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AstroGoods.com: Which Mount?
About our mounts
Sections below include:
If
you are unfamiliar with any terminology, please contact
us so we can help.
Dobsonian
Mount Choices
Our
most economically priced mount.
Standard Solid Mount
Standard solid mount requires your telescope fits within these set
dimensions:
Length
requirement:
From
balance point (center of altitude bearing)
to bottom/mirror end of tube maximum: 23 inches.
Width requirement:
Attaching our altitude bearings directly on telescope tube: 13.1
inches tube diameter (requires drilling two holes).
Attaching our altitude bearings on top of existing bearings:
Tube + bearings maximum 13.6 inches (no drilling).
Attaching our altitude bearings to a set of tube rings: width
of rings from outside flat to flat to a maximum 13.6 inches.
If you are unsure e-mail us here and
we can advise whether your telescope will fit.
Custom
mounts are designed to specifically fit your telescope.
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Included with
standard solid mounts:
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Two
12" altitude bearings with laminate strips attached in position.
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Rocker
box (front, two side and bottom boards). All predrilled and countersunk
for dowels (7) and stainless steel screws (11).
- 4 Teflon altitude
bearing pads attached in position on side boards.
- 2 altitude bearings
guides attached to side boards, for containing and center bearings.
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3
Teflon pads attached in position on ground board.
- Ground board with
three feet. Predrilled and countersunk for dowels and screws.
- Available as kit
or finished.
Optional: Manual setting
circles. Mount height adjustment stand, separate or integrated.
Our most
popular mount, designed custom to fit your tube saving size and weight,
or to add additional strength.
Included with
custom solid mounts:
-
Rocker
box (front, two side and bottom boards). All predrilled and countersunk
for dowels (7) and stainless steel screws (11).
- 4 Teflon altitude
bearing pads attached in position on side boards.
- 2 altitude bearings
guides attached to side boards, for containing and center bearings.
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3
Teflon pads attached in position on ground board.
- Ground board
with three feet. Predrilled and countersunk for dowels and screws.
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Custom
designed to fit your telescope reducing size and weight.
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Can
be designed to place focuser at your height preference.
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Available
as kit or finished.
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Dowels
are internal/hidden between abutting front, ground and side boards
to lock in position for stiffness.
Optional:
Altitude bearings (12" or 18"). Clamshell rings with altitude
bearings. Manual setting circles. Mount height adjustment stand, separate
or integrated.
Designed for storage
and transportation considerations, custom to fit your tube saving size
and weight
Custom Collapsible Mounts
Included
with custom collapsible mounts:
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Rocker
box (front, two side and bottom boards) a single unit using heavy
duty anodized piano hinges.
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Use
clamping knobs (stored in photo at right) install through 2"
cutouts into brass wood inserts (installed) clamping boards solidly
in place.
- 4 Teflon altitude
bearing pads attached in position on side boards.
- 2 altitude
bearings guides attached to side boards, for containing and center
bearings.
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3
Teflon pads attached in position on ground board.
- Ground board
with three feet. Predrilled and countersunk for stainless steel
wood screws.
Optional: Altitude
bearings (12" or 18"). Clamshell rings with altitude bearings.
Manual setting circles. Mount height adjustment stand, separate or
integrated.
Collapsing the mount flat:
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Mount
in upright assembled position. |
Left
side board, hinged inside, (1) swing inward to back of front board
back. (2) Front board is hinged to right side board. Left and front
boards in unison (3)swing forward and around (4) to meet outside of
right side board. Three upright boards hinged on rocker box board
fold inward together to lay flat. |
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1
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2
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3
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4
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Mount
laid flat and folded is 5" height.
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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.
- Adds 1.5"
to the width of a mount.
- Bottom clamshell
boards connected by heavy duty anodized aluminum piano hinge.
- Top boards secured
with by thumbscrew transversally through 3/8" holes into 1/4-20
wood insert. Cannot pull out.
- Top of clamshell
is gapped 0.1875" to allow tightening securely to your tube.
Add adhesive back felt or other cushioning if desired.
Materials we use:
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3/4"
(18mm) Baltic Birch plywood is standard for most of our wooden parts.
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Altitude
and azimuth bearings use Formica Crystal 909-42 laminate riding on
Virgin Teflon pads.
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Small
parts for assembly may include:
#8x1.25" exterior grade Torx wood screws with bronze epoxy
coating provides 4 layers of corrosion protection.
3/8"
wood dowels.
2"
wide heavy duty anodized aluminum piano hinge.
1/4-20
clamping knobs.
1/4-20
ID 3/8" OD knife edge brass wood inserts.
Various
nylon bolts.
1/4-20x2.5"
spade thumb screws.
#4 brass finish
screws for laminate strips.#6
stainless steel wood screws for securing Teflon pads and piano
hinge.
Our Process:
We receive your
quote or order request.
We send a PayPal
quote/invoice to you within 72 hours with price, shipping costs
and estimated shipping date.
Quotes are valid for 14 days. Completion/shipping dates are best
estimates.
You may ask questions at this point, we will reply promptly.
To initiate order play invoice.
Upon receipt of payment we respond confirming order and provide
a date to e-mail the design drawing.
You next receive a PDF design drawing. You review, request modification,
or approve.
Shipping date estimate is from date of your design approval.
Next steps
are:
Programming CNC cuts.
CNC cutting of parts.
Assembly of parts to assure proper fit.
Sanding parts.
Inscribing setting circles if ordered.
Applying wood finish if ordered.
Laser cutting of laminate ring.
Install altitude and azimuth laminate and Teflon.
Competition notice and e-mail.
If any balance
due, you
receive PayPal invoice.
Balance due is paid.
Your order shipped.
U.S.
Destinations via FedEx Home Delivery or US Postal Service Ground delivery.
International orders shipped US Postal Service.
Countries
shipped to:
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Australia
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Brazil
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Canada
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Czech
Republic
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Dubai
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England
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Finland
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France
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Germany
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Greece
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Ireland
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Israel
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Japan
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Mexico
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Netherlands
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Norway
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Singapore
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South
Korea
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United
States
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