I have seen the lower price version and would not get it. It is pretty flimsy. -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of daniel turner Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:40 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] iOptron SmartCube with 4 1/4 inch refractor Kurt: Unfortunately the weight limits for mount are subject to a lot of marketing stretch. While the manufacturer will tell you a number that will work, there is a big difference between something that will work at all and something that will work well. Like a factor of two in most cases. I think the OPT rep is giving you sound advice. DT --- On Wed, 12/10/08, Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] iOptron SmartCube with 4 1/4 inch refractor To: "Utah Astronomy List Serv" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 2:07 PM I was wondering if anyone has an iOptron SmartCube and could give me some experience advice with it with respect to the mount's weight limits. I believe I have seen at least one SmartCube at one of SLAS's summer star parties.
I have inherited a small Meade 4 1/4 inch refractor (4501) that has a toy-like EQ1 mount. I have converted the essentially sound tube and mirror to 1 1/4" eyepieces. I took it down to UPS to weigh it. The tube with a fat 32mm Possel e.p. weighs 8lbs stripped and 9lbs with a light LPI camera and flip mirror. The tube is 35" long.
I am considering buying an iOptron Smart Cube - which is on sale for $218 - to upgrade the EQ1 mount.
I called Oceanside to place an order. The salesperson suggested that the tube was too heavy for the SmartCube and that I should not buy it. "That thing only has plastic gears in it." The Oceanside and iOptron specs and ad literature states that the tube will work - that is the weight limit is 7lbs to 11lbs and specifically mentions tubes up to 40". I believe there is a lever effect to this recommendation with respect to the 35" reflector tube.
The alternative suggestion was to buy the $800 iOptron Cube mount.
Confused by the difference between the advertising and spec literature and the honest practical advice of the salesperson, I wanted to get some experience based input from any one who owns a SmartCube and may have used it with a small refractor or reflector of similar weigh and dimensions as I intend to use it for.
Thanks in advance - Kurt
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