Orion HDX110 Setup & Teardown in the Field
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- In April, I bought an Orion HDX110 mount. It has been working well for me. The only problem I have had is a broken pier adjustment bolt that three months later, Orion customer service has not replaced.
The video begins with the boxes that were shipped and shows how I use a hydraulic lift table in the field to set up and tear down the mount and AT12RC scope to avoid back problems.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to demo its setup and sharing tips and clever ways of saving my back.
Gary, Thank You for the excellent "how to" video. It has shown me not to be timid about buying the gear that I want and not to compromise because of the fear of handling the equipment. I am retired and am not subject to time as far as setups go. I like your solutions for managing your equipment, well done.
WOW! when you unboxed the tripod/pier I thought you'd ordered a device to stand on and TOUCH the Moon! lol
Nice video.
That was a lot of work for this demonstration. Thank You for the information.
Based on the set-up time here, this is a no no in Florida. The clouds and rain can jump on top of you in a heartbeat, even if you see it coming. So the time it takes to set-up and tear down would be a bit risky in drop of the dime bad weather states like Florida. Something like this has to be positioned in a portable observatory or roll off shed in my opinion. But I still love it from what I'm seeing.
When you start to take off the telescope from the mount and the telescope rest safely on the Hydraulic Lift Cart, instead of loosening the three knobs holding the telescope, you could remove the whole counterweight first.
Thank you for showing, thumbs up for a very good presentation.
Hi Otrondal, I tried to keep two counterweights on the shaft while the telescope was on the mount, and it works much better and the counterweights don't swing so wildly. Gary
Thanks for the hugh effort setting this up and taking it down. I felt pain in my back when you placed the mount from the lift to the foam lined box. You were in that classic position where back injuries can occur, but what are you going to do, its a heavy mount designed to carry heavier equipment. However, at least Orion thought of that and attached two carry handles on the mount because without them the mount would have been very awkward as most of them are to carry around anyway. I'm really anal about dinging up my gear, so a scratch here and there would ruin my day and it looks like it will be pretty difficult to keep things damage free moving this mount around. Needless to say, I don't qualify it as transportable, I see it sitting on a pier inside an observatory. I would likely break it out on multi-day events only. Again, thanks Gary and I hope by now you got the annoying bolt situation resolved, it bugs me that companies release products without a sufficient supply of supporting parts in inventory, not a good sign.
Wonderful demonstration, fantastic equipment, thank you for sharing
Gary where is your drinking buddy to give you a hand? You done this before a few times I can tell by your efficiency. Outstanding set up and thanks for the demonstration video.
Pretty interesting video. I realize this was shot three years ago, but an idea. Stand the Deck Box on its end next to the lift table, if you can get the table to go low enough, and just 'walk' the telescope into the box, still standing up. If you have to two styrofoam panels on the end, you shouldn't have any real issue getting it in. or out, of the Deck Box.
The HDX appears to be a nice mount, but I'm not sure I want to drag it all over the place and set it up and break it down. If I ever do a home observatory, though, I'll probably get one for permanent pier mounting.
I DO like the concept of that lift table, though! Thanks for that idea.
Thanks! Some great ideas to be gleaned from the video!
Seems like a lot of work to just look at the moon. What a lot of work. I feel like taking a nap just after watching 3 minutes of this.
Hi, I don't use the 12" RC visually. You can see the images I've taken with it here:
GaryHonis.com/6D%20Gallery/6D%20Gallery.html Gary
Gary Honis Good lord !! Those images were outstanding!!! Nice job !
Great work, though I am certain that with practice you will make the process even smoother
That is a total commitment Gary! I used C14 on CGX-L. I kind of understand the struggle with these big scopes. How do you like the mount? are you still imaging?
could a telescope dolly would fit under the tripod
thanks you gave me a great idea in using a table lifter to save my back. I have a cgem mount from celestron
Based on the issue with the damaged bolt ,with a still open customer service ticket, given the investment.... I would been no less than irate .After 3 months.. Thank you I was about to buy an orion scope to piggy back on my CG5 AGT for a guide/large DSI scope imaging paired with my sct8... I think I am going to go a different manufacture .. Since I have not bought an orion product and have had several scopes I believe over the past decade I may have been "slewed" away from them and this reminds my why.
Orion sent me two replacement bolts about six months after I reported the problem. Gary
Six months? Wonderful!
#Gary: I admire you for going through this much effort for your hobby. I think I'll stick with the 6" SCT given to me.
Word of advice: Use your legs to lift those heavy objects. I noticed that you bend down a lot for lifting--use your legs. Guys have strained their back muscles just bending over to tie their shoes.
