Wedge for 16" LX200

Hi all,

I need some last minute comments before I go and spend some money.

After several years of fiddling, I have decided to replace the field de-rotator with a wedge on the 16" LX200 scope. Meade does not make one. One on-line source has a ~4+ month wait. Another on-line source is way out of the price range. So... There is a local welder that makes piers for a local scope shop and I understand the turn-around time is very fast, and the cost is very reasonable. I have made a cardboard prototype, and am ready to hand it over. The plan was a 1/2" base and other parts 3/8" steel welded into a "box", with an adjustable diagonal plate. (Heavy!) The azimuth adjustment will be two "tabs" under the base plate, and the altitude adjustment will be two screws pushing up from the bottom of the plate that holds the scope. The scope plate will pivot at the top. The photo shows the general design. It is offset so the center of mass will be over the center of the pier.

Comments? Questions? Feedback?

Thanks
Charlie

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Charlie,

This may sound crazy, but I would made the botom plate 1" thick. I had a C14 on a wedge, and after doing some research on vibration many found that the thickness of the bottom plate is the primary cause, probably becuase it acts like a diaphragm. Your side plates are resisting forces in line with themselves, so they are "less critical". Also, since your welding from scratch, might as well beef everything up.

-Peter