Hi Tom.

I received the extender and tilt in saddle plate today. I have them installed on the tripod with the DM 4.

Wow, each of these modifications makes a substantial upgrade in the function of the mount.

The NP 101 clears the mount at zenith and the new plate makes it a lot easier to bring the scope on and off the mount.

Fit and finish are great and I really like the design of the extender with the open columns rather than a solid tube. It also leaves the scope at a much more comfortable height for observing both seated and standing.

Now, if only it would stop snowing!

Anyway, kudos again on your great product which I really appreciate having!

Thanks again,
Don (pix in the customer gallery)

Tom,

I just had to e-mail to tell you how much I'm enjoying the DM-4 with Sky Commander.  I can't believe how easy it is to find deep sky objects!!  The DM-4 is great with my TV-85 (which I've finally decided is the perfect scope for me as I use it so much more than previous heavier & more aperture scopes!) and the Sky Commander is a big extra find!  If you remember, I bought the mount used from Chris over Astromart.  I probably would have bought the "tall" mount if I had bought new but I can always buy the extension if I decide on a slightly taller mount (I'm 6' 2").  I just wanted to let you know that your mount (and work) is appreciated as it makes tracking so easy and observing so enjoyable.

Thanks-
Tom N.

Tom,

Many thanks for creating and building a fine instrument for observing. I have seen many attempts of making altitude-azimuth viewing easy, but your design is just plain FUN! No shifting, moving, and rebalancing with every change in eyepiece or added loads, just movements as silky smooth in both axis. I have become quickly spoiled on the excellence in engineering, quality craftsmanship, and furniture grade wood. It’s a no-brainer to factor this as a cost well worth every penny. You can see my photo to confirm.

-Stuart R.

Hi Tom,

thanks to you it is so easy to set up my W.O. Fluorostar that now I use it much more than ever. The DM6 is the PERFECT mount.

In the last days I could EASILY track Saturn at 250x and the moon at 342X. WOW!!!!

I post you some pictures for your website and I thank you again.

Valter from Italy
(Please see pictures in the Customer Gallery)

Hi Tom

Wanted you to know that I did a Star Show for 20 Cub Scouts last Monday night. I was at a large church in the center of town, with almost a full Moon too. Your mount saved my bacon because I could quickly go to "bright" DS objects and keep them interested. We saw star clusters, the Andromeda Galaxy, and pretty doubles before looking at the Moon. It would have been so much more difficult to find those objects without the DSCs, and their accuracy with your mount.

Thanks again,
Merry Christmas,
Wes

Hi, Tom

Just wanted to drop you a note to say that I am very happy with the mount. You did a beautiful job with both design and execution.

I know you are using your TEC 140 (that's what I have) on a G-11 mount. I had it on a lighter mount at first (Gm8 clone) and didn't like the damping time, but I did find that even though it was undermounted, some of the vibration was attributable to the scope rings. I added some 8" wood shims in the little valley between the dovetail and the scope itself, and noticed an improvement. Thought I'd pass this along for what it is worth.

After I switched to the Meade Giant Field Tripod (very similar to G11) the damping time while focusing was sub one second. This means a lot to me, so I thank you.

BTW, I read earlier posts asking you to relocate the DSC box since it was not visible when seated. I found this to be a non issue when I turned the DSC mounting plate around so that it the vertical part faces me, and I think this is perfect.

Thanks again
Best wishes,
Bob H

WOW!

I finally got the scope and tripod out last night. The Midwest in June is tough for astronomy. The sun doesn't set till 9:30 and it's not really dark till 1000. If it's not hazy then it's a thunderstorm. Viewing is much better at other times. So yesterday despite a light haze and crescent moon was the closest I thought I was going to get since the DM-4 was delivered. I didn't figure on seeing much other than putting the setup through its paces. Wow!!! I'm impressed. Absolutely rock stable. I always had it on the back burner to upgrade my mount but had been waiting to convince myself just what to get. In the meantime I was getting used to the image jumping around at high power. No more. I was able to get out my highest power lens a 3mm Radian and get absolutely beautiful views of Jupiter at 200x something that was neigh impossible on my prior mount. I was also able to use my binoviewers and rack them all the way in and out without rebalancing, one of my main goals. I did have to tighten the tension just a tad from the monocular setting and do some minor rebalancing on going from mono to binoviewing as expected. I spent so much time just looking as the Jupiter bands were the best I'd ever seen with the TV85 that I didn't even bother to try out the SkyTour computer and encoders.

Mitch

Hi Tom,

The DM-4/A-P Traveler combination is everything I hoped it would be. The mount, attached to a Bogen 3058 tripod, results in a rock-steady platform. Seeing conditions during the test were excellent, but transparency was poor. A significant haze engulfed and surrounded Jupiter. Nevertheless, I was determined to see how well the DM-4 performed, so I pushed the magnification beyond reasonable levels. I wanted to see just how steady the mount would hold the telescope and also to gauge how much vibration I'd encounter during routine use.

I used a 5x Powermate and a 9 mm Nagler e.p., which yielded 338 x magnification (82 x per inch) and a f.o.v. of approximately 14 arc minutes. The major Jovian zones and cloud belts were clearly visible, but structural details (even at reasonable magnification) were limited by the poor transparency. However, the DM-4 performed marvelously. It was extremely easy to keep Jupiter well within the f.o.v. simply by pushing slightly on the telescope. The ease of that task surpassed that of using my Sky-90 on a XXXX mount. In fact, it was easier simply pushing the DM-4 than it was using the fine adjustment knobs on the XXXx Alt-Az mount.