Thanks for the demo Gary, Im considering the HDX110, CEM120, or CEM60. BTW you have to be a PA boy, The 41 degrees Lat and hat gave it away.
Hi Jeremy, You consider joining the Yahoo SkywatcherEQ8 group. Gary
ill have to check it out, I have not been on Yahoo in a very long time.
thank you for the demonstration.
Wow I can think of easier ways of having fun. I'm retired and even when I worked it wasn't that hard. I have a nexdome in my near future as I don't like setup and tear down even with my smaller NEQ6 and APO 80mm. So with all that you also had to construct a trap tent too!?
That is a beast of a tripod, but I bet it is stable! What is your set-up time in the field? looking forward to some images. Take Care - Stan
Hi Stan,
Because I setup on a grassy field, I dig the sod up under each pier tripod leg and place wooden blocks there under the levelers. That helps the mount not to change its polar alignment over time. I'm fortunate to be able to get out every New Moon period and can stay for as long as two weeks. I set up two scopes, the imaging rig in the video and also a 20" Starmaster GoTo Dob and take my time. I'll be setting up today, so I'll post an approximate set-up time for the imaging rig afterwards.
The damaged bolt is quite common, I believe.
I am thinking about buying this mount sometime in the future for a semi-permanent observatory in a new home. Man that thing is a beast! Maybe my CGEM is not so bad after all..... Where can we see some of your work with this scope and mount. I looked in Astrobin but couldn't find anything.
Rick
Tucson
+azcharlie2009
Hi Rick,
If you look at my TH-cam Channel you will find some video slideshows taken over the past two years with a 12" RC using the mount.
th-cam.com/users/ghonis
Awesome!
You could have bought the bolt from Fastenal or any bolt supplier.
Hi Dan, I bought a replacement bolt locally from Lowes. Until I got a set of replacement bolts from Orion. Gary
What kind of polar alignment method do you use? If it took you 3 hours it sounds like the drift method..
Hi Dan, I got a polemaster for polar alignment in 2014 and I only spend about 10 minutes for polar alignment now. Gary
Good video, thank you! I hate to be a critic, but it was difficult to hear you. I hope you've now learned that you need to talk louder and project your voice when making a presentation. It helps to wear a microphone and cover the omni on the camera. Wind noise clobbered you.
Hi Kilgore,
Thanks for the constuctive comments. I've been making presentations for large groups for decades and understand the need to project one's voice. I was using a T4i camera's built-in microphone on a fixed tripod for sections of the video using audio recording on auto and as you said, the wind clobbered my voice in some sections. For those muted sections, I added text as captions. I wasn't able to increase the volume for those sections to match those of others with good audio since I am now using Windows Live Movie Maker and it doesn't have that feature. Thanks again.
when you say it took you about 3 hours to polar align, was that just the learning curve of the mount being new? or do you think it is going to always take that kind of time? also, I read somewhere that that mount is not balanced properly unless you have the polar alignment scope mounted, to balance the motors both mounted on one side... yet, it looked kind of obtrusive having to leave that polar alignment scope attached... just wondering if you noticed any imbalance when you removed it?
Hi James, I got a polemaster for polar alignment last year and I only spend about 10 minutes for polar alignment now. Gary
ahh, okay... what is the polemaster? I guess I can look it up... so are you generally happy with the HDX110? I was contemplating getting one...
Hi James, I'm very happy with the HDX-110 mount. You can see the astro images I've taken with the mount and 12" RC here:
GaryHonis.com/6D%20Gallery/6D%20Gallery.html
Gary
Those photos are incredible! Let me ask you... do you have a guide scope guiding during those exposures? And if so, how is it mounted? Or is it all just the HDX110 without any corrections that whole time? I am about to get a new telescope and trying to decide what kind to get. I was looking at a 12" Astro-Tech Imaging Newtonian... either the white one or carbon fiber truss version... but their focal lengths are much shorter than what I see your telescope having... they are about 1200 mm focal length. Would I be able to get the type of galaxy shots that you are getting with one of those, do you think? Or do you think I should look at telescopes with longer focal lengths? I currently have a Celestron 9.25" EdgeHD on a wedge... it has a 2350 mm focal length and I have taken fairly good photos of the Bode Galaxy with it... but its focal length is too long for things like the Andromeda Galaxy, of course. I was at first thinking with one of these 1200 mm 12" AT Newtonian telescopes, I would have a wider FOV for things like Andromeda or other nebulae... but, perhaps I would miss the long focal length for imaging the type of galaxies that you have. Just wondered what your thoughts were... Is it better to get the telescope with the focal length you want built-in, rather than using a barlow lens to try to get a larger image? Your whole setup looks really nice.
