MarkAR

Superb.

Hooray, rather £95 than hundreds for a new mount.

Adding a locking nut to the threaded rod will help with any wobble in the threads.

Couple of shots from earlier tonight with a little earth shine.

How about weld coupling nuts to the side by the round cup pieces and move the wheels towards the centre to clear them.

You're right, didn't think about Meade being US manufacturer. Mind you, looking at the DP of the gear, 24 +2 / 0.5" makes it a 52 DP gear. I think Meade have used a metric set up. Take into account the measured diameter is 12.5mm on a worn and broken gear, it is very possible that it was originally 13mm making it a 0.5 MOD, 24 tooth metric gear. It could be the 48DP imperial gear if the outside diameter was originally13.7mm

Excellent, so a PCD of 12mm, 24 tooth, 3mm bore in delrin is I believe what you need. Accu.co.uk only do that one in brass or steel. Brass might be ok. PCD is the diameter measured from half the tooth height.

I think thats a pretty standard part, measure across the diameter with a rule and also the hole. The hole will only be either 3, 4 or 5mm. The teeth look like 0.5 MOD, so I'm guessing that the diameter is 13mm. The closest spurr gears that Accu comes up with is a 0.5 MOD, 24 tooth, 12mm PCD, 3 and 4mm bore.

No, have a look on youtube. Also Youtube machinist Facebook page.

Yup, thats thin but not impossible. I follow a few Youtube machinists and three precision engineers that I know that will be able to make them are Tom Lipton of Oxtools, Joe Pieczynski and Robin Renzetti. I'm sure one of them posted a video of making thin washers or shims.

Did a quick google for precision gears uk and came up with these possible links. https://www.accu.co.uk/en/622-precision-gears https://www.reliance.co.uk/catalogue/precision-gears/ http://www.davall.co.uk http://www.edgertongears.co.uk It probably would have to be a custom made job but having it made in brass would be a good upgrade. It looks like you have 2 gears sandwiched on there. Measure the diameter of the spindle, the outside diameters and number of teeth of each section.

Look like junk to me, they should have been made on a lathe from bar stock. What are the inner and outer diameters and thickness dimensions supposed to be?

I think the Canon 90D is the replacement for the 80D so it'll be great. I've got the 80D and its superb. Definitely worth thinking about a used astro modded body as well, Canon 450D up to a 6D. Stick with APS-c size cropped format so that if you get the clip in type filters you can use them on both bodies with any EF lenses. Do not use EF-S lenses as they will crash into the filter.

I think you're right, though some ball heads can take a hell of a weight load. Lose the ball head, you can rotate the camera in the scope for orientation.

Excellent image, you've tamed the core brightness very well.

Hi Dan, as a start do plenty of reading and searching for reviews on equipment. I think your scope came with a smartphone attachment in the kit. So maybe decide on a lightweight tracker first. Skywatcher and Ioptron Skyguider are the most popular and easiest to lug around. Once set up try taking longer exposure shots with your phone (if thats possible) or slo mo or time-lapse . Rather than spend a load on a new Canon Ra or similar, hunt around for a used modified Canon with flip up screen and T-ring adapter. You may also need some filters with this. Next step up would be a sturdier EQ GOTO mount, dedicated cooled camera and filter, bigger scope and guiding.

Things can only get better from now on. Keep trying and keep posting up vids.

How about one of these. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33000858246.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.c39d4afePoDheN&algo_pvid=608911be-9d12-4a48-9db4-efe92ba2be72&algo_expid=608911be-9d12-4a48-9db4-efe92ba2be72-59&btsid=0b0a01f815826282298738536e3597&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

I'll keep tabs on progress, in the meantime I'll see if something springs to mind that I've forgotten of my meagre electronics knowledge.

No worries mate.

Try getting in touch with the manufacturers to see if they can tell you what the square black component actually is and its specifications and also send details to RS Components. If you get a result then it's be an easy soldering job. Sorry I can't be of more help at the moment but if you end up having to get a new board I would be interested in trying to find the correct component myself and trying to fix it. I love messing around with this sort of thing.

I think CDand E might just be signal connections, don't think they would affect your problem.

There are also a few forum threads with HEQ5 motherboard problems, if you have a handset and it says both axis no response, the likelyculprits are the 2 are capacitors. They say to replace them with 35v 470mF ones.

Just found this, its a bit cheaper. https://www.microglobe.co.uk/sky-watcher-motherboard-for-heq5-pro-p-15281.html

HHMMMMM! I was expecting both to beep. I'm not an expert but it might be shorting through the component only when powered. Whats aggravating is not being able to find a board diagram and not having a part number visible, the components are less that £1, some less that 10p. Seems rediculous to spend £120 on a new board. I have in the past been able to trouble shoot a couple of ultrasonic cleaner main boards and got them working but without schematics or part numbers its difficult.