Vibrations after moving or focusing the telescope were so minimal, and dampened so rapidly (one second or less), that I had to concentrate to be aware that there were any vibrations at all. There were no anti-vibration pads used with the tripod. - So, am I a happy customer? You betcha!

Thanks Tom,
Larry

Tom,

Had everything set up the first day the DM-4 arrived but too a little time to get busy on the pics. Here they are. have had the mount and scope out for a couple of nights and I love it!

It's simple yet elegant engineering. It tracks wonderfully with no backlash. It's relatively portable (forgot that the alt and az would move when pick up the whole setup - fortunately no damage to anything). I've got a new grip that seems to work well. And my wife likes its design and finish.

I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for the very best in AltAz mounts.

Gary

Hi Tom,

My Tripod and XP-4 arrived today and I've just finished setting it up here in my office. It is overcast, of course, so I won't have a chance to play with it under an actual sky tonight.

Nevertheless, there is just one little problem that I can see so far...... you don't actually expect me to take this beautiful piece of furniture out into my yard where dirt, grass and bugs could possibly get on it ??

After seeing the DM-6 I expected the tripod to be nice but .... Wow!!

Thanks for picking out a great set of legs for me - they look fabulous in the red mahogany stain. From the accessory tray to the machined tripod base, it really is a marvel of form and function. I've heard a lot of people balk at the total costs involved for a DM6 (hey, me included a couple years ago when I first checked out your mounts) but after struggling with "toy" mounts since then, I am delighted to have what I'm now sure actually is the world's best Alt/Az. It is a real joy to use (up to now I've been using it on my Berlebach Uni-24, which I think will work well with the DM-6 for my heavier artillery in future).

Initially, I wasn't sure I needed your tripod and while it may not be right for the heavier OTAs I'm thinking about down the road, I sure am glad I went for it in the end. I can't wait to show this baby off to my friends. For now I've got my puny WO 80 Megrez TMB triplet on the DM6 with my Solarview 50 piggyback but hoping to have the TEC 140 sometime next year.

I couldn't wait to tell you I got it (great packaging, BTW) and that I am pleased as punch !!

I'll send some pics of my DM-6 "solar set-up" for the gallery when I have a chance to take them this weekend (weather permitting and assuming I can bring myself to putting it outside). I'm also looking forward to putting the SkyCommander through its paces - looks simple enough and a perfect complement to the mount. Thanks for all your great advice and suggestions these past many weeks.

all the best,
Doug

My TV-140 (optical tube only) weighs 14 lbs. With the dew shield, mirror star diagonal, 2-inch to 1 1/4-inch adapter, and 7-mm Nagler eyepiece, it weighs 17 lbs. I successfully used the DiscMount with my TV-140 at an observing event that our club ran for a local grammar school. There were at least a hundred kids and four or five telescopes set up. With so many spectators, I wouldn't have had the time to rebalance when changing eyepieces without losing "customers."

I demonstrated to one guy from our club that it maintained position when I substituted a 17-mm Nagler Type 4 eyepiece (26 oz.) for the 7-mm Nagler eyepiece (6.8 oz.) with adapter (3.6 oz. ). It was balanced for the lighter arrangement and the vertical friction-adjusting nut could have been much tighter. He was impressed. So was I.

Matthew McCue
matthewmccue@verizon.net

This is Jeff Morgan's comments on his new DM-6 mount/Ash Wood Tripod and his Takahashi FS 102 4" f8 refractor. See pictures of it in our Gallery.

I had my second session with the DM-6 last Friday and wanted to let you know that I am immensely pleased with this product. Compared to my Losmandy GM8, the DM-6 wins on all counts. The set-up process from opening the trunk to taking the lens covers off the refractor takes around 6 minutes. The longest part is unscrewing the six hand knobs for the leg braces! Compared to the GM8 there are no sharp edges to handle in the cold, no tripod leveling, no polar aligning, and no cords to run. The assembled mount is about 15 pounds lighter. More importantly at the end of the night when one is tired and the hands numb from cold, the takedown process is just as fast with no tools required. For anyone lucky enough to have good viewing from their home, leaving the DM-6 fully assembled to carry to the yard or porch would be feasible.

My first target Friday was NGC 7790. While it would have been a short star hop from Beta Cass, I decided to use the Sky Commander. Right on target! I spent the next half hour viewing clusters in the vicinity from 34x to 328x. The mount stays on target while changing eyepieces. Even when using that famous brand with the "wonderful" saftey undercuts that always snag on the diagonal. Moving in alt-az is clearly easier than equatorially, and there are no clamps to worry about. On the first night out my girlfriend, who had never used a telescope before, had no trouble finding bright objects and tracking. I also see this mount would be very friendly to binoviewers.

From Alan in Buffalo, NY
Re: His new DM-6 atop his APQ130

I have been very happy with this combination. With the dovetail bar directly attached to the telescope tube, the connection is very solid and, even with the firm tug required by the Zeiss helical focuser, vibration introduced is minimal. In this configuration with my Coronado 90mm filter and binoviewer, I would say the mount is carrying 28 pounds. Interestingly, the A/P 155 edfs which is about the same weight shows a little more vibration - probably due to the introduction of tube rings. The A/P portable pier is a great platform for the mount - the A/P wood tripod is very good too with the added convenience of height adjustment.

I've posted the picture to the Zeiss forum on Astromart. I am happy to be getting more use of the APQ on this compact and quick to set-up mounting.