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Anyone made a 3D printed clamp for a QHY camera?


coatesg

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As title really - I'm interested in getting some made at work. Just wondered if anyone had already done the same? (and wouldn't mind sharing the plans?!)

Want a circular clamp or two to go round the body of the camera (QHY163M) to hold it firm onto a dovetail - can't find any designs online, and not very experienced in designing for 3D!

Cheers

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22 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

What's the diameter of the camera and what do you want to clamp it to?

The camera is 77mm diameter - I want to attach it firmly to a dovetail (using a single bolt through the central "slot" on the dovetail). Currently using a three point finder scope ring, but it's just not quite as rigid as it could be...

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What size bolt through the dovetail? M6?

Try this. The top clamp requires an M6 screw and nut.

You can either put an M6 nut in the pocket at the bottom and an M6 screw through a clearance hole in the dovetail or fit an M6 screw into a threaded hole in the dovetail with its head in the hex pocket.

Should be enough flex to tolerate small differences from 77mm diameter.

Camera Clamp.stl

image.png.9bdd59e699da6041485518874e72ff70.png

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That's great - many thanks! That's pretty much what I was thinking of - thanks :) I'm going to try and learn how to replicate this so I can adjust the height of the clamp to try and keep everything on axis: (I think I understand roughly how to do the 3D design process in software now) I'll let you know the outcome!

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He's the Alibre file which should be easy to edit.

Alibre design is fully parametric, all you have to do is edit sketch 2 and  change the height value. (current centre height  = 40 + 15). You may also want to make it narrower/wider so it sits better on the dovetail. Ideal might be to fit between the two raised ribs on top of the dovetail.

Camera Clamp.AD_PRT

image.png.873bd5c37e50c23ce61719fd163fe708.png

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Ok - so design submitted for printing (we have access to 3D printers at work through one of the libraries - it should be ready on Thurs :)

I started from scratch to try and learn how to do the designing on the software - quite pleased and it's not too bad at all to make simple designs like this. Here it is - I'll report back once I have the prototype!

clamp.jpg.22db4b6cd540249eb52c6e47fb51fbd9.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

Bit of a delay on this one, but finally got round to rigging this up. I made not only the camera clamps but also some spacers (to allow me to rotate it horizontal with the large FW!), and an adjustable mount for the stepper motor I use to focus. Really pleased with the way it's come out.

Of course, I bought a bolt that was 1mm too short :sighs: - more on order! I think I need one more spacer too for using the two camera clamps with other lenses (the 200mm here doesn't need it as it has the tripod lens mount).

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3 hours ago, JamesF said:

That looks rather neat.  Love the electric focuser mechanism :)

It does work really well - its a small stepper driven by the SGL Focuser (https://sourceforge.net/projects/sglfocuser/) running on a small Arduino with a stepper driver board. V neat, ASCOM compatible (so can be used with SGP), and *way* cheaper than anything commercial that's similar.  Having it on the little sliding plate makes it much easier to change the lens over too.

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