Farpoint Dovetail Plate - Meade 16 Inch f/10 SCT

Product Overview

The Farpoint FDM16 is a complete dovetail kit for the Meade LX200 16″ f/10 SCT. A 23.75″ D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bar is paired with radius blocks machined to the curve of the 16″ optical tube, and the mounting screws that join the two are included. The kit puts the telescope onto any mount carrying a D-size saddle. Everything is CNC-machined in the USA from black anodized aluminum, and the assembled kit is listed at 5.438 lb.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you…

• own a Meade LX200 16″ f/10 SCT and want it on a D-size saddle
• are moving the tube onto a Losmandy-style mount and need the bar and blocks as one kit
• want the clamping load spread across the tube curve rather than concentrated at two bolt points
• prefer machined US-made aluminum hardware over a shop-fabricated bar

Key Features & Design

• 23.75″ dovetail bar: a long D-size rail that gives the saddle a wide grip along the length of the tube.
• Matched radius blocks: machined to the exact curve of the Meade 16″ tube, so the flat bar seats against a round tube without gaps.
• Mounting screws included: the hardware to join bar, blocks and tube ships in the kit.
• D-size standard: the bar is Losmandy-style, fitting any mount saddle cut for that profile.
• Black anodized aluminum: a non-reflective finish that resists handling marks and dew.
• CNC-machined in the USA: consistent block radius and hole spacing from unit to unit.

Mechanical Design

An SCT tube is round and a dovetail bar is flat, so the two meet along a line rather than a surface. The radius blocks in this kit resolve that: each block is cut to the curve of the 16″ tube and sits between tube and bar, turning line contact into area contact. The clamping load from the mounting screws then spreads across the block face instead of concentrating at the bolt holes, and the 23.75″ bar length keeps the whole assembly stiff over the span the saddle grips.

Recommended Uses

• Mounting a Meade LX200 16″ f/10 SCT on a Losmandy-style equatorial mount
• Long-exposure imaging where flexure between tube and saddle shows up in the stars
• Rebuilding an observatory pier setup around a D-size saddle standard
• Replacing a fabricated or improvised mounting bar with machined hardware

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

The bar is D-size — the Losmandy standard — and drops into any mount saddle cut for that profile. The radius blocks are machined specifically for the Meade 16″ f/10 SCT tube diameter and are not interchangeable with other tube sizes; Farpoint machines separate radius blocks for other SCT diameters. Mounts fitted with a smaller V-size (Vixen) saddle take a V-to-D adapter saddle before this bar will seat. If you are unsure which saddle standard your mount carries, tell us which telescope and mount you have and we'll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• Tube-specific radius blocks. The blocks are cut for the 16″ f/10 SCT tube. A different SCT aperture takes a different block set.
• D-size saddle required. The 23.75″ bar is Losmandy-style and seats in a D-size saddle; a V-size saddle needs an adapter in between.
• Kit weight. The kit is published at 5.438 lb, which counts against the mount's payload alongside the tube itself.
• Telescope not included. The kit covers the bar, radius blocks and mounting screws only.
• Bar length. At 23.75″ the bar is longer than most saddles, leaving spare rail for balancing the tube fore and aft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

Installation is a bolt-on job. The radius blocks locate against the tube's existing mounting holes, the bar bolts down onto the blocks with the supplied screws, and no machining or drilling is involved.

What is included in the kit?

The 23.75″ D-size dovetail bar, radius blocks machined to match the Meade 16″ tube, and the mounting screws.

Why radius blocks instead of bolting the bar straight on?

The tube is round and the bar is flat. The blocks are machined to the tube's curve so the clamping load spreads across the contact surface rather than concentrating at the bolt holes.

Which mounts will this work with?

Any mount with a D-size (Losmandy-style) saddle.

Can the bar be used with a different telescope?

The bar itself is a standard D-size rail, but the radius blocks are specific to the Meade 16″ tube, so another tube diameter calls for its own block set.

Bottom Line

In short: a 23.75″ Losmandy-standard dovetail bar with radius blocks cut for the Meade LX200 16″ f/10 SCT, supplied with mounting screws and machined in the USA from black anodized aluminum.