Hi James, I use a lodestar as an imaging camera for guiding. It is connected to a Short Tube 80 using a 3X barlow. You can see the autoguiding setup in the above photo. Gary
No images ?
Hi Gunnar, You can see images on my website:
GaryHonis.com
Gary
Hydraulic lift table, you better get a dob
+Markinpuff
I already own a 20" Starmaster GoTo Dob that I take with me for visual use.
wow, how big is it, thought you should have a military land rover for that- looks like a 1950's era portable missile launch platform!!- and the u.s.a.(FBI) actually let you keep it??
Bad work, so that mirror is not cleaned, much less outdoors, all the dirt is going to be noticed both visually and in photography since the sensor easily records the spots reflected by the light. I think it is dirtier than you had it, to my liking it is a bad cleaning.
Gary, I am a new HDX110 owner. Thank you for showing solutions to issues I'm wrestling with. I appreciate your detailed explanations of how to manage heavy, bulky items without hurting your back. Simplifying the set-up translates into observing more often. I have a few questions.
1) I was not aware of the galling issue. What is your long term solution? It seems that stainless steel us soft enough that the use of an anti-galling lubricant is advised:
www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/materials-and-grades/Thread-galling.aspx
www.atlanticfasteners.com/tech-tips/how-to-stop-thread-galling-on-stainless-fasteners/
www.fastenal.com/content/feds/pdf/Article%20-%20Galling.pdf
Several years on, have you found a lubricant that works for you, or did you replace the bolts to avoid the problem?
2) What is the storage tote that you use for the pier? Perhaps
www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/roughneck-jumbo
Were there other storage totes that you considered? What are it's internal dimensions. Rubbermaid doesn't seem to know! There are many similar reviews for this tote from owners with cracked lids. Claims that the lid isn't UV resistant. Rubbermaid only warrants for indoor use.
I notice that you chose not to use the original foam packing (~37" x 19" x 19") which seems quite good. Was the fit in the Rubbermaid tote too tight? Coincidently, the HDX110 pier foam size is similar to the packing foam size of a C14.
Currently Home Depot has a plastic box that seems to be large enough.
www.homedepot.com/p/Suncast-48-in-Tool-Box-BMJBCPD4824/302039603
Does the Suncast look better than the Rubbermaid?
What did you use for wheels? Did you just drill through the bottom of the plastic and colt them on?
Did you consider using a plywood storage box such as
www.hayneedle.com/product/rhino-trunk-and-cases-armor-trunk-super-jumbo.cfm?source=channel_intelligence_nextag_hayneedle&ntclickid=-8646191081259892496
or a custom case from
www.roadcasesusa.com/standard-size-custom-cases/
I estimate that the box itself would weigh ~60 lbs, so there isn't any way one normal-sized person could lift a pier in a box. You seemed to have figured out how to load you equipment up a ramp into a truck. Have you seen similar solutions for loading into a smaller vehicle like a Subaru Outback station wagon or a Honda Odyssey minivan?
Do you have an opinion or experience with a 2 dolly wheel configuration at the end of a box vs a 4 caster wheel configuration under a box?
3) Did you have to align your mount's polar scope each time you used it, or just the first time? When you switched to a polemaster, did you remove the polar scope or use the Orion polar scope mounting bracket? I read that the balance of the mount anticipates the use of a polar scope.
4) Which hydraulic lift table are you using? What is is max height specification, and how much higher would have been perfect for lifting the equatorial mount? Did you buy from Harbor Freight? Northern Tools also has a similar lift.
www.harborfreight.com/500-lbs-capacity-hydraulic-table-cart-60730.html
www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200696307_200696307
5) Several years on, did you figure out a better way to tighten the dovetail knobs that doesn't mar, or are you still using the spark plug fitting on your ratchet wrench?
6) Any other advice for someone who is slinging a really big scope for the first time? Newbie mistakes I should avoid? Non-obvious details that I should attend to? It's always the little things.
Thanks very much for sharing your expertise so generously, both with this video and with DSLR mods.
Hi Joe,
You asked: "or did you replace the bolts to avoid the problem? I got the replacement bolts from Orion. Gary
Hi Joe,
You asked: "What is the storage tote that you use for the pier and tripod? I don't know the brand because the my trailer is in storage in Coudersport, PA, because it has wheels on it. Gary
Hi Joe,
You asked: "Did you buy from Harbor Freight?"
Yes. Gary
Orion sent standard stainless bolts as a replacement, and you have used them without further incident? Without any anti-galling lubricant?
Hi Joe,
Orion sent the standard stainless bolts, I don't use any anti-galling lubricant. Gary
i fell asleep :P