Rotating a Newt in the rings

[Jiggy 67]

Has anyone got a step by step guide for making your own tube rotating system. I've got a 200pds on EQ5 and would appreciate any ideas

[blusky]

Apologies for my ignorance, but what's the purpose?

[michael8554]

Blusky -

As you move an equatorially mounted Newtonian around the sky the eyepiece and finder can end up in awkward positions.

The cure is to loosen the mounting rings and rotate the scope until the eyepiece and finder are in a comfortable position.

However it's hard to do this without the scope slipping down in the rings and upsetting the balance.

The rotating rings prevent this happening

Jiggy -

Try searching here for "slip rings"

[idbvideo]

There are several methods of doing this as a DIY job, all seen on this site.

1. Buy a pair of tube rings, countersink the bolts on the mating faces and bobs yer uncle

2. Long jubilee clip (Hose clip) inside hose pipe or conduit wrapped around the OTA

3. Embroidery rings of the appropriate size fastened around the OTA.

I have yet to sort myself something, most likely the embroidery rings ;-)

You can also buy something to do this but its quite expensive

[paul mc c]

Skywatcher 236mm Tube Ring what about this!

[Jiggy 67]

Thanks guys,

Idbvideo, I think I'll try your first solution as I have a spare pair of rings and I don't really get the embroidery method....anyone expand on this method???..I've seen AstroBaby's method and it looks quite good

[Jiggy 67]

By the way, Ive looked at patented designs.....nothing under £250.....madness!!!!

[gooseholla]

I believe the embrodiary rings lock off so that the tube and rings can't slip down, then you can loosen a ring and twist it as normal.

[Moonshane]

Rotating Rings for Reflector Telescopes

[kookoo_gr]

Andy's Shot Glass - Wilson Rotating Rings - Astronomy & Astrophotography for Non-Gazillionaires

[Tinker1947]

This is my tube rotation system....cost about £5, large Clip (ebay) 1 metre measuring stick (Texas DIY) cut to length

[Mav359]

This doesn't apply to me as i have an SCT on a dovetail but i was watching Dion's tutorial video on the astronomy shed and his rotates in the rings quite nicely, you should have a watch and see if you can see what he's done, ask him even.

Astronomy Shed UK Astronomy Forum • View topic - Complete Setup From A to Z

video 3 i think

[Hobbes]

Thanks guys,

Idbvideo, I think I'll try your first solution as I have a spare pair of rings and I don't really get the embroidery method....anyone expand on this method???..I've seen AstroBaby's method and it looks quite good

Have a look at these Wooden Embroidery Hoop - 8": Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home: Elbesse

[Jiggy 67]

Have a look at these Wooden Embroidery Hoop - 8": Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home: Elbesse

Hmmm, they might be worth a try, can't really lose at that price

Thanks Hobbes

[Moonshane]

might even be worth using these for a small portable newt upper cage!

[martindf3]

Thanks guys,

Idbvideo, I think I'll try your first solution as I have a spare pair of rings and I don't really get the embroidery method....anyone expand on this method???..I've seen AstroBaby's method and it looks quite good

Done this mod myself ... Steve at FLO told me about it . So wanted to test it myself before posting.. The rings come in 4,5,6,7,8, inch diameters are about £2-3 each . and they are made from Beech . They are in 2 pieces so the inner ring is removable or in my case I bought 7" ones for my Tal 150 and sanded 1mm off the inner ring and used two ring . They work perfectly . They make no noise when you twist them and are silky smooth unlike metal to metal ones . I also painted them black ( blackboard) paint . Best Regards Martin

[Shelster1973]

Holy thread resurrection Batman.....

Have been contemplating this and was slightly befuddled....which is rather easy for me at present.

Am I correct in thinking you have 2 of these that sit above and below the tube rings that mount the tube to the dovetail bar and you leave the dovetail rings slightly slack so that you can rotate as required?

Am doing this for fine balancing on my set-up as feel it needs a bit of work at present.

[Tinker1947]

No just the one ring, sits above the top ring to stop the tube sliding down through the rings when there loose......

\like this...

[Scott]

No just the one ring, sits above the top ring to stop the tube sliding down through the rings when there loose......

\like this...

I prefer two as it is easy to forget they are loosened and move the mount when heading for a new target, or when balancing

[Shelster1973]

Cheers Tinker...will look at getting one of the embroidery rings......nice set-up there too   

[Shelster1973]

Thinking about it...crazy I know.....will only need the one for the top one as main rings will be slackened only when balancing the scope in the vertical and tightened again for imaging time.

[wookie1965]

Here`s mine with the embroidery rings fitted.

[Yearofthegoat]

Hi Wookiee

What size embroidery rings did you use for your 150?

Thanks!

[wookie1965]

Hi Wookiee

What size embroidery rings did you use for your 150?

Its 7 inch I have just took one off and measured it for you.

[Gazabone]

I rather liked the great Patrick Moore's solution. On his scope the whole of the end of the scope rotated so you could put the eyepiece (and finder scope etc) anywhere without having to rotate to rest of the scope at all. Quite how collomation faired I don't know.

Wouldn't like to try the mod myself and I guess the engineering involved to produce a commercially acceptable option would make it so expensive, the manufacturers probably don't want to know!