Coco

Here is my Vixen 90M 

Wonderful on doubles, solar system and not to shabby on bright DSO's

Factory fresh, I'm still looking for an original wooden tripod and mount.

Wonderful

I'm a big fan of the Maxvision 24mm 82 degree in my 12 inch dob, gets even better when you ad the GSO coma corrector it is superb.

You can pick one up between 60-80 quid.. 

On 22/05/2024 at 03:09, Celerondon said:

Nice link, Guy! The automatic translation feature helped me to understand most of what author was saying. This should be an interesting video for anyone who is curious about the innards of an AM5  

Don

I was shocked its only running a 35mm Nema 14's,  shows how much torque the Strain Wave makes, guess my next alt az DIY mount using Nema 17 will handle a C11, ive already drawn most of it up with Autocad, haven't decided on the material,I'm thinking 5mm steel to reduce cost but give it better vibration absorbency, its Alt-Az so its not like it has to pick its own weight up. The Strain waves are ￡135 each plus vat and import duty. 

I’ve been searching the net for an internal image/s of the internals of a Strain wave mount for my next project, this Russian chap has opened his mount up and you can see and watch the internals at work.

Looks like the electromagnetic brake is on the rear of one of the steppers.

Interesting stuff... 

On 16/05/2024 at 21:27, Ratlet said:

Wish my daughter would indulge me with a large telescope!

I'm just starting to play with electronics and stepper motors with the goal to build myself some stepper powered contraptions for my scopes (autop focuser and EQ platform).  I'm struggling with the nomenclature for steppers and understanding how the powering of them relates to the rating on the motor itself.  I'll get there in the end I'm sure.  The SkyTee 2 is on the cards for myself also so this project is very interesting.

I do love how quiet they are.  I still couldn't velieve the diffrence between the coffee grinder powered AZGTi and my stepper Gem 28.  

Graham

I felt the same, but started with a basic learning kit and followed some youtube videos, in the end I just bought a kit from Alexander at Astro-Gadget, unfortunately  it wont plug and play with big 6600 drivers as there is no feedback to the control unit regarding step angles so the rules out Nema 23 big powerful motors for my 12 inch dob, may have to use a strain wave gearbox or low amp Nema motors driving a planetary gear box. 

In the mean time I still learning OnStep 

All fun and games

Cheers Guy

On 04/05/2024 at 19:36, Sadali said:

I have recently  purchased GTiX for my Lunt 60 Ha and 102 Omni  plus Herschel wedge.  Big thanks to FLO for express and smooth shopping experience !   I had only chance to test the mount "dry"  inside my flat looking thru the window and I must say it is much smoother and much more precise then my GTI or Solar Quest  

But what I a m thinking about is possibility of using DIY bracket and join both saddles aligned parallel and pointed upwards.  Bracket would be built from two vertical dovetails joined at the ends  by one horizsontal which would create base for third  saddle on the top of the mount exactly in the middle. This would allow to attach up to 10kg  in one point  as if properly balanced would distribute half of the weight  to each of the sides.  I can't see it not working from the physics point of view .... it is the same weight but different   distribution ? 

 

You will need two weights  on each side equal the the scope weight. Defeating the objective

On 07/05/2024 at 19:12, cloudyweather said:

"Brand new, unused but with some carbon fibre irregularities in the weave pattern ...!". I'm not a structural engineer but I'd have thought the weave was integral to the material integrity - but like I say, I'm not a structural engineer.

 

The blemish is called just a turn in the cloth.

carbon tubes will be soaked in resin similar to FRP. Or Fibre Re enforce Plastic. The carbon tube is the put in an autoclave 'Vacuum' all the air is sucked out and replaced with the resin. Exceptionally strong depending on how many layers used, telescopes that have focusers and lens cells screwed on Id personally avoid, the SW125 looks like its bonded proper. The shiny clear coat over the resin finish is subject to any scratches, chips etc just like a metal telescope.

Avoid wet layered tubes like some of TS Services, they will have air bubbles and voids. 

Plywood splinters are unpleasant 😡 great project I might have to copy your ideas with my solid tube 12 inch dob!

Thanks Dave.

Warm but its only running little steppers plus it tight against the extension tube, that might be absorbing some heat, I've just fitted 2.1 amp steppers and have yet to see if it gets hot, testing in the garage isnt really a real test, the kit can take Nema 23 although low amp rated, that'll be the next project for the 12 inch dob if I can find some big worm wheel kits. Maybe fitting some 12V micro fans? with a bag of gel bags in a film canister? 

