13.09.2025 It came off in my hand!

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  Saturday 13th. 12.00. Unlucky or lucky? I have spent the morning undoing a very nasty moment. I had fitted a longer dovetail plate to the Lunt 60MT. It looked silly how the little telescope fitted on the AM5N. Using the clamshell on a short dovetail plate. It was far too low in the clamps.  

 I then made a hideous mistake and chose to use a longer camera dovetail. They were the only dovetails I had handy of suitable length. Once I had the telescope mounted on the pate and clamped up. I tried to lift and move the telescope around. Just to ensure it was firmly held. It instantly came away in my hand! This could be repeated at will. 

 The geometry of camera dovetails is nothing like the standard Vixen. The angles are wrong and have much smaller contact surfaces on camera dovetails. 

 There followed a prolonged search through my tubs and drawers of astronomy kit. For a proper telescope dovetail plate. I found one but it would not fit the Lunt clamshell. Not without major modification. The dovetail had a flat base. So nowhere to lose the head of a hex bolt. Moreover it had a curved top. So nothing would fit unless I filed the dovetail flat.

 I found a pair of 90mm tube rings. I decided to fit those on the longer dovetail. Instead of the Lunt clamshell. Though this required a UNC1/4 x20 screw and I had only three or four. Some too short and others far too long. They came with the various tube rings. Which I had accumulated over the decades. One screw had a countersunk head. I used that on one ring into the threaded hole in the dovetail plate. Two large washers overcame the hollow face.

 The end hole in the dovetail plate was plain. So I used a hex head screw. Of course I did not have one the correct length. So I had to use an angle grinder to reduce the length of both screws. Otherwise they would have pushed the dovetail out of the clamps. I also had to drill the back of the dovetail as a counter bore. To sink the hex head screw to flush. Or it would have dented the Lunt's main tube. Just as the idiot who tested my Lunt at the dealer had managed to do. 

 So now, hours later, I have tube rings holding the Lunt 60 to the AM5N. I put the clamshell back on to hold the sun seeker sight. It fitted nicely between the tube rings. Time for lunch. I need a rest before I drag it all outside. Pictures to follow.

 I have successfully connected the AM5N via Wi-Fi. Controlling it via ASCOM ASI Mount. Now I am updating this blog post using the GMKtec mini-PC. I need a new wireless keyboard. As I am having to move the Logi receiver back and forth between the indoor PC and the Mini. Found an old one upstairs. The letters "A" and "S" have worn off. I have just found a working Logi mouse from my Observatory junk.

 17.00 I was going to play with the new toys outside but it clouded over. I experimented with bringing the new solar rig back in. There are several assemblies which might be carried as one, two, or three parts. This time I removed the telescope first. Then the AM5N mounting on the pier extension. Then the tripod. 

 The tripod has such a leg [foot] spread. That it has to be rotated to get it through doorways. I could loosen the leg stretcher slightly. Then rotate the plate. Which would allow the legs to fold in slightly. This can't be done safely with the mounting or PE200 in place. After the shock this morning. I have no desire to carry the telescope attached to the mounting. In case they auto-detach. Though it is very unlikely with a proper telescope dovetail in place now. I must see what is available in Losmandy dovetail plates. More expense! 

 

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