Help w/ technique

Greets
I have a C8, JMI Smartfocus, Optec 3.3 reducer, SBIG ST7 w/CFW8 in that order.
The equipment train is prodigious and makes the scope look like a tadpole.

Imaging something lik M57 (Ring Nebula) with the reducer is straightforward enough, but take the reducer of and ...FUHGETABOUTIT. Finding the target is atime consuming thang.

I need guidance on simplifying getting the target on-chip. Off-axis? Flip mirror? The stuff hanging off the back is awful log now!

Donald,
I have a C5 and use a webcam at f/30, so if I lose the image it is a real pain re-locating it. The red dot finder isn't going to help. So I rigged up a cradle for a 8x50 finder I had and use a bungee cord to hold it to the tube of my C5. When I get my initial alignment on my target planet, I note its location in the finder. It's good enough for me to relocate my target on the CCD if necessary, even though the finder is only 8x.

Good luck.
-Joe

As Joe said, align your finder scope as closely as possible. If you can, find something very distant on the horizon, a telephone pole, a chimney on a house or anything that will help put your finder right on target. Also, make sure that when everything is attached that it is balanced. If your able, hook everything up and move the scope around by hand. You should be able to let go of the scope and it will stay in any position. If it dosent, your not balanced.
That will affect the pointing accuracy of your drive system.
Hope this helps.