Fitting an am5 to AVX tripod.

denababy

Hi, I have an am5 mount and want to attach it to my AVX tripod, which according to various people, it should be possible. Anyone know what I need to purchase to fit them together. Please advise giving an idiots guide to doing it successfully.

Tech@ZWO

denababy Sorry, they are not compatible, because there is no Alignment Peg hole on the AM5.

denababy

Thanks for the reply but I think you are referring to the peg on the tripod which can be unscrewed and taken off therefore it is a flat surface. My problem is the bolt on the AVX, is it the same thread size as the hole on the bottom of the am5.

Tech@ZWO

denababy The thread size of AM5 is 3/8, it is a close fit, and someone has tested it.

denababy

I’m really not getting anywhere here. TJConolley has a video that lasts for over two hours where he says the AVX tripod and am5 fit together, I have tried screwing the bolt from the AVX into the hole at the bottom of the am5 but they are not compatible, what fitting do I need to have them fit securely together? I really don’t want another tripod when the AVX should do the job. Can anyone help me please, I want to fit the am5 onto the AVX then fit the spreader to keep it stable.

w7ay

denababy I’m really not getting anywhere here.

You need to kludge it by replacing the original M10 bolt in the AVX by a 3/8" bolt:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/580306-avx-mount-centre-screw-sizethread/

Notice that 10mm is equal to (3.15/8) of an inch, so the hole in the base plate will let a 3/8" bolt pass through.

It is very sloppy, however, and might lead to great pains to get azimuth set and locked precisely during a polar alignment.

I won't do it myself. But then, I neither own an AVX tripod, nor a ZWO mount. :-)

Chen

denababy

I can’t understand why this is so difficult, tj Conolley managed to fit the AVX tripod and the am5 securely together, I just need to know how he did it. I’m stuck with a piece of astronomy kit that I can’t use yet, just got to sort this out.

w7ay

denababy I can’t understand why this is so difficult

Did you check out the Cloudy Night thread? It is not difficult at all. You simply remove the original M10 bolt and replace it by a 3/8" bolt (perhaps even with the bolt that comes with the ZWO tripod). You can find plenty of coarse 3/8" (16 threads per inch) bolts at your local hardware store.

But there are reasons not to do it. The thread of the new bolt will be eating into the AVX hole over time, ruining it (almost like cross threading threads) for use with the original M10 bolt.

The reason people with Harmonic drive mounts favor carbon fiber tripods is for the (lack of) weight, since that is why they chose a strain wave mount to start with. I have two RST-135 mounts; while one is mounted semi permanently on a tri-pier outdoors, my "portable" RST-135 is mounted on a Gitzo Series 5 carbon fiber tripod. I have found the Gitzo to be even more stable than a small Takahashi metal tripod. (That said, not all carbon fiber tripods are made to Gitzo standards -- you can find comparisons in the photo and video forums.)

Just use a carbon fiber tripod (especially when you go portable), since that will match your mount's weight better.

Chen

zuts

Hi, you may find this usefull

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p11431_Artesky-3-8--Photo-Adapter-for-EQ6-and-CGEM-Tripods.html

denababy

Thanks for that, if only I could read German.

w7ay

denababy Thanks for that, if only I could read German.

I could tell from just the pictures even though my German is rusty :-).

The bolt is 3/8", the slot in the hockey puck clears the azimuth pillar, and the hole under the hockey puck is tapped for M12, according to the Technical Data page.

If you don't read any German at all, there are two icons showing a little German flag and a little split UK/USA flag near the top right of that web page that lets you select the language, to allow you to order. Your credit card company will do the appropriate $ to € conversion when you are charged.

FWIW, my William Optics Mortar mounting plate also adapts directly to the 3/8" hockey puck that RainbowAstro provided in their kit. However, I drilled the W.O. mounting plate to take the two M8 holes that are directly at the base of the RST-135 to get better stability, instead of going through a single 3/8" bolt.

Chen

denababy

Hi, I purchased a Belacher adapter which is very similar to German one but a bit cheaper and it works.

denababy

Hi, I purchased a berlecher adapter which is very similar to German one but a bit cheaper and it works.

Celerondon

denababy It seems like you mangled the name for a famous tripod maker twice here. Did you mean to type Berlebach instead of those two strings of letters? I searched and never found an adapter made by any company named like either of your spellings. Berlebach is the company that manufactures the popular Planet and Report tripods.

SFrNly08

I have a AM3, but for this purpose it is identical to the AM5.
You need to get the Zwo Pier Extension PE-200.
The pier extension comes with an adapter stating it's for Skywatcher/Ioptron mounts, but it works for AVX too.
You screw that adapter to the bottom of your AM5.
Next on your AVX-mount, you unscrew the pin.
Now the AM5 will fit snuggly on your AVX-mount.

ASIMount@ZWO

[unknown] Nice try

SFj9LuNr

Here is a youTube showing how to use an AVX mount with an AM5. It's funny Celestron using an 10mm thread and ZWO in China doesn't go metric and uses 3/8". Everything in the AM5 drawers is in metric except that bolt size.

https://youtu.be/jNvy1Lg1-1s?si=eMhAaRdDKZzpeATG

nateman_doo

I managed to make an adapter for at least 2 different tripods. I am happy zwo includes the drawings of the underside.
https://i.imgur.com/n90K60Ll.jpg

sensor

My AM5 is on an AVX adapter plate for permanent piers, but the process is the same. It’s really simple, swap that bottom central bolt out of the AVX for the 3/8. Something no I have seen addressed and I would suggest is to get yourself a 4” diameter rubber washer, from a pool supply store or something. Essentially what you want from this is a grippy surface for the plastic bottom of the AM5 and your mount plate to grip so that your mount doesn’t inadvertently move in azimuth while your making any manual adjustments to gear or during polar alignment.