Kokusai Kohki Guide Handle for Vixen Porta / Porta II and Explore Scientific Twilight I / II Mounts
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Note: Customers have reported that this handle also works with the Explore Scientific Twilight I and II mounts and their clones. You will, however, need to get compatible screws as the included ones will not work for these mounts. Please see customer reviews for more info. We do not include or carry these screws.
The discontinued Vixen PORTA, and the new PORTA II alt-azimuth mounts are very popular mounts. And no wonder; the PORTA mount carries a decent payload, OTAs attach easily to it with the now nearly universal Vixen dovetail plate, it has competent dual axis slow motion handles, and comes complete with a very decent height adjustable aluminum tripod, all for a quite reasonable price. And it`s rather pretty too. But we did notice one aspect of the PORTA mount that, in use, sometimes proves to be amazingly annoying .....
Aiming your PORTA mounted OTA around the sky usually means grabbing the focuser or star diagonal and then using this "handle" to point your scope. This often results in twisting the star diagonal out of alignment, getting gear grease on fingers or even having the star diagonal+eyepiece combination fall off onto the hard ground below....Yikes! At any rate, the usual method is, oh, so, well,... inelegant....And perhaps not very accurate either. And certainly not convenient...
Instead of grabbing and then man-handling the focuser, the simple addition of a robust handle to the altitude axis of the PORTA removes all this lack of finesse with a quick and easy installation. Kokusai Kohki's own "New Guide Handle", designed specifically for use on both PORTA mounts, has a foam covered grip on the end that keeps fingers warm, and lets you become the true master of your trusty PORTA mount.
"New Guide Handle", for both PORTA and PORTA II mounts, attaches in about 5 easy minutes, and the necessary tools are included with your PORTA mount as it comes from Vixen. Attachment involves removing the dovetail saddle plate on the altitude axis, slipping it over the New Guide Handle, then rebolting the combination back on to the altitude axis, a very simple procedure that is also kind of fun to perform. Highly recommended for all PORTA and PORTA II users.
Specifications:
- Please see the second photo above for detailed plate measurements and hole spacings
- Length of extended handle only from 2 sharp points: 11" (280mm)
- Total length including attachment plate: 14.5" (368mm)
- Handle weight: 9.3 oz
- Thickness = 0.25" (6.25mm)
- Includes 2 mounting screws for Vixen Porta mount (M6 male thread, 21mm threaded length, 25.9mm total length)
Useful Resources
Installation Instructions
1)Â Gather your implements from under the rubber cover of your PORTA`s azimuth axis |
2)Â Use this hex wrench to loosen the screws attaching the saddle plate to the altitude axis. |
3) Get your New Guide Handle in hand, along with the included attachment screws. |
4)Â Line up the holes in the saddle plate with the New Guide Handle and insert the screw |
5)Â With the same hex wrench, screw the saddle plate, with the New Guide Handle sandwiched between it and the mount, back onto the altitude axi |
6) Installation completed in 5 minutes or less! Make pointing of your PORTA easy, intuitive, accurate and for the first time, elegant! |
Other Information
- Country of Manufacture: Japan
Note: Customers have reported that this handle also works with the Explore Scientific Twilight I and II mounts and their clones. You will, however, need to get compatible screws as the included ones will not work for these mounts. Please see customer reviews for more info. We do not include or carry these screws.
The discontinued Vixen PORTA, and the new PORTA II alt-azimuth mounts are very popular mounts. And no wonder; the PORTA mount carries a decent payload, OTAs attach easily to it with the now nearly universal Vixen dovetail plate, it has competent dual axis slow motion handles, and comes complete with a very decent height adjustable aluminum tripod, all for a quite reasonable price. And it`s rather pretty too. But we did notice one aspect of the PORTA mount that, in use, sometimes proves to be amazingly annoying .....
Aiming your PORTA mounted OTA around the sky usually means grabbing the focuser or star diagonal and then using this "handle" to point your scope. This often results in twisting the star diagonal out of alignment, getting gear grease on fingers or even having the star diagonal+eyepiece combination fall off onto the hard ground below....Yikes! At any rate, the usual method is, oh, so, well,... inelegant....And perhaps not very accurate either. And certainly not convenient...
