Farpoint Vixen Dovetail Plate - Meade 7 Inch Mak

Product Overview

The Farpoint FVM7 is a 17.25″ Vixen-style (V-size) dovetail bar machined for the Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain optical tube assembly. It gives the tube a V-size dovetail interface so it drops into any mount saddle cut for the Vixen standard. The bar is machined from sturdy aluminum with a black anodized finish and weighs 1.813 lb. CNC-machined in the USA.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you own a Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain and want it riding on a Vixen-style saddle — either replacing a factory rail that has worn or gone loose, or fitting a tube that has none. It also fits the case where you are moving the 7″ Mak between mounts and want a single V-size interface that any Vixen saddle will accept.

Key Features & Design

• 17.25″ bar length: Machined to run the length of the Meade 7″ Mak tube, with the mounting holes positioned for that specific OTA.
• V-size Vixen profile: Cut to the narrower of the two common dovetail standards, so it seats in any Vixen-style saddle.
• Tube-specific fit: Drilled for the Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain rather than as a universal blank.
• Black anodized aluminum: Sturdy aluminum stock with an anodized surface layer.
• 1.813 lb bar: The published weight, which adds to the payload the mount carries along with the tube.
• CNC-machined in the USA: Produced on CNC equipment at Farpoint in the United States.

Recommended Uses

• Putting a Meade 7″ Mak onto a small or mid-size equatorial mount with a Vixen saddle.
• Replacing a factory dovetail rail that has developed play or lost its finish.
• Carrying the 7″ Mak on an alt-az mount for lunar and planetary observing, where the V-size saddle is the common fitting.
• Standardising a multi-telescope setup on one dovetail format so tubes swap between the same saddle.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

The FVM7 is machined for the Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain optical tube assembly. It is a V-size bar in the Vixen-style standard — the narrower of the two common dovetail formats, found on most small and mid-size equatorial and alt-az mounts. A D-size (Losmandy-style) saddle is the wider format and takes a V-size-to-D adapter or a dual-format saddle to accept this bar. Farpoint publishes a dimensioned product drawing for the FVM7 showing the 17.25″ length, the hole pattern, and the measurements. Farpoint also offers an Armored Strip version of this bar, which carries a stainless steel strip along the dovetail edge; the Vixen lineup pairs each of the Meade tubes and the Celestron 8″ and 9.25″ with a plain and an armored option. If you are unsure which version or which tube fitting you need, tell us your telescope model and saddle type and we'll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• The fit is tube-specific. The hole pattern is machined for the Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain; other Meade tubes take their own bars, and the 8″ and 10″ SCT bars run 13.5″ and 17.25″ respectively with their own hole positions.
• This is the plain version. Saddles that clamp with a set screw bear on the dovetail edge over time, which is what the separate Armored Strip version with its stainless steel strip addresses. Saddles that clamp with a bar spread the load across the face instead.
• It is a V-size bar. A D-size (Losmandy-style) saddle is wider and needs an adapter or a dual-format saddle in between.
• The bar adds 1.813 lb. On a mount near its rated capacity that figure belongs in the total with the tube and any diagonal, eyepiece, or camera.
• Mounting screws come from your tube. The bar bolts to the existing threaded holes on the Meade 7″ Mak.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

No. The bar bolts to the existing mounting holes on the Meade 7″ Mak with hex keys, and the tube then slides into the Vixen saddle and clamps. The product drawing shows the hole positions so you can check them against the tube before you start.

What does this bar do?

It gives the Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain a Vixen-style (V-size) dovetail interface, so the tube drops into any V-size saddle — either replacing or supplementing the factory rail.

Should I consider the Armored Strip version instead?

It depends on your saddle. A saddle that clamps with a set screw presses a point load into the dovetail edge, and over time that marks a bare aluminum surface and can introduce slop. The Armored Strip version adds a stainless steel strip that takes that contact. Saddles with a clamping bar spread the load and do not need it.

What mounts does it work with?

Any mount with a Vixen-style (V-size) saddle — the smaller of the two common dovetail standards, fitted to most small and mid-size equatorial and alt-az mounts.

Bottom Line

In short: a 17.25″ black anodized Vixen (V-size) dovetail bar machined for the Meade 7″ Maksutov-Cassegrain, weighing 1.813 lb and CNC-machined in the USA, giving the tube a V-size interface for any Vixen saddle.