Need help with dovetail systems

First some background. That spiffy new goto GEM that Jon Davis is building me now needs a way to attach a telescope to it. John has asked me to send him whatever saddle plate I would like installed so he can put it on. "What in blazes is a saddle plate?" (asked in my best Slim Pickens impression). So, I need some help. I don't know squat about dovetail mounting systems.

Here's what I think I know:

1. You need a saddle plate on the mount
2. You need a dovetail bar that the scope rings mount to

Now that I've summed it all up, it looks like I know less than I thought.

Some questions:

1. Do I need a dovetail mount?
2. Do all mounts have a dovetail system?
3. If not, what did you put on your mount to quickly remove the OTA?

Here's what I could find as options for a dovetail mounting system on the GI-1 Abrams mount (or any mount for that matter):

Losmandy GM-8
Losmandy G-11
William Optics Dovetail System
Can't figure out if Vixen dovetail is proprietary or what

I like the GM-8 option because it's cheap ($52 for the saddle plate) but is it strong enough to hold 35 lbs? I also couldn't figure out whether the GM8 saddle plate accepted the standard Losmandy dovetails. I'm all cornfused. I wish there were a telescope shop nearby so I could go by and figure out what I want, but there isn't so I can't and that's bad.

So, help me buy something to send to John to put on my fancy new mount. PLEEEAAASSSEEE!!!!

Clear skies,

Tom

Tom,

I don't know enough about all of those different systems. But I do know that if you are going to go the Losmandy route, go with the G-11 saddle/dovetails. Why? First, for a 35-lb payload you need a sturdier dovetail than the GM-8 dovetails. Second, I *think* Scott (Losmandy) has merged the saddles for the GM-8 and G-11 to use the "D"-series (G-11) dovetail.

Given all that I've said, I just today ordered one of Robin Casady's "tip in" saddles (http://www.robincasady.com) for my G-11; I have a ~45lb-OTA being delivered soon (I hope I hope) and the thought of trying to "thread" a weighty OTA/dovetail into the saddle (in the dark, no less) is not appealing.

Regards,
Lou

You can get standardized dovetail mounts at any gun shop.

The sizes are smaller, individually, than big custom telescope mounts. But they're cheap. Strong. Hardened steel.

I use two four-inchers mounted side-by-side 2" apart. It looks like they could take 100#. The base is 1/4" aluminum cut 4" wide by 6" long.