When it comes to Meade accessories, ScopeStuff has you covered. From classic Meade scopes to their newest offerings like the Meade LX600, Scopestuff keeps adding to its inventory of novel products to maximize your scope’s potential.
Meade Counterweight Rail Adapter
ScopeStuff’s Meade Counterweight Rail Adapter (MCRA) attaches to Meade style counterweight rails to provide mounting points for counterweights and accessories. The Meade counterweight rails are a common factory accessory for SCTs and are standard with the Meade LX600 series scopes.
As shown in the image the aluminum block has a thumbscrew for locking to the rail and has two threaded holes with 1/4-20 and 5/16-18 threads. #SC44 and #SC42 threaded rods provides mounting points for ScopeStuff 1- and 2-pound counterweights and other 1/4-20 threaded accessories. The SC54 rod allows the Meade counterweights to be mounted away from the rail for extended balance options.
The MCRA is black powder coated aluminum and the hardware and threaded rods are stainless steel. The CWA1 and CWA2 counterweights are black powder coated steel. ScopeStuff’s Orion/Synta Type Finder Mounting Shoe for 1/4-20 Mounting (not shown) attaches to the MRCA block for mounting Orion/Synta/Vixen type finder accessories.
Meade LX600 12″ Primary Mirror Lock
As ScopeStuff’ Jim Henson notes, “They forgot to pack one feature into the feature packed Meade LX600 12″ SCT: A mirror lock! Most SCTs suffer to some extent from mirror shift, flop, drift, settle, etc., even while just tracking. Focusing and slewing adds to the list of words that describe the behavior of a heavy, unruly mirror.
Fortunately Meade provides a hole and bolt to lock the primary mirror for shipping the Meade LX600 12″, just like in the original Meade LX200 Classic scopes. With the shipping bolt removed, ScopeStuff’s mirror lock clamps to the rear cell and connects to the primary mirror cell thru the shipping bolt hole. When properly installed and aligned, a twist of the lock knob stabilizes the position of the mirror.
No modification of the scope is needed! The lock assembly is mounted and aligned with the supplied Allen wrench.
“And Mike Weasner has supplied great instructions for installation, adjustment and use. Many thanks to Mike for inspiration, testing and feedback for this slick gizmo,” says Jim. And he adds a cautionary note, “The mirror lock really locks the mirror! Be sure to unlock before turning the focus knob! Forcing the focus knob with the mirror locked will void at least two warranties, just before something goes SNAP!
The mirror lock can be completely removed from the scope in seconds for transportation or shipping, but it would require realignment when being reinstalled. Scopestuff supplies a locking bolt and capnut so the mirror lock can stay on the scope and double as a transport lock.
And be sure to check out Scopestuff’s new GSO Crayford focusers which can, in the words of Scopestuff’s Jim Henson, “transform your scope into a dream machine!”
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