Farpoint 18 Inch Side by Side Tandem Connecting Bar

Product Overview

The Farpoint FDSBS1800 is an 18″ side-by-side tandem connecting bar. It clamps into a D-size-compatible mount saddle the way an ordinary dovetail bar does, then carries two saddles of its own on top — so two optical tubes ride on one mount head. The bar is CNC-machined in the USA from aluminum with a black anodized finish, and Farpoint publishes a shipping weight of 3.188 lb.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you want to run two instruments on a single mount — an imaging scope beside a guide scope, a refractor beside a wide-field astrograph, or a visual tube beside a camera rig — and you want more spacing between the two tubes than a 14″ bar provides.

Key Features & Design

• 18″ working length: the middle length in the Farpoint tandem line, sitting between the 14″ and 22″ bars.
• Takes two saddles: D-size, V-size, or one of each, so the two tubes need not share a dovetail standard.
• Mounts like a dovetail bar: the underside is a D-size profile that clamps into a D-size-compatible mount saddle.
• Black anodized aluminum: an anodized finish over machined aluminum, matching the rest of the Farpoint dovetail line.
• Machined in the USA: CNC-machined by Farpoint.

Mechanical Design

A tandem bar turns one mount saddle into two mounting stations, and everything above it hangs off that single clamped joint. The bar is therefore machined as one continuous piece of aluminum rather than a jointed assembly, and the D-size profile underneath puts the widest available bearing surface into the mount's saddle. Saddle position along the 18″ span is what sets the balance: sliding the two saddles in or out trims the load either side of the mount's axis, and at this length there is enough travel to balance an imaging tube against a much lighter guide scope.

Recommended Uses

• Running an imaging scope and a separate guide scope on one equatorial mount.
• Carrying two optical tubes of different focal lengths for the same target on the same night.
• Pairing a wide-field astrograph with a longer refractor for simultaneous capture.
• Mounting a camera rig beside a visual tube so one mount serves both.
• Adding a second station to an existing D-size mount without changing the mount head.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

The bar clamps into any mount with a D-size-compatible saddle. The two saddles it carries are sold separately and can be D-size, V-size, or one of each — the choice follows whatever dovetail bar each of your telescopes already carries, so a V-size refractor and a D-size SCT can share the bar. The bar measures 18″, and the usable separation between tubes is that span less the width of the two saddles. Farpoint makes the same bar in 14″ and 22″ lengths. If you would like a check on whether the 18″ length clears your two tubes, send us the models and we'll work it through with you.

Good to Know Before You Order

• Saddles are sold separately. This is the connecting bar alone; the two saddles that hold the telescopes are chosen and bought to suit the tubes.
• The mount needs a D-size-compatible saddle. A mount with only a narrower V-size saddle takes a D-size saddle conversion before this bar fits.
• Bar length is chosen by tube width. The clear space between two tubes is the 18″ span minus the saddle footprints, and wide tubes or large dew shields suit the 22″ bar.
• Two tubes double the load. The combined weight of both tubes, saddles and this bar sits on the mount's payload figure.
• Farpoint publishes a shipping weight of 3.188 lb. The bar ships as one carton.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the saddles included?

No — this is the connecting bar only. It carries two saddles of your choice: D-size, V-size, or one of each, depending on what dovetail bar each telescope carries.

Is it difficult to install?

It goes on the way a dovetail bar does. The tandem bar clamps into the mount's saddle, the two saddles bolt to the top of the bar, and the telescopes drop into those. The fiddly part is balance rather than assembly: the saddles slide along the bar until both axes sit even, and that is done by hand with the clamps loose.

What mount do I need?

A mount with a D-size-compatible saddle. The tandem bar clamps in just like a regular D-size dovetail bar, then carries the two scope saddles on top.

Which length should I choose?

The 18″ bar adds spacing between scopes over the 14″, which suits compact dual setups. The 22″ gives maximum separation for larger tubes and dew shields.

Bottom Line

In short: an 18″ USA-machined tandem bar that converts one D-size mount saddle into two mounting stations, taking any pair of D-size or V-size saddles and giving more room between tubes than the 14″ bar.