EQ8 - The Unboxing

[Gina]

Do you have a grinding wheel Gina, if so you could grind the thread off the end of some M10. You could probably get away with filing it but it would just take longer.

You could keep the same knob then, also you could grind a flat on the bar for the grub screws so it holds better.

Thank you for the suggestion   I only have some small grinding wheels that fit a drill chuck but it could be a possibility.

[Gina]

Apeice of studding in a electric drill with a file would soon put a rebate on the end, just need to steady the studding so it doen't whip about.....A pice of wood with a hole bored through it would do then clamped in a vice....

Yes, that sounds feasible, thank you

[JamesF]

I'm happy to turn down a bit of threaded rod or a bolt in the lathe and stick it in the post if it helps, Gina, but obviously it will take a few days to get to you.

James

[Gina]

Post has just arrived with goodies to use with the mount

1. 50 off M16 washers type C (extra large OD) 3mm thick.  48 of these will give 12 per pile and 36mm spacing between the discs to give sufficient room to get at the central bolt (I hope - if not I'll order more ))
2. Ball bearing 12mm ID x 30mm OD x 8mm thick to fit the centre hole in the steel plate and reduce it to 12mm for the centre bolt.
3. Cig socket so that I can use the supplied power lead without cutting it, to connect to my power supply.

I've been out and taken the mount off, turned the top plate round and re-bolted and replaced the mount so It's now the right way round.

One thing I feel I must repeat - this mount is much easier to handle than the NEQ6 - the handles make all the difference.  I was very surprised by this in view of the weights - 16Kg for the NEQ6 and 25Kg for the EQ8.  I would say that the EQ8 makes a much better mount to take out in the car to a dark site or star parties than the NEQ6.  Of course, I can't comment on its tripod/pier as I didn't buy that.

[Gina]

BTW - I ordered a HitecAstro EQDIR adapter for EQMOD lead from FLO - made specially for the EQ8 - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/hitecastro-eqdir-adapter.html.  I know I'm quite capable of making up an adapter myself but I'm also quite capable of making a mistake and with two and a half grand's worth of kit at stake I don't think thirty quid is too much for peace of mind

[Bubbles82]

The eqmod side of this mount is going to be a big deal for me, the synscan is ok and does what it is meant to do just fine, I used the standard handset for quite a while but not knowing my way round the sky very well i found it very basic. Eqmod and CDC are a brilliant combo which makes things much easier and actually helped me learn the position of many of the objects in the night sky when I first started out. I hope that September next year I will be able to buy an eq8 to add to my collection and hope that all the excellent features of eqmod work just as well with the eq8 as they have my eq6 ( apart from the polar alignment feature)

I use this a lot with my eq6 to polar align and find it great,guess I will just have to learn to drift align by then

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Zakalwe]

EQMOD works fine with the EQ8. You will need a different cable from the one that you use on the EQ6, as the EQ8 doesn't use a serial port type connector. I think that a HEQ5 lead will work (or cut the serial port off the EQ6 lead and crimp on a RJ45 connector) as long as the cable can detect the 3.3V signal from the mount.

The electronics on the EQ8 also 3.3V TTL signalling, but have been built to tolerate 5V signalling. In a perfect world you'd use a USB-to-serial that has 3.3V.

[Gina]

I'm happy to turn down a bit of threaded rod or a bolt in the lathe and stick it in the post if it helps, Gina, but obviously it will take a few days to get to you.

James

Thank you for the offer James   I think I have another solution though but if I find it doesn't work very well I might accept your offer

[Gina]

I'm thinking I should start a new thread for the setting up etc. After all, the unboxing is finished

[Gina]

That concludes the "Unboxing" and the process continues in a companion thread "EQ8 - Installation and Commissioning" - http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/197919-eq8-installation-and-commissioning/