Stop Buying Overpriced Dovetails!
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- Опубліковано 24 лют 2022
- Although the base dovetail should be one that is built specifically for telescopes, adding an accessory dovetail should not cost you $50+ !
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Galactic Hunter was created by Antoine and Dalia Grelin, a stargazing couple from Las Vegas, NV. We do our best to publish entertaining and helpful Astrophotography content, through videos, written tutorials, books, and more. The main goal of this UA-cam channel is to help as many beginner astrophotographers as possible in this difficult yet rewarding hobby. We hope our content will help you reach new heights in your deep-sky imaging journey!
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As I am in the process of transitioning from "normal" photography to astrophotography I have a lot of Arca Swiss compatible stuff. So I simply mounted an 35cm long Arca Swiss rail on top of my telescope. That works like a charm and the rail cost only about 20€.
Yep I've done that on my telescope too. Used a long arca swiss plate and drilled couple of holes.
Great idea. I've done the same thing with same plates and with 1/4 inch aluminum plate to mount gear on top of my AT80EDT and as a saddle-rail to mount my old 4 inch reflector. Works great.
I love finding hardware store solutions or mods to astro needs. I built a handle for my 130EDT with aluminum stock and a gate handle, and an SCT cooler with a computer fan and a junction box. That's not counting my deep cycle battery box I built. Nice idea for the dovetail!
Fantastic job
Well done. Nothing wrong in saving some money in the process. Thanks again Antoine.
Great idea!
Awesome mate. 🔭🪐
Brilliant!
Nice economical solution - also economical on the weight too.
I love velcro. My rig is covered in it. Great video Antoine. A mountain of cash saved there. Thanks for sharing!
thats a really good idea! All of my dovetails are svbony. pretty much the same thing as the big names but way cheaper. I Like your setup, its almost like a diy losmandy plate
Nice work. 👌
You could Painted it in black. Nice diy
I always learn from your videos! Very rarely I feel silly afterwards. Great idea, should have done this a long time ago. Would have saved me about $70.
Very cool. I did the same thing as you did for some accessories. I'm glad I am not the only one who did not want to wait for something to be in stock, or spend a lot of money on something that I could make myself. DYI used to be a big part of the hobby. You do not see DYI as much these days.
Yes especially for something simple like this! It's very rewarding too!
I literally did this yesterday with a metal plate I've had laying around for the past few years. Attached my focuser and hub, and will be adding a Pi on there later
Haha awesome!
Brilliant work…I’ve been wanting to mount a bigger guide scope but the price of dovetails is eye watering. Off to the DIY shop
I go. Thank you.
Good luck!
this seems so dang obvious and yet it didn't occur to me..ha..thanks a lot man :)
A little 3-n-1 oil will help that bit cut through the plate easier.
I did exactly that for my guiding scope, a piece of aluminium and two holes...
Hi, ive been trying to find a light pollution filter for my nikon d5100 crop sensor dlsr but cant seem to find any. Do you have any recomendations(preferably cheap)? Thanks
Excellent idea. I've been hacking various aluminum plates for the same purposes. This is a chapter alternative.
Improvising is the best tool you have ❗
where did you get the velcro double sided strips from?
Give it a quick blast of black paint too.
Ooooh that's a good idea!
The rail systems for cameras are another inexpensive, versatile approach.
You're like the French Astrobisquit
Good work Antoine. Another option is to 3D print your supports. It will be slightly bulkier but much lighter and you can custom design your holes. Never use this technique for load bearing and structural parts of course since there is always a risk of structural failure .
Very true! 3D Printing is awesome for this hobby!
Just make sure it's Aluminiam! Don't want any rust from those dewy nights
I use to be a professional photographer. Scored a lot of cheap photo gear from Home Depot!
I am about to do the same thing for my AT65EDQ, so this is very timely. I'm going to use a piece of an aluminum bar from Lowe's -- much thicker than the mending plate you used.
Technically it isn't a dovetail unless the edges slope, of course.
Haha yes I wasn't sure how to call it 🤔 Good idea going with the aluminum bar, they are indeed thicker, I went with this one because it was super lightweight and for this tiny scope it's fine but if I had to do it again I might choose a thicker one "just in case" although it does seem very sturdy as it is
Might be nice to have multi use of a normal dovetail tho but nice tip.
Uff, my last dovetail was about 200$, feels a bit much but was for my main scope.
True, this one here is fine for this small telescope but for the larger ones that have more accessories I'd indeed prefer an actual dovetail 🤔
Get a nail set or a small punch. Then you can use that and a quick wack with a hammer to make a dimple where you want to drill your hole. Will keep the drill bit from trying to skate all around when you start drilling your hole. You skipped over the plate that had a little bend along the edge. If you can accommodate it, that will stiffen your plate an incredible amount...
Thank you for the tip, that's a good idea!
7mm plywood sheet, cheap saw, 240 and 400 grid sand paper, liquid nails and spray paint + imagination
Some one needs to ask Santa for a set of clamps... watching that hand hold down that piece of steel while pressing a drill against it made me cringe in fear.
Lol indeed, last year I was doing something similar but with a saw, I slipped and the saw ripped on the back of the table leaving an ugly mark 🤦🏼♂️ Clamps are next on the list I guess 😅
Maybe paint the new top dovetail black ??
Yep very good idea!
Hey my favorite astrophotography duo🥰 please check out the shorts I've been uploading. I've finally got the Guts to try it and I think it's going good so far. I'm gonna be doing a short on you two in the next couple days. Thankyou for telling people about these helpful tips. I just had a dovetail printed for me the other day. I also get bahtinov masks and lens caps printed as well. Saves a ton. Thankyou Anton!
I did a similar thing with a 4mm thick plate of aluminium to extend my dovetail.. £5.. Not £50...
I think I noticed you drilling a new hole very close to a pre-existing one. Might be best for anyone with less experience, to not drill too close. Bits can slip into existing holes causing a mess. Also using a punch helps. You had it handled fine though.
Thanks for the tip!
I use 1.25 kg dumbbell weights on my 10 Micron mount (cheaper and works better because I am at -6 degrees latitude). Use more of these 'own design' solutions.
I presume you can also shave some weight with that bar. Nice
yes it's super light!
This was a good and inexpensive solution to a common problem however your bit on drilling the holes is NOT good. Take it from a toolmaker with over 35 years experience and still in possession of all his digits, you're asking for trouble the way you were holding the workpiece with your bare hands. Hand held drills are usually to low in RPMs for the size drill you were using which can result in the drill wandering right into your hand before it actually bites and starts drilling. Put the workpiece in a vice or hold it in a clamp with your free hand way away from the drill bit. For that reason I can't give a thumbs up for this video.
Yep I definitely do not have 35 years of experience drilling. Next on the shopping list is clamps :)