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Motor Focuser

Sam

By Sam
in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups

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Sam

Sam

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After an annoying evening of trying to focus my 8" Newt with the webcam attached and having it wobble every time I touched the focuser I decided to look at a motorised focuser - even worse than that I decided to build one myself.

It's powered by the 12V powertank with a reversible switch.

I haven't had a first light on it yet and by looking outside it won't be tonight. But I've had a good number of tests with it inside. The controller has three buttons for different speeds but my memory of school boy electronics has not worked too well so only one speed works (that's full speed) but it's very slow so is great for the fine control. I have a rudimentary friction control to allow the motor to be disengaged for coarse adjustments of the focuser.

It's held on with electrical tape at the moment but I'll get some double sided tape (the strong stuff) to make it a bit more secure.

Here's the pictures:

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cheers

Sam

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Sam

Sam

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Hi Sam,

It looks pretty good for a Mark I version. Double sided tape for the Mark II. Computer control for the Mark III? :(

Where did you get the cogs and bits from?

Mike

Cheers Mike, the gearbox thingy comes from Maplins. :D

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Sam

Sam

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I've just added the double sided tape (same thing that number plates are held on with) to hold the motor to the telescope. It works surprisingly well! (usually these little projects don't go so smoothly!). The only thing I need to add is a little spring to hold tension on the focuser wheel, that will help with disengaging it to do coarse focus adjustments. Quite pleased with this little project - actually looking to the moon coming back so I can test it out! :(

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astro_dt

astro_dt

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Hi Sam

Nice piece of kit!

These gearboxes are really useful, I am using the same one to test a clock drive with a cordless drill gear (there are some pictures on my website, haven't got one to hand to post).

Have you looked at the stepped-down d.c. motors that could replace the gearbox with a just a motor?

Cheers

Danny

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Sam

Sam

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Hi Sam

Nice piece of kit!

These gearboxes are really useful, I am using the same one to test a clock drive with a cordless drill gear (there are some pictures on my website, haven't got one to hand to post).

Have you looked at the stepped-down d.c. motors that could replace the gearbox with a just a motor?

Cheers

Danny

Wow Danny, you've done quite a few projects. I'm probably not going to mod my motor focuser any more than it is as it seems to do all I need at the moment - though if the rubbish weather continues then.......... :(

Sam

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