This is a must have item if you have a refractor that is somewhat on the heavy side. I have a Astro Tech 130edt triplet. The telescope is difficult to get out of the case as there is not much room to grasp the tube. This handle/dovetail combination took care of the problem. Not only that, but as it has loads of drilled and tapped holes I can see more solutions to mounting my guide scope. The items are well made and superbly finished. They also come with the bolts to secure your rings and the handle. This is a good deal folks so please don't be left out! (Posted on 6/6/2022)
I bought the handle kit last Fall for my Astro-Tech 115EDT. I sure don't want to drop it while fitting it on my AVX mount. I had the kit assembled, attached and adjusted in 5 minutes. I love that I am also able to attach a safety stop screw into the front hole of the vixen plate for added security. It's great that it's made with so many mounting options for multiple refractors. I highly recommend this kit, and will get another one for my next refractor. (Posted on 6/1/2022)
I've had my eye on this handle kit for about three months and when they came available, I jumped on it. As with all Astro Tech products this kit exudes quality. I purchased this for my AT102ED and I had it installed in about five minutes. The handle and the dovetail are finely machined and the black anodizing is a nice touch. The beauty of the longer dovetail gives me more options for balance on my mount. The handle also has a number of drilled and tapped holes in it so that you can mount just about anything to it. I highly recommend this product to anyone who has a medium to large refractor. It provides extra insurance in moving and mounting the tube. For the price, it can't be beat. (Posted on 5/19/2022)
Bought this for my AT102ED, it works great for putting the scope on the mount, just slid the front ring forward to match the length and installed handle and Vixen rail, so easy. It also gives more length to use to balance the DEC axis when using heavier camera. Definitely a good upgrade for this scope. (Posted on 4/24/2021)