is.
It's called a "spool" a giant spa basically. It's only 4' deep but surrounded by 12 jets that surround 3 of the four sides. It's actually a bit bigger than it seems as it's 19' along the long side. Great for short old man laps! NO DIVING! :D
Greg M.~ "Ad Astra per Aspera"
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
Cameras: ZWO ASI2600mm Pro, ZWO 2600MC Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm
Filters: 36mm Chroma LRGB & 3nm Ha, OIII, SII, L-Pro, L-eXtreme
Eyepieces: 27mm TeleVue Panoptic, 4mm TeleVue Radian, Explore Scientific 82° 30mm, 6.7mm , Baader 13mm Hyperion, Explore Scientific 70° 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, Meade 8.8mm UWA
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCapPro, PixInsight, PhotoShop CC, Phd2, Stellarium
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Jones
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#13

Post by Jones »


20210810_123411.jpg
My latest alt-AZ head build on CPC 1100 Celestron tripod all tied done down on 2-wheeler Transportable base. See article under other DIY thread. block-pipe mount and Transportable threads.
Arizona- where the sky's are not cloudy all night.

Triple lensed fracs are so yummy when looking at planets.
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Re: Frankenmounts?

#14

Post by KathyNS »


This has to count as a franken-mount. It is a Celestron wedge (for my orange-tube C-90) , mounted on a Manfrotto tripod.

The wedge was actually made for the bigger C-5 and maybe even the C-8. With the little C-90 on it, the centre of gravity is out near the wedge plate, nowhere near the tripod attachment point. It would have mounted to the tripod with a 3/8 bolt in the middle of the attachment plate, but the contact area on the tripod would have been too small for comfort with the off-centre load. So I made a plywood adapter plate. It attaches to the tripod with the 3/8" wingnut and three screws, visible between the wedge plate and the mounting plate.

Because the wooden adapter limited screwdriver access to the little bolt that was used to adjust the wedge angle, I replaced it with a 4" long bolt, visible through the lower opening in the wedge plate.
P1110567-800px.JPG
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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