How to make bracket for stepper other focuser?

[blinky]

I’m going to fit a stepper motor to my Altair ed70, I have a nema 17 so could use that and couple to the reduction knob either with a band or directly, or I also have a byj48 which would allow me to do the same to the standard knob.  The problem is, I don’t know what would work best and I’m not very good at metalwork as I lack tools other than a drill and junior hacksaw! 

Is there any tips that folks can share, what method works best and is there something that would be easily adaptable to work as a bracket or is the best thing to get a strip aluminium and bend to a right angle then drill out the fittings?

[redtail]

get a strip aluminium and bend to a right angle then drill out the fittings

 

[upahill]

I usually 3D print them as I also lack the tools to do any decent metal work. Of course only any good if you have a 3D printer.

My next goto would be to adapt a standard bracket - have a look on eBay there are lots of standard nema brackets available, these could then be bolted onto another piece of extrusion perhaps with t-nuts, or straight bolted to a plain strip of metal.

[blinky]

Yeah i do have a nema bracket now you mention it, might look at that - it means I would need to use the reduction knob to get the step side correct but I suppose thats fine.  Not sure what the pitch size on the fine focus knob is to get a belt to fit but I suppose I can use a non toothed belt?

[Bizibilder]

Rather than trying to bend a strip of Aluminium (some grades will snap if you try!) get yourself a piece of box section (square tube - available on a well known auction site at reasonable cost) and cut a piece out to the required shape.  You can do this either to a sketch or drawing or simply cut away unwanted metal until you have the required shape!  A junior hacksaw should be adequate for this job.

You can buy a file to get rid of the sharp edges and finally "polish" it with a kitchen scourer (the green type - works a treat on ali!!)

[blinky]

1 hour ago, Bizibilder said:

Rather than trying to bend a strip of Aluminium (some grades will snap if you try!) get yourself a piece of box section (square tube - available on a well known auction site at reasonable cost) and cut a piece out to the required shape.  You can do this either to a sketch or drawing or simply cut away unwanted metal until you have the required shape!  A junior hacksaw should be adequate for this job.

You can buy a file to get rid of the sharp edges and finally "polish" it with a kitchen scourer (the green type - works a treat on ali!!)

Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean - How would I be able to make box section into a right angle?

[tooth_dr]

13 minutes ago, blinky said:

Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean - How would I be able to make box section into a right angle?

I assumed it means solid aluminium rectangular bar, rather than hollow box section.

[Bizibilder]

I do mean box section.  If you cut away part of the box you can end up with a right angled piece (or any other shape you can get from the original box shape - a quick sketchup shows what I mean:

[blinky]

Ah ok see what you mean now

[kbrown]

You could have it printed for you. For example here: https://www.3dprint-uk.co.uk/

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I use one of these (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1571692) modified for my Nema 17 motors etc.

It's a very simple design but works very well and can be adapted to most ota's, but there a many variations to be found on Thingiverse, you'll just need to find someone to print them for you....

[Gina]

I design my own.

[JamesF]

I've done what Roger (Bizibilder) suggests a number of times.  Given a drill, a hacksaw, a couple of files, a few suitable size taps and a creative mind you can achieve a fair bit using offcuts available pretty cheaply from the auction site to which Roger alludes.

James

[blinky]

Had an initial go today with the hacksaw - need to wait on a coupler arriving before I get the exact spacing

[redtail]

This is mine.

[blinky]

See that looks good, mine will look a state!

[redtail]

Or you could use direct drive as on my other scope.If i were you i would connect to the rough focus if using direct drive.