Cheers Guy

I had a peep through my Vixen 90M (Japan) and gave up after 20 minutes, seeing was awful.. Id describe what I saw as the same. High winds have whipped up the muck.. 

Hi

Project completed, SkyTee with goto running Sky Safari 6 Pro via Skywatcher Synscan Pro.

Did a little video and will follow it up with a build etc

1 X AZStarPRO – AZ drive GoTo controller for azimuth mount SkyTee 2 - $269 + ￡54 VAT

1 X OVL SkyTee 2 Dual Load AZ Mount - ￡Second Hand

2 X 0.9deg 1.33A 34mm Nema 17 Bipolar Stepper Motor For Engraving Printer Machines - ￡26.78

2 X Stepper Motor Mounting Bracket Steel
 Holder -￡9.98

2 X 48 Tooth GT2 Pulley with 6mm bore -￡5.80
2 X 16 Tooth GT2 Pulley with 5mm  bore - ￡2.74
2 X 168 Tooth Belt -￡4.80

1 X 5.5x2.1 Male to Female plug (10)- ￡2.29

2 X Rj45 Female to 8 Pin - ￡9.98

You will need to extend the cap head bolt on the worm carrier and pack it approx 3mm 

Fun building and learning ￡￡￡￡ 

Special thanks to Alexander at Astro Gadget

1 hour ago, Saganite said:

You will need the 30mm as well then.....

Only if the bring out a 7!!! 😂

10,  15, 18 & 24 UFF.  would love to see a 13 & 21 added... 

My OCD needs balance.. 

I have a Celestron 102mm f6.5 achro & Bresser 127L which I really like, my 6” f/8 Newtonian (sold) was better than both for colour, better than the 102 for sharpness on planets but not as sharp as the 127L, Neither are as good as my 12” Revelation dob with Hilux coatings. 
I’ll get around to mounting the 102 on my dob at some point as it has encoders + Nexus and can easily take the weight, should be easy to dig out bigger OIII targets.

Slippy slope... get your wallet ready..

Baader Hyperion 13mm and Morpheus 12.5mm my wife who has little to no interest in anything apart from  Saturn  says she can tell the difference. She describes the stars in the Morh  'yes very nice love'  and could tell the difference in 3 seconds while carrying a bottle of wine from garage  to  house, a justified upgrade. 😊

BST Star guiders are a good start
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html

You will not get  whole a lot  more for your money.. 

Found this on eBay, 

Cadac Grillo Chef 40 BBQ Cover ￡13.99 delivered.. 🙂

On 13/04/2023 at 15:15, Basementboy said:

Hello, coming to this a bit late – and I agree it looks like a terrific mount.

I also share the concerns about vibration. Has anyone tried to mount a longish (eg 102mm f/7 or 100mm f/7.4) refractor?

Id like know also anyone tried a longish scope? 

On 30/04/2023 at 10:41, Zermelo said:

An update to my previous post.

I found a used rubber washer with exactly the dimensions I needed (extracted and retained from some previous plumbing job ... "I might need something like that one day").  The extension pillar is now rock solid at both ends.

 

The tube is made of aluminium, and I was slightly concerned that the threaded hole at the base was being stripped by the steel threaded rod rising from the tripod, during my experimentation. I wouldn't like to keep making and breaking those joints with each session, but fortunately the design of the extension allows me to disconnect the top part, by loosening three lock screws, so I can leave the main body attached to the tripod and the top part attached to the mount.

I'm surprised that the extension only ships with a washer at one end. Actually, the sales pic doesn't even show that:

 

Hows the vibration during focusing?  Would the AZ-GTiX be ok with something like my Vixen 90M be ok for visual?  Thinking about buying one for visual

On 24/07/2023 at 09:32, Mr Spock said:

A sensible course of action. As always for DSO the more aperture you can get, the better the view.

At the cost of size - my 12" is huge and only moves from the shed to the patio. Cracking views though and can spank any apo you'd care to name at a fraction of the price 

Agreed, 12 inch solid tube dobs rule! 😁 Needle galaxy in my 12 inch dob is spectacular so is M51, my 127mm f9.4 is now a solar scope... 

Anyone looking I bought some cheap on Aliexpress and only 1 out  of 4 worked, they were over plaited !  

I prefer shoulderless myself.

12 Inch dob shows faint bluish grey, my vixen 90M shows sightly faint pale washed out blue with occasional loss of the blue probably seeing, ive not had perfect obs conditions all year. 😥