Gina's Mini Widefield Imaging Observatory

[Gina]

Thank you

I'm happy to report that I am completely unscathed

[Stu]

That could have been a 'Wallace and Grommit' moment, sawing through the table! [emoji3]

[Gina]

Fortunately the deepest it went was through only the top veneer

[Gina]

3D printing a test curved angle bracket to hold the aluminium onto the plywood quadrants.  Here's a screenshot from the software.  This covers one third of the edge so 6 per sheet (3 each end) and 18 altogether.  This one is for the biggest quadrant.  It just fits nicely within the print area of the UP! Plus 2 3D printer.

[Gina]

Actually I might got for a quarter of the quadrant as I can then print more than one at a time by placing them almost vertically in the print volume.  This screenshot shows 8 printing at the same time.  This lot will take just over 4 hours to print but can be left to print overnight.

[Gina]

Here is a small copse of curved angles growing on the print bed of my 3D printer   The smaller rafts are growing support material for the upper hole in the angle.

[Gina]

It's growing

[Gonzo]

What it this made off?

Is it strong enough?

I'm not into 3D printer thingy stuff

[Davey-T]

Excellent Gina, like one of those Star Trek replicators  

Dave

[Chris]

Still amazes me all this 3D printing mallarky!

[Gina]

What it this made off?

Is it strong enough?

I'm not into 3D printer thingy stuff

It's ABS - Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene a thermoplastic commonly used for injection moulding as well as 3D printing.  It is very strong - surprisingly strong in fact

[Gina]

Still amazes me all this 3D printing mallarky!

Yes indeed - blooming marvellous   So many uses

[Gina]

Getting there

[Dave In Vermont]

It's ABS - Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene a thermoplastic commonly used for injection moulding as well as 3D printing.  It is very strong - surprisingly strong in fact

Acrylonitrile is a cyanide as cyanide = nitrile in organo-chemistry-speak. Perfectly fine and well in a strong plasticized state. But don't breathe the fumes from it should it catch on fire for some odd reason.

I'm Still Amazed,

Dave

[Gonzo]

Does it glow in the dark  ?

[Gina]

No.

[Gina]

Printing finished.

[Gina]

Four pieces cleaned up and laid on one of the quadrants showing how they will be used.

[Gina]

Been designing the bearing and drive system.  I've ordered a pair of ball bearings to provide the bain bearings - 25mm ID x 47mm OD x 12mm wide.  These will be fitted into the end pieces.  Going inside either one end or both ends depending whether I need to drive both ends or not, will be a flange with boss as shown below.  This will be screwed to the inside moving quadrant and take a bearing for the outer quadrant.

This shows the western end piece.

And this shows the flange and hub.

[Gina]

A small design change on the flange with hub.  Here are views of each side. 

This side goes into the bearing then an acrylic disc is bolted on to form the large timing pulley of the motor drive system with 4 M4 SS bolts.

This other side takes the roof quadrant which is screwed to the flange.  The 4 bolts coming through from the other side screw into M4 nyloc nuts that go into the hexagonal recesses.  Outside of that will be a bearing for the outer roof quadrant.  A 10mm SS bolt will go through the middle to clamp it all together.

[Gina]

I have a couple of spare ball bearings that I might use for the bearing for the outer roof quadrant.  I can print a separator with adapter to allow a 12mm ID bearing to go on the 10mm bolt, like this.

[Gina]

The bearings have arrived so I'm hoping to make more progress today

Here are photos of the flange with boss, the first shows the bearing fitted.

[Gina]

Holes cut in the appropriate quadrants with a hole saw and flange fitted to one.  This shows that the flange print is alright for size   Unfortunately the bearing OD doesn't match any hole saw that I have so I'll have to print an adapter to fit it into the fixed end panels.

[Stu]

Great progress Gina.

You'll be able to find it in the dark easily with that green!! [emoji3][emoji6]

[Gina]

Thank you Stu

It's right outside the living room window so no problem with the room lights on and the curtains open   Might need to buy some thicker curtains if I want a light on though or I might have my very own light pollution