PLUS dovetail plates for telescopes offer holes, threaded holes and slots to connect other PLUS elements with standard M6 screws, with maximum rigidity and avoiding flexures. PLUS dovetail bars are available in Vixen and Losmandy styles and with different lengths. Like all the elements of the PLUS system, PLUS dovetail bars are made with high precision mechanics (built with CNC machines from aluminum block). Aluminum is then sandblasted to achieve a very smooth surface finish and is anodized (hard anodizing) to increase the hardness of the material and protect it from oxidation.
In this video Filippo shows you how to connect PLUS dovetail bars to other PLUS elements:
In order to connect Vixen style PLUS dovetail bar to PLUS support rings, you can use 2 M6x12 screws, inserting every screw from the internal part of the ring and screwing it into the corresponding M6 thread in the Vixen-style dovetail bar. This way the M6 screw head will be inside the ring and it won’t touch the telescope tube.
Instead, if you want to connect a Losmandy-style PLUS dovetail bar to the PLUS support rings, you can use 2 M6x12 screws for every support ring, inserting the screw from the bottom side of the bar in the corresponding passing holes. This way the M6 screw head will be inside the dovetail bar and it won’t touch the mount head when you will connect the dovetail bar to the clamp.
PLUS dovetail bars can be used, together with the PLUS dovetail clamps, to create personalized side-by-side plates. Thanks to the corresponding holes and threaded holes, you can connect every clamp to the Losmandy style dovetail bar with 2 M6 screws and provide a great rigidity.
PLUS dovetail bars are also designed to be connected directly to the EAGLE chassis. For example you can connect the Losmandy style dovetail bar on the EAGLE chassis (in upside-down position) and connect by using more M6 screws. Please remember that, for this application, the threaded part of the screw that exits from the support ring has to be no longer than 6mm. This way you can connect the EAGLE to a dovetail clamp.
