Orion VERSAGO #10105 - Manual (Page 4)

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Congratulations on your purchase of a quality
Orion product. Your VersaGo II Altazimuth Mount
is a sturdy, yet highly portable observing platform
for small telescopes, spotting scopes, and bin-
oculars. The simple design makes setting up and
using the mount very easy. PTFE/UHMW bearing
surfaces for both axes of motion insure smooth
telescope pointing, even when making very small,
precise positional adjustments. Great for exploring
scenic daytime vistas or scanning the night skies,
you’ll find yourself observing more and fussing with
equipment less when using the VersaGo II.
These instructions will help you set-up, properly use, and care
for your mount. Please read them over carefully before getting
started.
1. Parts List
(refer to Figure 1)
Qty. Description
1 Aluminum Tripod with accessory tray bracket installed
(10105 only)
1 Steel Tripod (10104 only)
1 Center support shaft with knob (10104 only)
1 Accessory Tray (10105 only)
1 VersaGo II Mount Head
1 Handle
2. Assembly
Carefully open all of the boxes in the shipping container.
Make sure all the parts listed in the Parts List are present.
Save the boxes and packaging material. In the unlikely event
that you need to return the mount, you must use the origi-
nal packaging.
Initial assembly of the mount is extremely easy as the mount
is mostly pre-assembled at the factory. Just install the head
onto the tripod and attach the accessory tray. It is recom-
mended to completely unpack all of the parts and lay them
out in your workspace before beginning. All bolts should be
tightened securely to eliminate flexing and wobbling, but be
careful not to over-tighten or the threads may strip. Refer to
Figure 1 during assembly.
A. VersaGo II HD (Steel) #10104
1. Stand the tripod upright and spread the legs out as far
as they will go. Keep the tripod legs at their shortest (fully
retracted) length, for now; you can extend them to a more
desirable length later, after the mount is fully assembled.
2. The center support shaft arrives already installed in the
tripod so you need to just secure the head and accessory
tray.
3. Place the base of the VersaGo II head into the base of
the tripod. Orient the VersaGo II head so that the post on
the base (referencing north) of the tripod lines up with the
notch on the VersaGo head (Figure 4).
4. Thread the center support shaft into the VersaGo II head
until tight. Hold the mount head with one hand while tight-
ening the lock bolt with the other. Be careful not to cross
thread when assembling. This will secure the VersaGo II
head to the base of the tripod.
5. Remove the knob and washer from the bottom of the cen-
ter support shaft. Slide the tripod support tray up the bot-
tom of the center support shaft until the three tray arms are
touching the legs of the tripod. The flat side of the acces-
sory tray should be facing up. Place the knob washer on
the center support shaft against the tray, and follow it by
threading the securing knob all the way up the center sup-
port shaft until it is tight against the tray. The tripod support
tray provides additional stability for the tripod, and holds
up to five 1.25" eyepieces and two 2" eyepieces.
6. Thread the handle into the threaded receptacle of the
VersaGo II head. Please note the handle threads in at
a slight angle to position it at a more comfortable angle
to use in the field. If you wish to have the handle in an
alternate position you can remove the Phillips-head screw
and thread the handle on the other side of the lock knob
that secures the telescope. You can use the Phillips-head
screw to cover the additional hole.
Your VersaGo II HD mount is now fully assembled, and should
resemble Figure 1a. All that is left is to connect your telescope
to the mount. Please skip ahead to section 3.
Figure 2: Component parts of the VersaGo II HD mount
Tripod
Handle
VersaGo II HD
head assembly
Accessory
Tray