Chriske

Removed one post to have free view on the Alt-drive.
Altitude bearings running on 8 ball bearings.

ok

🤞

Raining outside so back to drawing...

adding Nema11 stepper(built in 1:100 reduction) + worm/wormwheel to altitude axis.
Need two of these :

At our age we need to make the best of it...

10 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Comment so I can follow this thread 🙂

That makes two of us...

31 minutes ago, Gina said:

I didn't say it was ugly, in fact it's rather nice.

Nice..! Thank you...!

I have no problem at all you calling that 'thing' ugly Gina...
Rigid..? Well the thickest branch is about 12 cm diameter. These three thick branches set in a triangular formation, no doubt about that.

In fact my point is (first of all it saves me lots of time making this tripod) I wanted to make a combination of that very rough looking tripod combined with a piece of high tech-telescope on top of that rough piece of wood. It's that contrast I like very much.
On thing is certain, it'll be an eye-catcher during open door mid September. And I'm pretty sure many people will repeat these words you just posted here : It's certainly different!
Each time someone says that during OD, I will smile and think of your words.

Think I might have found how to make very sharp edges 'painting' a printed surface.

I used masking tape and at first I pressed a tick black marker very hard half on the tape, half on the printed surface. Surprise because even I very hard pushed the masking tape onto the printed surface, it gave me this result :

Second I tried another approach, instead of pushing both on the masking tape and the printed surface at the same time, I veeeery gently rubbed with the marker alongside the masking tape, and see what happens :

Both techniques side by side :

FYI,  the flaw in this part is :  I forgot to change settings in my slicer. So when a 0.7mm is set where 1.5mm should have used ...🙄

20 minutes ago, Gina said:

That looks pretty good for something so small, Chris.  Wonder if my printer will do as well...  😁

I'm not at all happy with that result at all Gina, let that be clear, I said 'better' not perfect. That is spoken as a 3D-printing 'nerd'. A regular visitor(at our local observatory) will not judge it as I do of course.
I'm only happy with it because of the hight of this rocket. It will be 'out of reach(view)' to the visitors. Nobody will notice the so called 'bad' quality.

Better, not perfect.
It's only a few millimetres 'big' so, It'll do...
Need four of these.

Manoeuvrability of that upper stage is secured now with four of these thruster units...

SaturnV project is finished, now I can continue working on this one.

Today I made a first attempt to make a sturdy tripod for that bino. Well imo this is a sturdy one, and heavy too..😁
There will be two platforms. The first one, the highest branch,  is for the bino itself. That smaller branch(mid-right) is for a smaller platform holding eyepieces and stuff.
Both still need to be cut to the correct height.
It's wood btw from an apple-tree. It's old, full of moss, very irregularly shaped, I love it.

The bottom is a sandwich of 3 layers 18mm plywood. These will be painted green, about the same colour as the branches itself.
All is bolted together with thick hex-head wood-screws.

I'll gather all stl's and post them here.

Gina,

If you do print it, this size, I'll send you a set of labels (if you're interested).

If you lost it : 1.5mm nozzles are not for sale(if I'm not mistaken) Gina...

1 minute ago, Gina said:

Hmm...  Doesn't seem to be in my main stock of nozzles.  I have 1.2mm and 2mm.  The 1.5mm+ may be in one of the general 3D printer boxes.

You do have a 1.5mm... I know for sure...!...;-)

8 minutes ago, Chriske said:

Maybe I could add a water-rocket-launching system...;-))

If I'm not mistaken the height record water rocket launching is set at 530(!) meters.
but these guys used kevlar to reinforce they’re rockets...

Just kidding guys...;-)))

Just now, DougM43 said:

Now that is pretty cool, I presume your going to paint it? 

Nono I'm going to add self adhesive plastic labels and lettering.
Tried it a long time ago, painting PLA. For some reason it's always a messy job. Applying paint the edges always tend to finish up kinda 'fuzzy'.
I want a absolute clean and sharp edge for all these coloured surfaces and lettering.

10 minutes ago, Gina said:

WOW!!  That's magnificent!    When's the launch date? 🤣

Maybe I could add a water-rocket-launching system...;-))

Do you know were you stored that 1.5mm nozzle Gina...;-)))

Done..!

As a matter of fact, these printers I have... the best tool I ever had.
The possibilities are endless.  And no, the limit is not the size of the printer.

4 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Its useful for everything, not just Astronomy......

Indeed..

A few hours later ....

I'm at 1.7 meter now
Still busy printing thrusters @0.4mm nozzle. Takes a long time.
I wanted these thruster high quality, that's why 0.4

And yes, still struggling with these tiny upper thrusters...😡

Almost done printing. Still a few flame deflectors, ailerons and thrusters to do.
I have a few orders for this rocket already.
Meanwhile just started assembling my first SaturnV.

The cross shaped part is there to guide the most upper part with a threaded rod.