JMI has an accessory for about $150 that I consider almost as useful as a
scopesaver--"Wheely bars" for the scope. If you are moving the scope on a
hard surface it can stay assembled in a very rigid configuration for moving
(say from a garage) because the tripod legs are in tight slots on welded
metal bars on wheels. When you get the scope where you want it, you level
it with three large rubber tipped bolts that take all the weight off the
wheels, don't require adjusting the tripod legs and will allow you to get
and stay perfectly level. And yes, you can make a similar device for less
money out of wood if that's your bag and you have the time but I don't think
it will be quite as rigid nor look quite the same.

Andy

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2001 3:46 PM
Subject: Re: RE:[M]: LX200 LEVELING


> Adam,
>
> This is going to take a paragraph or two so bear with me. We level the
> tripod on our 12" before mounting the scope. We have a ScopeSaver mounted
> on the tripod. The first ting to do is spread the legs, slide the
spreader
> bar up until it makes contact then JERK up very hard, then try again, this
> spaces the legs properly in relationship to the head. We then lock down a
> wing nut on the threaded rod tightening the spreader against the legs, and
> level using the "T" level mounted on the ScopeSaver. It is just easier to
> level the 12" tripod with the scope off. Once level, loosen the wing nut,
> drop the threaded rod clear (on the 12, it drops clear of the tripod head
> unlike the 8" & 10"), mount the scope and align.
>
> On our 8", I pull the spreader up against the legs a time or two to get
the
> lags spaced properly and mount the scope. Then level with the scope on
the
> tripod and using the bubble level on the scope.
>
> It is very hard to level the tripod with out the legs locked in a secure
> position, they just get un-squared.
>
>
> John of
> John & Bobbie Hilliard
>
> "Sanity is the playground of the unimaginative"
> ----- Original Message -----
> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 6:39 PM
> Subject: Re: RE:[M]: LX200 LEVELING
>
>
> > I tried leveling the tripod first, before putting the drivebase of the
> scope
> > on. The tripod is apparently not uniformly made since if I do this the
> > leveled tripod does not allow each of the three arms of the spreader bar
> to
> > touch the tripod legs when the tension knob is fully tightened to the
> > drivebase. I assume this would be a much less stable configuration.
> >
> > Adam
>
>
>
>

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