Stargazing Build Custom Telescope Mount: Tips & Advice

[Physicsisfun2005]

alright...i have no experience with this...kinda weird i don't to think of it...anyways at the observatory i work at i was going though a closet and behold I find a Meade 8" F/10 SCT...it seems to be an older model b/c it just says LX on it...not even "LX200" or something like that plus it looks like it has a pre-LX200 classic control panel...anyways it doesn't have a mount/tripod...and i don't want to lobby the director to buy one b/c we run a tight budget (we are geting a new CCD camera from SBIG mmmm...mouth watering). I was wondering if anyone knows a good site for making ur own mount/tripod or if u have any tips that would be great. also will i need to get a wedge for it...since it seems a lot of the old SCT's have them?

 

[turbo]

If the fork mount is OK, and you don't mind using it as an alt-azimuth instrument, you can build a sturdy wooden tripod and have at it. If it has a computerized drive that will work in Alt-az configuration, it should even track acceptibly, although field rotation will limit any astrophotography to snap shots. If it has non-computerized drives, or if you want to do any imaging, you will have to polar-align the scope before it will rotate at the proper rate to keep objects centered in the field, and prevent field rotation. This is where the wedge comes in. You align and adjust the wedge to point the forks directly at celestial north.

 

[Physicsisfun2005]

thanx...i'm not sure if the built in motors still work...i will have to try to fire them up