Mounts are available as kits
or finished.
What do you receive? What is for you to do?
All designs are subject
to change without notice.
Kit:
What you
receive:
Wooden
CNC cut mount parts:rocker box and ground board assemblies,
and if applicable altitude bearing and clamshell rings.
Wooden
parts arrive rough sanded, predrilled with countersink.
Azimuth
and altitude bearing materials: Laminate ring and strips, Teflon
pads predrilled and countersunk.
7 screws
and 8 dowels in their corresponding holes - typical number of
each for solid mounts.
What is
for you to do:
Unpack.
Fine sand.
Adhere
laminates using contact cement.
Paint/finish.
Possibly
obtain new/longer bolts if attaching altitude bearing.
Assemble.
Ships unassembled.
Very easy to assemble. Help and advice available by e-mail.
..
Finished:
What you
receive:
All the
items shown in the kit section.
Wooden
parts arrive fine sanded and finished with three or more coats
General Finishes Enduro.
What is
for you to do:
Unpack.
Possibly
obtain new/longer bolts if attaching altitude bearing.
Assemble.
Ships unassembled.
Very easy to assemble. Help and advice available by e-mail
Mount Weights
Many
buyers ask about weight. AstroGoods mounts are designed to minimize
weight while maximizing structural rigidity. Our mounts will be
significantly lighter weight than what is commercially manufactured,
with our design and use of rigid/strong Baltic Birch plywood rather
than heavy and easily damaged particle board.
The large majority of our orders are custom mounts, so sizes and
weights vary. Our Apertura style mounts is a standardized design
and can provide an idea of our typical weight savings, based on
user feedback:
Apertura
mount weights comparison:
12" OEM mount 38 lbs., AstroGoods
23 lbs.
10" OEM mount 31 lbs., AstroGoods
19 lbs.
8" OEM mount 28 lbs.,
AstroGoods 15 lbs.
Enter either
your tube diameter, or if in tube rings measure the flat to flat
distance.
Tube:
in.
(maximum 13.1")
Rings:
in.
(maximum 13.6")
Balance
point distance:
See below.
in.
Balance
point: First install your heaviest eyepiece in the focuser
and finders on your telescope.
Roll over a fulcrum (such as a broom stick) to determine where
the tube attempts to balance.
Measure from that approximate balance position to mirror end including
any protrusion past.
About standard
solid mounts:
Two
12" or 18" altitude bearings fitting onto your tube or
tube rings.
Rocker
box: front, two side and bottom boards.
Ground board with
feet.
Teflon for altitude
and azimuth bearings (installed).
How a collapsible mount folds flat. Mount is one piece hinged together. No loose parts.
Assembles/disassembles in one minute.
Photos are our first collapsible mount, with the ground
board completely under the rocker box.
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
Mount
is shown in upright assembled position.
2
Left side board rotates inward on hinge folding onto the back
side of the front board.
3
Front
and left side boards hinged together rotate forward and around
4
continuing
around toward the right side of the rocker box
5
until
all three upright boards are flat against each other.
6
The
right side board is hinged to the bottom board, and all three
fold inward lying flat.
The
entire assembly and ground board are 5" height. Easy storage
or transport.
If your tube needs altitude bearings, or you wish to upgrade to larger
altitude bearings we offer two sizes with our mounts:
12
inch outside diameter (left photo) full circle bearings. Hand holds
incorporated. Laminate applied to half the circle.
18
inch outside diameter (right photo) half circle bearings. Hand hold
openings are incorporated. Laminate applied to entire half circle.
Bearings attach to your telescope through a 3/8" hole centered
in the bearing. Inside facing arced braces secure bearing to tube.
Or:
Bearings can attach to your existing ring set, on the drilled flats.
Or:
Bearings
can attach to outside of clamshell rings we supply. Allows repositioning
forward/back or rolled for focuser position.
18 inch altitude bearings
suggested for 10" and larger telescopes and/or long tubes. Provide
more stable balance and finer incremental altitude movement.
We receive your
order.
AstroGoods e-mail
a confirmation of the order and provide a schedule with design and
estimated shipping dates.
You next receive a design drawing PDF for review, request modification,
or approve. Shipping date estimate based on buyer's timely design drawing
approval (1 week or less).
After design
approval steps are:
Program CNC cuts.
CNC cutting of parts.
Inscribing setting circles if ordered.
Laser cutting of laminate ring.
Dry assembly parts for quality assurance.
Sanding parts.
Applying wood finish if ordered.
Install altitude and azimuth laminate and Teflon.
Competition notice and e-mail.
If any balance
due, you
receive PayPal invoice.
Balance due is paid.
Order shipped.
Shipping
U.S.
Destinations by FedEx Home Delivery or U.S. Postal Service.
Non-U.S. Destinations shipped U.S. Postal Service.
