Hi All,
Thanks for the questions on the modifications to the EQ3-2 by McGill.
Would like to take this opportunity to clarify.........
Suitability of EQ-1, EQ-2 and EQ-3-2 in Singapore:
As McGill mainly deals with Sky-Watcher mounts, we can only offer our advice on this brand:
All the above mentioned Sky-Watcher mounts imported by McGill are fit for use from latitudes +1 to +3. EQ-1 and EQ-2 would not experience any problems after any modification as the counterweights are similar in size to that of Vixen's. The EQ3-2 has to be modified according to McGill's proprietary method which we do not wish to divulge to the general public at this moment. Our experience after handling tens of the EQ3-2 mount is that the overall quality VARIES. You can get one which works very well, like that of Weixing's and the next moment, we have to do extra modifications to another one. Filing of the screws of the legs and other DIY methods have to be considered.
As for those who are considering doing further modifications to the modified EQ3-2 (such as doing an expensive pier) please kindly give Jim a call so that we can offer you some assistance. As almost all our customers are beginners who have limited budget, we do not want to increase the costs of upgrading as the improved performance might not be proportional to the money you're going to spend.
For your info, I've asked Synta, the manufacturer of Sky-Watcher products, to do a half pillar similar to that of Vixen's but they were not very keen..So you can consider getting the Vixen counterweights from us.
However at a no-frills price of less than S$500, the EQ3-2 is meant to be a beginner's mount which would at best be good only for visual work and short exposures. People seldom use this mount for long exposures. We mention this point to potential customers wanting to purchase this as a starter scope system, which is what it really is. However some customers really want the EQ3-2 to be an all-purpose mount capable of the most demanding type of astrophotography, which I think is overstretching its capability.
McGill's modified EQ3-2 mounts are available for FREE demo session and we can even loan one of these (and also the OTA) to you for a low fee should you want to try it in the comfort of your own backyard. The most important thing is for you to feel it as it is, whether you're prepared to overlook its weaknesses such as portability and likelihood for further finetuning.
Appreciate your various comments and complains. McGill can only get better in our service if customers continue to set high standards for us! Of course the best way to quell a rumour or clarify a complain is simply to contact us to check the story from our side.
I welcome all your enquiries. Thanks!
Dark Skies,
Jim, McGill
www.mcgill.com.sg