Guiding conversion project for 200p and EQ5

[Quatermass]

Hi Pixueto

The utube video was done with the EQ5 mount off its main legs and I had removed the drive motor for RA it did need doing as well there was a lot of slack. Turning that little grub screw and gently adjusting the two side bolts take a bit of tweaking but if you do while turning the handle you can feel the tension on the worm gear until you get it just right and have no more slack. The aim is to get it so that when you turn the handle the axis turns straight away in both directions. I did this to both the RA and the Dec axis and it has made a big difference.

A less diy solution for the finder scope into a guide scope, mine is about as less diy as you can get others have lathed out metal shafts and used old pipes and all kinds of stuff. I am finding my loo roll and foam method is working quite well for a webcam but if you get a proper ccd camera then you can buy an adapter for about 30.00 pounds. I think your going to have to get another smaller finder scope or mybe make the laser one I did its very light and I dont want to add any more weight to this set up.

Im out here tonight again but the cloud is just not going to go away so I think its time to give up and go in. The wind is picking up as well so I bet the next clear night I get will be cursed with being to windy.

Never mind cant do a thing about the British weather I guess. Glad you found the video helpful next time I can have another guiding session Im going to do a video of that. pS my diy skills are only put into action when Im skint which is most of the time so Im getting better.

[pixueto]

Indeed we are being quite unlucky with the weather lately! I hardly managed to do any imaging for several weeks. If it isn't cloudy, there is a full Moon. In my last picture I noticed some dust managed to find their way to the sensor. i've used the blower and a tiny brush. Hope I did not damage the filter. I washed the drush a hundred times and I practiced with a OIII filter first but as yet I haven't been able to see if everything is OK as I do not have any lense for the Canon 350D.

[Quatermass]

Well I came in and gave up, bet it will be clear as a bell when I go to bed. My Canon 350d has no main lens just body only and I often just use the blower on the sensor to clear away any dust particles you should be ok. Lets hope we get some decent clear skies soon its most frustrating having had it all going so well then not being able to go out and try again. I really want to image NGC2244 before it moves to far over by the tree.

[paulk]

Great thread QM, goes to show what images can be done with modest equipment too

[badgers]

I was going to do a thread on my whole EQ3-2 project, but I think this one covers all aspects of guiding with these lower end mounts.

Stan, it might be good to start up the EQ3-2 thread anyway, this one has been really useful to lots of us.

I'm about to embark on a bargain basement guided imaging setup on the EQ3-2, so I'd be really happy to see it and hopefully contribute anything I learn on getting the best out of a budget mount.

I'm just waiting on stock for the dual-axis motor which is the last piece of kit I need.

Badgers

[badgers]

Oh and Thanks again Quatermass for a fantastic thread.

badgers

[Quatermass]

Glad you found it helpful badgers by the way have you tryed rother vally optics thats were I got my dual axis kit from and got it the next day.

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[austen4]

Hello guys,

I recieved my GPUSB yesterday, i tryed some guiding last nights but the cloud ruined it. However I have got remove the LED in the webcam as it shines onto the sensor. Im hoping for a clear night to properly try it all again. Will give more updates soon.

[Quatermass]

Hi Austin me to, gave up in the end cursed clouds. Might be worth waiting for a very clear night to test it all out its very frustrating when you have to start then stop etc. But you can allways test the gears for any slack. I posted up a complete run down of the project on my blog for easy reading with a utube vid on adjusting the slack out of your gears if you need help on that.

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[badgers]

Glad you found it helpful badgers by the way have you tryed rother vally optics thats were I got my dual axis kit from and got it the next day.

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Thanks for the info Q.

I made the mistake of thinking ("1 in stock") on a website meant it was in stock and ready to ship. Sadly they are still awaiting stock over 2 weeks later. But its a small company and I don't want to cancel my order with them because they've been good in the past and helpful when I talk to them.

I'm spending my time testing the 9x50 skywatcher guidescope with the logitech webcam attached using the spc adaptor. Getting it to reach focus involved a hacksaw and prayers.

The GPUSB and the guideport conversion kit arrived last week.

[Quatermass]

Sounds like your almost ready to go guiding, be great to see your results when you get your dual axis kit. The clouds dont look like there going anytime soon so have to be patient sigh. I find my looroll foam method of attatching the webcam easy to focus just needs a gentle twist and its there

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Edited February 15, 2012 by Quatermass

[badgers]

That's really neat and looks nicer than my one.

I bought the guidescope adapter from modern astronomy which was designed for the spc type cameras.

It looks a little bit like this one:

The problem I had was that the quick cam pro 4000 has a threaded barrel which is longer than the spc type one. I had to disassemble the camera and cut off about 1cm from the barrel with a hacksaw. Now the adapter threads onto it and screws in nice and tight to the bottom, just above the ccd. This then screws directly into the back of the guidescope.

It still wouldn't reach focus, but at modern astronomy they recommended removing the black ring at the front of the scope which allowed me to twist the front lens further and into focus.