Instead of grabbing and then man-handling the focuser, the simple addition of a robust handle to the altitude axis of the PORTA removes all this lack of finesse with a quick and easy installation. Kokusai Kohki's own "New Guide Handle", designed specifically for use on both PORTA mounts, has a foam covered grip on the end that keeps fingers warm, and lets you become the true master of your trusty PORTA mount.
"New Guide Handle", for both PORTA and PORTA II mounts, attaches in about 5 easy minutes, and the necessary tools are included with your PORTA mount as it comes from Vixen. Attachment involves removing the dovetail saddle plate on the altitude axis, slipping it over the New Guide Handle, then rebolting the combination back on to the altitude axis, a very simple procedure that is also kind of fun to perform. Highly recommended for all PORTA and PORTA II users.
Specifications:
- Please see the second photo above for detailed plate measurements and hole spacings
- Length of extended handle only from 2 sharp points: 11" (280mm)
- Total length including attachment plate: 14.5" (368mm)
- Handle weight: 9.3 oz
- Thickness = 0.25" (6.25mm)
- Includes 2 mounting screws for Vixen Porta mount (M6 male thread, 21mm threaded length, 25.9mm total length)
Note: Customers have reported that this handle also works with the Explore Scientific Twilight I and II mounts and their clones. You will, however, need to get compatible screws as the included ones will not work for these mounts. Please see customer reviews for more info. We do not include or carry these screws.
The discontinued Vixen PORTA, and the new PORTA II alt-azimuth mounts are very popular mounts. And no wonder; the PORTA mount carries a decent payload, OTAs attach easily to it with the now nearly universal Vixen dovetail plate, it has competent dual axis slow motion handles, and comes complete with a very decent height adjustable aluminum tripod, all for a quite reasonable price. And it`s rather pretty too. But we did notice one aspect of the PORTA mount that, in use, sometimes proves to be amazingly annoying .....
Aiming your PORTA mounted OTA around the sky usually means grabbing the focuser or star diagonal and then using this "handle" to point your scope. This often results in twisting the star diagonal out of alignment, getting gear grease on fingers or even having the star diagonal+eyepiece combination fall off onto the hard ground below....Yikes! At any rate, the usual method is, oh, so, well,... inelegant....And perhaps not very accurate either. And certainly not convenient...
Instead of grabbing and then man-handling the focuser, the simple addition of a robust handle to the altitude axis of the PORTA removes all this lack of finesse with a quick and easy installation. Kokusai Kohki's own "New Guide Handle", designed specifically for use on both PORTA mounts, has a foam covered grip on the end that keeps fingers warm, and lets you become the true master of your trusty PORTA mount.
"New Guide Handle", for both PORTA and PORTA II mounts, attaches in about 5 easy minutes, and the necessary tools are included with your PORTA mount as it comes from Vixen. Attachment involves removing the dovetail saddle plate on the altitude axis, slipping it over the New Guide Handle, then rebolting the combination back on to the altitude axis, a very simple procedure that is also kind of fun to perform. Highly recommended for all PORTA and PORTA II users.
Specifications:
- Please see the second photo above for detailed plate measurements and hole spacings
- Length of extended handle only from 2 sharp points: 11" (280mm)
- Total length including attachment plate: 14.5" (368mm)
- Handle weight: 9.3 oz
- Thickness = 0.25" (6.25mm)
- Includes 2 mounting screws for Vixen Porta mount (M6 male thread, 21mm threaded length, 25.9mm total length)
Useful Resources
Installation Instructions
1)Â Gather your implements from under the rubber cover of your PORTA`s azimuth axis |
2)Â Use this hex wrench to loosen the screws attaching the saddle plate to the altitude axis. |
3) Get your New Guide Handle in hand, along with the included attachment screws. |
4)Â Line up the holes in the saddle plate with the New Guide Handle and insert the screw |
5)Â With the same hex wrench, screw the saddle plate, with the New Guide Handle sandwiched between it and the mount, back onto the altitude axi |
6) Installation completed in 5 minutes or less! Make pointing of your PORTA easy, intuitive, accurate and for the first time, elegant! |
Other Information
- Country of Manufacture: Japan
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Kokusai Kohki Guide Handle for Vixen Porta / Porta II and Explore Scientific Twilight I / II Mounts