The ADM Dual Saddle looks promising.

A solid piece of machinery with smooth adjustable rails for both Vixen and Losmandy D style dovetails. On Easter evening, with finally some time to install it, we begin the project in the Chicago Astronomer workshop - still with the detritus of winter's emergencies scattered about...



Looks pretty straight forward and they provide the user with a single sheet instruction steps. Examining the original saddle, it's just a matter of three simple phillips head screw to see what's lurking under the plastic housing...



It came apart quite easily and setting the screws aside, we take a peek at the Dec axis guts..



Motor is pretty simple and an easy replacement if ever needed in the future - especially if I'm loading the C11 on top. The brass gearing has that horrid Chinese assembly grease...

I wipe the grease off and will apply some quality gearing lubricant when I put it back together.

But, what's this I spy....?



It a flat sided Slo-mo control nub.

(Now I wonder.....even with the Hand Controller slewing the scope, I find myself reaching for a Slo-mo knob - which the CG-5 is shipped without...can I install one? We will see....)





I remove the adapter, but first remove the motor assembly from the mount with a hex wrench...



One hex nut was really not on tight and the adapter came off quickly...



I set all the dis-assembled parts aside and examine what we got so far...



Just a hollow space and beyond that...the thread assembly where the Counter Weight shaft screws into. But near the bottom looks like threads to accept something. The shaft does not penetrate this from the other side. I place my business card inside the void and standard procedure in all my projects...




Along the outside perimeter of the adapter base/Counter Weight housing...is a geared edge. This mount probably serves many different styles of Celestron Mounts models with different configurations.

I weight the two new saddle pieces...



Just over 3lbs.

I dry fit the new heavier adapter..



...and it's a good fit.

No binding on any moving parts. I tighten down the two top hex screws and re-install the motor assembly...



But first, I apply some gear lubricant to the gears. (A full "Hypertune" procedure will remove all of the old grease from all parts - but that's a warm weather project.)

Before I replace the plastic housing, what about that Slo-Mo control nub I saw earlier? Hell....I'll drill a hole through the housing and slip a shorty control rod in if I can...

Mo...

I am glad I did this mod early on and added the Velcro.

It's a solid platform and the grip is tight on the various dovetails I have slipped in the saddle. Even with the C11 beast riding in the new saddle, the grip is solid.

The various Velcro strips that I placed around the mount/tripod have come in very handy...and I have use them all. Just slap the Hand Controller to the closest strip and my hands are free - and I can control stuff with one finger.

Now, that I am using the iPad mini as a Telescope/mount controller...I need to think about various mounting options for the tablet as well.

But, all is good with this mount so far.

Rick.

No.

It's exactly like I left it a few days ago...still apart and waiting for the corrector plate.

But, I think I'm going to do a baffle Mirror collimation test before putting it together...perhaps tonight...but we will see.

(I did mount the C11 on the CG-5 in a quick test recently and it needs some more attention...but I'm gonna get them to get along with each other.

That's a good point Mo

I use the lathe spindle, and put the laser in the visual back from the C14. Then chuck the assembly in the lathe. I turn the spindle by hand and observe the dot and tweak the alignment until the dot is stationary. Carefully, I put the visual back on the telescope. That is as close as I can get it. Once the optics are aligned along that axis its good to go.
If you don't have a lathe you can use a V-block like this www.eastwood.com/drill-press-v-block-fixture-center-it.html?srccode=ga220010&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=zzproduct_ads&adtype=pla&kw=&matchtype=&network=g&creativeid=15752127567&placement=&producttargetid=40408680567&gclid=CKOF6aqvy7YCFeZFMgodUlMAeg.


Rick

Scott,

The Dual saddle most certainly provides more stability by clamping down all along the the dovetail edge - as opposed to a single point with the lock down bolt and safety screw. No need to "bear down" on the dual saddle knobs. You can either slide the dovetail in from the ends or tilt in an edge in the saddle.

I highly recommend one for your CG-5.

I have not hypertuned my mount yet, but want to take it apart and upgrade the componants like C.A. Robb did to his.

I don't understand why it would nudge loudly, but by process of elimination...sounds like the cable or even the Handset controller. A short video of the situation would be helpful.

Good tip that Joe, I've put some on my CG5 and the OTA as well.

<thumbsup>

Hello Joe, I'm hoping you see this, I know it's an old post... Anyway, I have an old GC5 mount with what looks like a similar mounting plate etc that you had. You mentioned that you had a C5 mounted to it. How exactly did you do this. I acquired a C5 that someone was using for a spotting scope on their LX200 200mm. They used losmandy dovetail and rings to do this and appear to have taken of the original mounting plate that was on the C5. Here is an imugr link to a bunch of random gear and the c5 and what I assume are the old mounting plate holes.

Would any of this gear suffice to mount the scope correctly? Right now I've rigged one of the rings with the plate for the GC5. It works, but isn't very stable and isn't aligned correctly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Chris