Getting around design flaws

[seer]

I took my new 144mm EQ reflector out last night and the biggest problem with it was after I polar aligned with the AZ part of the mount and lock it down with the knob screw it twists the mount and throws the alignment way off.
I seen someone long ago use a bar clamp for securing instead of the knob screw so I thought I would try something like that. The above photo is what I have to use. I tried it and it seems to work. I'm going shopping today and I'll look for a bar clamp.

[Lady Fraktor]

You need to describe a bit better what you are doing so other can understand.
Good luck with the experimenting though, sometimes we have to go the extra steps to get more out of our equipment

[seer]

I got lucky and found a cheap bar clamp at Walmart that seems to work.
On the Polaris EQ1&2 mounts there are Azimuth lock knobs on the bottoms. The arrow in the photo points to it. The azimuth and the latitude are what you set when you polar align your telescope before you use it. After you get it centered on Polaris you have to lock it down so that it doesn't move BUT when you do that by tightening that knob down it moves the mount and destroys the polar alignment.

[JayTee]

So, is the clamp going to be a permanent thing, or are you going to use it so the mount doesn't move while you're tightening the azimuth knob and then you remove the clamp?

Just curious,
JT

[seer]

So, is the clamp going to be a permanent thing, or are you going to use it so the mount doesn't move while you're tightening the azimuth knob and then you remove the clamp?

Just curious,
JT

I didn't think about it that way
Why add unnecessary steps. As long as the clamp doesn't get in the way and hold securely enough I wouldn't retighten the azimuth lock knob. This bar clamp should be a lot faster and easier than turning knobs or spinning levers. The azimuth lock knob now will came mostly into play for storage and transport.

[Lady Fraktor]

Does position it, clamp mount, do alignment not work?
Most of these do not need to be perfectly level or pointing precisely north.
Usually close will get it working.

A interesting idea to help remove slack in the mount though

[seer]

Does position it, clamp mount, do alignment not work?
Most of these do not need to be perfectly level or pointing precisely north.
Usually close will get it working.

A interesting idea to help remove slack in the mount though

Yes I could get things lined up but when I tighten that knob it throws it all out of whack. I want and need things to be precise as possible.

[GCoyote]

So what I think is happening is the end of the screw for that knob is either a) not ground flat b) not aligned to/centered on the axis of the az rotation or both. So when you try to tighten it, one edge grabs and turns the surface it is supposed to be holding.

If it's the first one, you might want to take it out and look at the end to see if it is flat. If not, you might be able to fix your problem with a little bit of filing.

[Micke187]

havent concidered swaping out the original screw and replace it with a screw you could use a wrench to tightening more then by hand ?