Reducing vibration in fork mounts

Has anyone had success trying to dampen vibration in fork mounts by adding some sort of non-elastic (in the technical sense) material to the fork? I'm thinking of trying some of the squirt-in expanding foam in the channels of the fork on my LX50 to absorb and deaden vibrations.

I figure anything adequately mushy should reduce the tuning fork effect I seem to get whenever I touch the scope to focus.

Paul,

I don't think the expanding foam is something you want to squirt inside the fork arms on your scope. It's rigid when it cures, not flexible, and if you ever decide to remove it, you will wish you never put it there in the first place. You'll have to chisel it out.

As an experiment, try duct taping several ounces of lead automotive wheel weights to the outside of only one fork arm, then see if the vibration persists. If it does, it's likely not a "tuning fork effect". More likely it's the tripod, the wedge, if you use one, or the whole combination.

Paul Ste. Marie said:

Has anyone had success trying to dampen vibration in fork mounts by adding some sort of non-elastic (in the technical sense) material to the fork? I'm thinking of trying some of the squirt-in expanding foam in the channels of the fork on my LX50 to absorb and deaden vibrations.

I figure anything adequately mushy should reduce the tuning fork effect I seem to get whenever I touch the scope to focus.

Depends. Is your scope on a wedge? That is the usual source of a large part of the vibrations. Answer? Get (or build) a heftier wedge. If you are in alt-az, look to the tripod; there are various things that can improve that, including Celestron's vibration reduction pads (which will also help a wedge-mount scope).