D-Handle Only for Farpoint Dovetail Adapter

Product Overview

The Farpoint HandleD-FDA is a closed-grip carry handle that bolts onto the Farpoint Dovetail Accessory Adapter (FDA). With the handle fitted, the FDA clamps to a D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bar and turns that bar into a lifting point for the optical tube. This listing is the handle on its own at a published 0.688 lb; the FDA is a separate part. CNC-machined in the United States.

Who It’s For

• This is a good match if you already own an FDA and want a closed-loop grip on it.
• This is a good match if you prefer a suitcase-style handle to the open hook of the L-handle.
• This is a good match if you carry a tube from storage to the mount by hand and would rather lift by a handle than by the dovetail edge.

Key Features & Design

• Closed D loop: the grip is a closed shape, so your hand stays captured on the handle the way it does on a suitcase.
• Bolts to the FDA: it mounts to the Farpoint Dovetail Accessory Adapter, which is what actually clamps the dovetail bar.
• Works on D-size bars: through the FDA, the handle ends up on any Losmandy-standard dovetail.
• Published weight 0.688 lb: a small addition to what the mount carries if the assembly stays on the tube.
• Handle only: this listing covers the handle; the FDA base is bought separately or as part of the D-Handle Kit.
• CNC-machined in the USA: Farpoint machines the handle in the United States.

Recommended Uses

• Adding a carry point to an FDA that is already clamped to a tube’s D-size bar.
• Lifting a Schmidt-Cassegrain or Newtonian tube in and out of a case by a fixed grip rather than by the corrector cell or the tube rings.
• Setting up and tearing down at a dark site, where the tube is handled in the dark.
• Swapping a previously fitted L-handle for a closed-loop grip on the same FDA.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

• Attaches to: Farpoint Dovetail Accessory Adapter (FDA).
• Reaches: D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bars, by way of the FDA’s clamp.
• Dovetail standard: D-size. The FDA base clamps the wider D profile, not the narrower V-size (Vixen) bar.
• In the box: the closed-grip D handle.
• Alternative grip: the L-handle fits the same FDA and gives an open, hook-style grip.
• Origin: CNC-machined in the United States.

Tell us your scope and the dovetail bar on it and we’ll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• The FDA is not included. This is the handle alone; it needs an FDA to clamp to a dovetail. The D-Handle Kit bundles both pieces for anyone starting from scratch.
• The FDA clamps D-size bars only. A telescope carrying a V-size (Vixen) bar would need a D bar first for this combination to reach it.
• Published weight is 0.688 lb. Shipping is calculated on a rounded 1 lb.
• D-handle and L-handle do the same job. Both bolt to the FDA; the difference is a closed loop against an open hook, and it comes down to what suits your hand.
• Farpoint publishes no dimensions for the handle. We can measure one from stock if the grip opening matters for gloved handling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

No. The handle bolts to the FDA with its fasteners, and the FDA in turn clamps onto the dovetail bar. It is a hand-tool job with no machining.

Does anything else need to be bought with it?

The Farpoint Dovetail Accessory Adapter (FDA), which is sold separately. The handle mounts to the FDA rather than to the telescope or the bar directly.

How does it compare with the L-handle?

Both attach to the FDA and both give a carrying grip on the dovetail bar. The D-handle is a closed loop, like a suitcase handle; the L-handle is an open, hook-style grip.

Will it work with my dovetail bar?

The FDA base clamps D-size (Losmandy-style) bars, which are the wider of the two common standards. Send us a photo of your bar and we’ll tell you which standard you have.

Bottom Line

In short: a 0.688 lb closed-grip D handle, CNC-machined in the USA, that bolts to a Farpoint FDA and gives a D-size dovetail bar a proper lifting point — handle only, with the FDA bought separately.