Hey guys!! Been using my Eq mount for a month and a bit now. Just a quick question to make sure i'm doing something right. When I point my telescope at a certain object sometimes the weight at the bottom of the Eq mount can get in my way of looking through the finderscope. So I just twist the telescope in its tube to the other side of the weights out of my way. Essentially turning the tube upside down whilst the mount stays the same... I hope you are following me here. I presume this is what you are ment to do???

Yes sir that is what i do.

There is an easier way so that you dont have to rotate your tube.
I will give you an example for either a SCT or a Refractor,
The whole problem is how you mount your tube to begin with, and where you mounted your finders.
if done properly your finders will never be in the way of your counter weights
The problem you are describing is what happens usually when traversing the Meridian. for a Newtonian your eyepeice should be In line to your counterweight shaft.
This is how my scopes are mounted, since I can always rotate the diagonal for a comfortable view, I never have to rotate my tube and possibly throw off my alignment. for a newtonian this is impossible since it has no diagonal.
here is a pic for how I set up my scopes on a EQ mount.

Attached Images

scope set up.JPG (21.2 KB, 20 views)

Thanks very much. Only thing is isnt it hard to manually polar align your EQ newtonian scope with the eye piece and finderscope on top of the telescope? facing totally away from the weights. It is simply not reachable that way isnt it?

If its a large Newtonian on your mount, yes, it can be hard to reach when pointing at the Pole, unless you keep the mount very low to the ground or incorporate a small step ladder. thats about the only way without rotating the tube on its rings, it's one of the pitfalls of a large EQ mounted reflector when looking towards the zenith or the north pole especially if you live in the upper northern latitudes.

( since you were not specific as to what type of scope you had in your post )the example given, was mostly meant for SCT tubes or refractor tubes,or a small short focal length newtonian. if this is your situation, you really have no choice but to rotate away!.
just one thing I should mention here, you can get a very accurate polar alignment without ever having to even see the north star, by using a compass and the Drift align method, a must if youre going to do any astrophotography.
Dennis