Only managed this last night, but don't have a clear sky to test focus and sensitivity for stars.

I did manage to achieve focus into somebody's kitchen about 600 meters away though, so it looks promising : )

I wish I'd taken some photos before I superglued the camera back together and gaffa-taped the back end of the guidescope. Mine is pretty solid, but the gaffa tape gives it that low budget authentic feel

Badgers

[badgers]

How is your guidescope mounted Quatermass ?

I'm planning to just use the skywatcher finderscope mount, but I'm not sure if this will create too much slop and cause flexure issues.

Mine certainly feels very solid in the mount.

Badgers

[Quatermass]

Its very simple I just unscrew the end of the finder scope then cut a bit of loo roll tube to size and wrap it round my webcam and tape it for a snug fit. That then goes into a bit of foam and then into the finder scope. Just push it all the way in and pull it back a little bit to focus.

It then just goes back on the telescope as normal. Easy

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Heres a UTube vid showing it in detail

Edited February 15, 2012 by Quatermass

[badgers]

Well it looks like your setup is almost identical to mine, except for the mount.

If I can get anything like the images you posted earlier in the thread I'll be happy.

Thanks again for all the advice, it was this thread that convinced me to give guided imaging a crack on my budget setup.

Badgers

[Quatermass]

Well it looks like your setup is almost identical to mine, except for the mount.

If I can get anything like the images you posted earlier in the thread I'll be happy.

Thanks again for all the advice, it was this thread that convinced me to give guided imaging a crack on my budget setup.

Badgers

Well I think you will be fine, Stan has done this and worked very well for him just need to tighten up all the slack on the gears and you will be good to go. Of course this is a budget set up but I really am happy with the results I have got and the money that I have saved doing this. For me that is what matters results and savings.

[paulk]

I raided B&Q for mine, it's a reducer for a sink I think.

A couple of strips of mtb tube to keep it snug and one strip around the nose piece of the webcam, works very well and cost £2

I think it was this one http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/plumbing/plumbing-supplies/plumbing_fittings/-specificproducttype-reducers/Polyplumb-22-X-15mm-Socket-Reducer-11477896

Edited February 15, 2012 by paulk

[pixueto]

Guys, can you help me with this? Is the finder to QHY5 adapter from Modern Astronomy suitable for a normal webcam with a 1.25 adapter? I've never seen a QHY5

[Quatermass]

For the price I dont think it will be worth it as it is designed to screw into the end of the finderscope and then the QHY5 screws into the adapter. However looking at it there is no way to hold the webcam. I will just go into the hole as far as I can see its for the qhy5 camera not a webcam.

However, they also sell this one for 37 quid

But I am not sure if it will work as I have to push my webcam further in to get it to focus?

Edited February 15, 2012 by Quatermass

[pixueto]

Thanks for helping with this. So is the QHY5 wider than a 1.25 eyepiece? I am looking for a way of using the finderscope with a 25mm eyepiece. I would use it as a finder, then lock the target, remove the EP and introduce the webcam with the 1.25 adapter to start autoguiding. In that way, I wouldn’t need to add any more weight to the system. But I am trying to avoid any DIY. The adapter from modern astronomy doesn’t seem the right size, does it?

[malc-c]

To get focus on the finder when the webcam or QHY5 is attached with a fixed adapter you need to move the objective lens in or out. It may also be necessary to remove the locking ring that holds the lens shield in place should you need to move the lens nearer the camera

[Quatermass]

I dont think your going to be able to avoid a diy solution Pix most conversions I have seen so far have involved pipes or lathed fittings of some kind. The QHY5 camera has a thread on the front of it that fits right into that adapter and the webcam I use on my diy finder scope has to be pushed right up to the barrel of the finder scope to get focused correctly. That is why I like the foam and loo roll tube they do work very well and hold the webcam in there firmly enough to focus and keep track of a star with out slipping plus its dirt cheap a bit of foam and a loo roll tube and some masking tape.

Easy diy guide scope - YouTube

Also when I want to use the finder scope its dead easy to pull the foam out and just screw the end back on again and im back to a finder scope.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Quatermass

[pixueto]

I see. I have a spacer and thought I could use it to get focused if I needed but I might need the oposite after what you are saying guys. Thank you very much. I might give it a go using your system them QM.

[Quatermass]

One more thing I have found is that to get focus if the webcam is further away from the barrel end of the finder scope is that you can unscrew the ring on the end of the finder scope and turn the ring so the main lens at the top of the finder scope can be adjusted or as malcom is saying undo the ring that hold the lens inside and adjust that which for me was too much fiddling about. With my simple foam and loo roll tube method I dont have to adjust the focus at the top end of the scope at all just simply push the webcam in or out gently and it does the trick. Which means that if I screw the viewing lens back on to the finder scope after taking out the webcam leaving the foam inside just pulling out the cardboard tube still on the webcam, the finder scope is back to normal and focused still.

[JamesF]

Returning to the converstation late, I agree with the idea of a separate EQ3-2 thread, if only so it helps with search results.

James