I am using a Celestron Ultima 8 and the previous owner replaced the finder mount with the Celestron Removable finder scope base. This consists of a male dovetail plate the fits on the scope and the finder bolts to it...Simple if it works.
The problem is the dovetail plate. The mounting holes are 1.75 " apart which means that it only fits the two far most left copies of the accesory screws. (there are six screws in the back of the telescope for mounting finders etc-each of whcih has a slighlty different distance between the screws.
If the finder is mounted that far to the left, then it will interfere with the operation of the RA clutch. I suppose I could just give up and use the original bracket which the owner provided but what fun would that be? (The original bracket has wider mouting holes that are also adjustable but it is not easily removable).
I need either one of thre things....new removable base that will use the two center screws-ie a drop in replacement for the celestron that has bigger than 1.75 " between the holes, or a new shoe for the celestron bracket with BIGGER spacing, or a shoe that fits the celestron removable finder bracket with a mounting hole in the center not on each side.
The whole point of this is so that I don't have to sue the leftmost two screws to secure the dovetail, but can use the center or right had screws which will put the finder away from the RA clutch control.
Any suggestions?
The problem is the dovetail plate. The mounting holes are 1.75 " apart which means that it only fits the two far most left copies of the accesory screws. (there are six screws in the back of the telescope for mounting finders etc-each of whcih has a slighlty different distance between the screws.
If the finder is mounted that far to the left, then it will interfere with the operation of the RA clutch. I suppose I could just give up and use the original bracket which the owner provided but what fun would that be? (The original bracket has wider mouting holes that are also adjustable but it is not easily removable).
I need either one of thre things....new removable base that will use the two center screws-ie a drop in replacement for the celestron that has bigger than 1.75 " between the holes, or a new shoe for the celestron bracket with BIGGER spacing, or a shoe that fits the celestron removable finder bracket with a mounting hole in the center not on each side.
The whole point of this is so that I don't have to sue the leftmost two screws to secure the dovetail, but can use the center or right had screws which will put the finder away from the RA clutch control.
Any suggestions?
A little dremel work on the shoe to widen the holes, new stainless steel bolts from the hardware store (appropriately sized) and everything fits now.....
