On Sat, Nov 16, 2024 at 07:25 AM, George Cushing wrote:
Celestron sells a 3" wide bar it calls the for the C8, 9.25, 11 and 14. The C8 bar is quite a bit lighter and certainly?stiff enough. About $50.
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The stock Celestron CGE dovetails are cheap crap.? They are inexpensive under engineered extrusions that tend to crack where the dovetail top meets the part that is clamped by the saddle. I have seen several others as well as my own, purchased used, C14 and C11 factory CGE dovetails crack or were cracked when I bought them.? I had no idea you had to look for this issue before it happened to me, TWICE!?
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The problem is the clamped part has no mechanical support against the compression forces of the saddle clamp.? This causes the flange to act as a spring and because in general aluminum is not a good spring material that joint flexs, fatigues, cracks and then the crack migrates up and down the extrusion.? If you don't see it in time and replace the dovetail the SCT will end up on the ground.?
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Buy once cry once.? You can buy a Losmandy or ADM dovetail and use it on your SCT and when you sell the SCT continue to use the basic dovetail plate with your next scope sans the radius blocks which are popular as used items.??
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Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
Astrospheric Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?
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Chip Louie