Coupler for motorised focuser (SCT)

[souls33k3r]

Hi All,

Call me El Cheapo but it's a fact, i'm skint right now so got no money to further spend on any astro gear in the foreseeable future.

I'm thinking of using the same Lakeside focuser on two different scopes. The refractor will come out for wide field imaging and my EdgeHD 8" would subsequently come when i need to zoom in to a target.

Now i think the lakeside won't be able to provide just the bracket and a coupler on it's own so here's my first hurdle.

I shall worry about the bracket later but was wondering where can i find the correct coupler for my EdgeHD 8 scope?

From memory, i think (please do excuse me for tagging on you) @PhotoGav is the only person here i know who's using lakeside directly on to the stock focuser which is what i intend to do.

I'm not entirely sure how the coupler would slip on to the course focus knob. Does it have a wide opening to encapsulate the complete brass tube and then a small opening for the lakeside?

Any help is muchly appreciated.

Thank you in advance

[RayD]

Might be worthwhile just dropping Ian a line mate as I believe he will supply an additional bracket and coupler if you have bought a full kit from him (at a cost of course), but not as just a complete stand alone with no previous purchase.

[souls33k3r]

Just now, RayD said:

Might be worthwhile just dropping Ian a line mate as I believe he will supply an additional bracket and coupler if you have bought a full kit from him (at a cost of course), but not as just a complete stand alone with no previous purchase.

I will check with him on that tomorrow but i do fear he will quote me some silly amount. I believe i can have both the coupler and a bracket done for under a tenner or twenty max.

[RayD]

1 minute ago, souls33k3r said:

I will check with him on that tomorrow but i do fear he will quote me some silly amount. I believe i can have both the coupler and a bracket done for under a tenner or twenty max.

Yeah not sure about cost.  I had one made a while back and it was about £30 from memory for the bracket and coupler.

[souls33k3r]

2 minutes ago, RayD said:

Yeah not sure about cost.  I had one made a while back and it was about £30 from memory for the bracket and coupler.

Ok that doesn't sound too bad. If it's any more, i'm just going to freak out lol

Also i've noticed that the price of the motor, bracket and coupler as a package has gone up £10. 

Again, i checked on eBay and couplers can be had for under a fiver and bracket can be made or 3D printed so i might not even have to spend a tenner ... can i change my nickname to #ElCheapo?

[RayD]

1 minute ago, souls33k3r said:

Ok that doesn't sound too bad. If it's any more, i'm just going to freak out lol

Also i've noticed that the price of the motor, bracket and coupler as a package has gone up £10. 

Again, i checked on eBay and couplers can be had for under a fiver and bracket can be made or 3D printed so i might not even have to spend a tenner ... can i change my nickname to #ElCheapo?

Lol.  If you can get a suitable coupler I have some aluminium angle here spare from when I made one for my Pegasus motor which I'm sure I can donate to knock you up a bracket (you'd need to give me some dimensions of course).

[PhotoGav]

Hello El Cheapo! Here’s a pic of my Edge with Lakeside. As you can see the bracket is a bit more than for a ‘standard’ focuser. Indeed it does attach to the brass focus shaft. It is pretty easy to fit. As Ray suggests, call IKI who will happily sell you just the brackets and coupler I’m sure. Please don’t ask me to take mine apart to give you exact measurements!!

[RayD]

15 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

Please don’t ask me to take mine apart to give you exact measurements!!

Oh crikey that's a bit of a work of art!!  Cancel that offer of making a bracket, Ahmed ?

[Jkulin]

El Cheapo ?

I wouldn't have brackets made again, I'd cut and make my own, if you want a few a inches of angled Aluminium then I can cut some and bung it in the post, drop a fiver into cancer research and jobs a good'un!

For the coupler, what a lot people don't tell you is that they are these: - https://ebay.us/TycSEJ  yep 3D printing heads and you just drill the ends out to fit.

Ray, that's only two 90 degrees bolted together.

Hope that helps?

[souls33k3r]

El Cheapo is a happy chappy right now. You lot are legends. 

@PhotoGav hahaha mate I would never ask that if you. I can see that the bracket is not one piece but two which makes sense.

I'll give IKI a call tomorrow and will find out. 

I'm case the price is slightly higher than I expect, all I need to then measure is the thickness of the brass shaft width and buy something from FleaBay like @Jkulin mentioned. (Oh and I'm happy to put in a fiver just for that info mate ;)) 

I'll give one of you lot a shout when looking for the bracket. 

[Helen]

3 hours ago, souls33k3r said:

Can i change my nickname to #ElCheapo?

Am resisting.....? (just ?)

[souls33k3r]

8 minutes ago, Helen said:

Am resisting.....? (just ?)

I’ve witnessed the wrath of Helen before which reminds me of never to mess with her .... EVER ? 

[Helen]

You just seem to trigger my mischievous side ?

 

On topic though,  I've got a couple of motors/brackets and just switch the controller.  Useful link to the couplers ?

Helen

[souls33k3r]

14 hours ago, Helen said:

You just seem to trigger my mischievous side ?

? as long as you don't accidently ban me from here, you can change my display pictures, my name it's all good

Back to the topic, last night i found some of these couplers https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F262713107226 

Not sure what everyone's view on this is?

I presume i just need to measure the brass bit of the focuser end on my EdgeHD and then the motor side? I'm hoping 10mm will be all what i'll need.