slippery_sid

I did a CS (Poncet-type) platform for a 10" Dob at 40 degrees latitude that worked out pretty well. It's not as simple or inexpensive as John's but was pretty easy and has some nice features. It uses a stepper motor driving a spring-pressured urethane roller against the wooden drive surface. The grip is superb and it's a breeze to reset. Details, materials sources, and instructions (including the electronics) here: EQ Platform 2023.

I followed a technique I first saw published by Ed Jones. The piece pivots on a table saw first with the blade beveled and then with a sanding disc on the saw at the same angle. All the details are in my writeup, here.

HI everyone, I just finished building a platform for my son's Dob. It came out super nice and tracks beautifully. It uses a conical circular segment north bearing and a stepper motor driven by an Arduino. It has a mount for a laser to enable easy polar alignment and a little hand controller for fine-tuning the speed. I have a write-up with all the construction details, including the electronics and software, here. If you are looking to build a platform of your own or just get ideas, please check it out.