Mounting a Meade 8" OTA on a GEM

Greetings folks,

I have a Meade LX90 8" OTA and want to mount it on a Synta style HEQ5 - I think you folks in the US might know that mount as a CGx mount.

I can mount it either of two ways: use mounting rings to attach the OTA to a mounting bar or, bolt a mounting bar directly to the OTA.

The second choice is the cheapest by far. But, I would appreciate advice as to how sturdy and stable that system is and what drawbacks (if any) it has.

Cheers,

Hedley

People have been using the second method (mounting bar bolted to the tube) for years, and it has no drawbacks that I know of. You will need "radius blocks" or a bar shaped such to mate to the curve of the tube. (The round tube does not mate directly to a flat bar.) Otherwise, just mount away.

Alex