Altair TMS Heavy Duty Universal Saddle Plate :: Mounting hardware

This is a heavy duty saddle plate which is compatible with both the Vixen/Synta (far East) telescope mounting bars, or the Losmandy (USA) wide format mounting plates.

The Universal Saddle Plate or "USP" is also compatible with the rest of the blue anodised Altair TMS Telescope Mounting System accessory range.

Altair Heavy Duty USP Features:

Compatible with Far East and US telescope mounts, including iOptron Minitower with the appropriate adapter. The most compatible and modular system on the market bar none.
Safe and easy "tip in" saddle lets you place your telescope quickly and easily while tightening up the clamps with your other hand. This avoids that awkward struggle in the dark, while you try to hold onto a damp slippery telescope, while carefully lining up a saddle plate which will only go in from the end. Based on feedback and requests from several customers who have nearly dropped their telescopes!
Chamfered edges to make it even easier to get a heavy telescope placed securely, before tightening the clamps with your other hand.
Heavy duty hard anodised star knobs, custom-machined for a positive grip (we tested several iterations).
2x Heavy duty spring loaded clamps with Stainless Steel M8 threads (unlike cheap chromed, or zinc plated threads which corrode after a few months as the coating flakes away).
Looks great in hard anodised "Altair Blue" to match the rest of the TMS range. What's more, we haven't compromised on quality, function dictates form, not the other way round.
No sharp edges or poor machining.
The clamp has it's own machined guides, unlike inferior makes where the thread alone takes most of the strain.
The right level of quality at the right price - try adding up everything you need and bearing versatility in mind when comparing to other makes.
Readily available and made locally in the UK at our machine shop on HAAS 4 axis CNC milling machines. That means we have complete control over quality.

Mount compatibility:

The Altair USP bolts directly to the Losmandy G11, replacing the factory saddle plate, a very popular upgrade.
With the addition of an Altair TMS Equatorial mount adapter puck, the USP-2 will also fit the Synta/Skywatcher/Orion USA EQ6, H-EQ5 and EQ5 mounts too.
It also has a pair of standard M8 "Takahashi" style holes on the base with 35mm separation, enabling the Universal Saddle Plate to be mounted on the William Optics Easytouch and numerous other mounts, including Takahashi with the appropriate Tak adapter puck.

About the Altair Telescope Mounting System: Many different combinations are possible using the TMS. In the example below, an 8" F4 Imaging Newtonian telescope is carried next to a 102mm refractor which has a guidescope piggbacked on top. Note that EQ6 mounts cannot carry a load like this - this is a demo to show the flexibility of the TMS. The foundation of the setup is the EQ6 Puck which is bolted to the heavy duty Universal Saddle Plate or USP. This supports a 350mm Losmandy Dovetail Plate, which can be moved from side-to-side to achieve balance. The 8" F4 Imaging Newtonian telescope is carried on a 250mm Vixen Dovetail Bar which is held in a Small Vixen Dovetail Clamp (SVDC), which is in turn bolted directly to one end of the Losmandy plate. All Altair TMS clamps can be bolted to the ends of all Losmandy plates and the VDC can be bolted to each side of the Vixen bars too. On the opposite side, a smaller 180mm Losmandy Dovetail Plate is used to mount an Altair 102mm EDT refractor, which in turn has the 120mm Guide Scope Rings on top to carry a 70mm ED scope. The guidescope rings fit any Altair TMS Vixen Bar or Losmandy Plate and are fastened with two M6 bolts to prevent twisting, unlike cheaper products using only one hole. Each guidescope ring has a flat lower edge for better contact with the plate or bar and hence greater rigidity.

Please note: If you have an EQ6 mount and require a puck please choose from the options list below. There are two types of puck. Post Sept 08 mounts have the "N" version new puck (NEQPUCK) with a conical hourglass profile. Pre Sept 08 mounts require the normal puck (EQPUCK) with a straight profile, and side indentations for the mount grub screws. By removing the 3x grub screws surrounding the clamp on your mount and having a look at base of the factory clamp you have, you should be able to tell which you require.

Old New EQ6 Mount Puck Conical