Rainbow RST-135 mount with ZWO equipment

[DavidTaylor]

A while ago I purchased the Rainbow mount, one of the first using the strainwave technology, since then they have proliferated, in spite of the exorbitant price it's not without basic engineering design faults requiring some modification but once sorted it works well.
I purchased it mainly for taking to astro' camps for imaging because of its light weight but then the dreaded pandemic put a stop to that so it's got a lot of use in my back garden, coupled with and Asiair Pro Plus wireless controller and all ZWO equipment, which is all it will work with, maybe a bit of a drawback but on the other hand it works which is more than can be said for the many hours I've spent in the past trying to get various different makes of software and hardware to play nicely with each other.
Its mounted on my old Meade tripod from the scope that's permanently mounted in my obs'y, with a homemade extension as the Rainbow one is too short and overpriced.
I use it with either a Williams Optic 110FLT or Sharpstar 150HNT f/2.8 scopes with Baader manual 2" filter drawers.
It has no balance weights which is just as well as it's nigh on impossible to balance the Sharpstar scope with a camera sticking out the side, it parks with scope horizontal and has no clutches so once the power is turned off it will rotate until it hits the pier so just needs the scope to be balanced in the horizontal parked position.
If you use something heavy on it you can buy weights and a bar from Rainbow if you've got a spare kidney to sell, I have made a bar and some stainless steel weights just for fun but not used them.
Will post pic's later when I figure out how to.

Dave

[Carole]

Looking forward to seeing the pics Dave, hopefully you'll be on the gallery soon.

you can buy weights and a bar from Rainbow if you've got a spare kidney to sell

Lol

Carole

[Dave A]

Dave,

Thanks for your article re- the Rainbow mount- very interesting and would be nice to see your photos of the mount set up
I did look on the internet and saw the images- looks like a very good mount but expensive at over £4000 - I would have to sell a spare Kidney definitely !!

If I do go for a Harmonic drive mount it will probably be the ZWO AM5 which cost around £2,600

Dave
 

[DavidTaylor]

[DavidTaylor]

Added a pic may do another one

Dave

[Carole]

Is that your really expensive Telescope Dave, the one I nearly sat on lol?

[JohnH]

Is that a posh LED panel on the front of your 15028? I have the same scope and just perch an LED tracing board on the front (precariously).

JohnH

[DavidTaylor]

No its 3D printed with a selection of adapters for different scope.

Dave

[DavidTaylor]

Sharpstar scope on Rainbow RST-135 on homemade pier extension

[Carole]

It is a very expensive mount David, looking at the pictures on the website, looks like it only comes with a head, so is the tripod extra? 

Was this the one I used at your place (badly as RA was switched off lol)

Carole