AlsAstro.com - Hello, my name is Al Canarelli. I’m a professional cabinet maker who always had a burning interest in astronomy. During the early part of 2000, I purchased a Chinese made 6” refractor (SkyWatcher), which came with a CG-5 mount and extendable aluminum tripod. The telescope’s optical performance was quite good, but the poor stability offered by that flimsy aluminum tripod just cried for attention.