TheSkySearchers

I am attempting to have made for me an adapter plate in order to purchase an iOptron CEM60 mount to use with a Celestron CGE heavy duty tripod. The place doing the fabrication needs a drawing of the base of the mount showing the size and location of the mating holes. There is not such a drawing even from iOptron. Could one of you set the mount on its side and take a picture of the bottom of the base and just provide the dimensions. I think they can work with that. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you.

Joe Pellicone

Folks,
This is what the iOptron CEM60 plate adapter needs to attach to. Thanks.

Hi Joe,

Just some input from me. Here's the least costly dedicated tripod for your CEM60 mount: https://www.highpointscientific.com/iop ... J8QAvD_BwE

The rule that I follow is if the custom made part is more expensive than the least expensive commercial solution, money always wins. So if your customer adapter plate is more than $300, the iOptron CEM45/60 tripod may be your better solution. Yes, those iOptron tripods are currently back-ordered, so that may also color your decision too.

Cheers,
JT

OR, you could purchase the Pier Toplate and take that to your custom shop and just have them attach this top plate to your CGE tripod. This may be a cheaper and easier way to get setup you want.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... EMQAvD_BwE

Cheers,
JT

Lastly, have you seen this drawing of the top plate? Cheers,
JT

Thanks for all these replies!

JayTee wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 1:08 am OR, you could purchase the Pier Toplate and take that to your custom shop and just have them attach this top plate to your CGE tripod. This may be a cheaper and easier way to get setup you want.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... EMQAvD_BwE

Cheers,
JT

I posed a similar question, but in my case, I have a G11 Losmandy tripod that I want a top plate to mount my CEM60EC to it. Both the G11 tripod top tube and the iOptron pier plate are 6" diameter. The problem is the inset distance to the smaller diameter tube that would slide the plate into the tripod. I couldn't get a figure from iOptron and I'll also have to deal with a way to secure the top plate to the pier. I don't think that will be a problem. As I thought more about it, I knew the ultimate solution was to have a custom plate made by Dan's or someone else, but I finally decided not to pursue this because the G11 tripod is already mated to my Astro Physics 900GTO. The CEM60 is easier to move around and I thought it would be handy to have that option. The other reason is for some unknown reason my current iOptron tripod, the one with the 2" legs and "compatible" with the CEM60 cannot handle my 11" EdgeHD without serious vibration issues. I learned later that again, some tripods have an issue handling weights in the range of over 30 lbs or a combination of weight and OTA configuration when on paper they can handle much more. Strange deal.