Tele-Pod Mount Upgrade

Hi. I use a Tele-Pod with my TV76. The mount works well, yet I am interested in obtaining a more substantial tripod. I realize that many upgrade to a Bogen tripod.

I would like any replies as to which tripod would be a good upgrade.

I also have an Orion SkyView pro tubular steel tripod. Has anyone ever attached a Tele-Pod head to this type of tripod? This would make one stable combo.

Thanks.

Hi Aaron
Check out the Manfrotto/Bogen 475. They are lightweight, fold down short, and priced decent at various online stores.
Hope this helps
Buck

Hi, Aaron.

I have a tv-76 on a Bogen 3233, which is only a little heavier than the original telepod legs, but a bit more stable, with a folding center spreader and an adjustable center column. It may not be quite as stable as the 3046 or the 475, but it has served me well. I still have the telepod legs--they may come in handy someday.

BTW, it's a rule of mine never to part with any tripods or mounts. Scopes and ep's come and go, but a good mount or tripod is another story. You just never know when you'll want one of them for something. Years ago I sold a stellarvue GEM and regretted it ever since. It's also surprising how one's decisions about scopes can be influenced by the mounts. If you have a few spares, you just feel freer to take a chance on all sorts of other stuff.

Jacques Duvoisin

I've used the Telepod/TV76 on a Bogen 475 which works very well. Excellent Tripod.

FWIW, I also upgraded the Telepod to a Tak Teegul which I've also used on the Bogen 475 with my 100ED. Very solid setup and I love the slo-mo controls on the Teegul.

I've also mounted the Teegul on my SVP tripod which damps any vibration almost instantly. The Teegul has a 3/8-16 mounting hole in the 2" diameter base which fits snugly in the recess on top of the SVP tripod. I believe the Telepod is also 3/8-16 thread so perhaps you could make this work if the bottom of the Telepod will fit into the SVP recess. The problem, as I found out, is that the rod in the SVP tripod that locks down the mount and cinches up the spreader plate is metric, 13mm I believe, which is very close to the 3/8-16 thread. I had to fabricate a new rod using 3/8-16 allthread and a combination of spacers and clamping knobs and a little grinding to remove a short bit of thread where the rod goes into the the top of the tripod. This tripod and mount combo makes for a very smooth solid setup. I've had my 100ED and TV76 mounted in a side-by-side arrangement (over 20 pounds) with almost instant damping. I've attached a pic.

Good luck,
Phil

Aaron McNeely said:

Hi. I use a Tele-Pod with my TV76. The mount works well, yet I am interested in obtaining a more substantial tripod. I realize that many upgrade to a Bogen tripod.

I would like any replies as to which tripod would be a good upgrade.

I also have an Orion SkyView pro tubular steel tripod. Has anyone ever attached a Tele-Pod head to this type of tripod? This would make one stable combo.

Thanks.

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