Twilight 1 disassemble

[pandoraefretum]

Hello Stargazers,

aren't the skies wonderfully clear now the Moon has bugged out?

My Explore Scientific Twilight 1 mount is driving me mad.
All I'm trying to do is remove the mount from the tripod.
I can't unwind the centre shaft / column.. 
I must be missing something... maybe it just needs a tap ?

(reason is I want to tighten the  bolt inside the mount that controls Azimuth, which is a bit wobbly.. even when I lock the axis.)

Thx. The person who helps me will surely deserve clear black skies for the rest of their life !!

 

 

[Louis D]

Here's an assembly video I found.  Try reversing the steps by loosening the accessory tray and then the long chromed rod to free the mount head.  If the rod is stuck, you might need a wrench (spanner?) to free it.

[pandoraefretum]

Thanks Red Dwarf,

the rod is indeed stuck... must have been screwed in so tightly and kept under tension

i cannot budge it to save my life

so i think i will save my life and give up...

 

[pandoraefretum]

By Jove I just did it...

Now you would think Explore Scientific could have written a line or two of text in their manual...
Well, I had given up, and was assembling it back together again... when just at the last stage I realised the simple solution; the key is in the design!

How stupid I am getting as I grow older!

[steven bellavia]

Hi,

Almost 2 years later, but I stumbled upon this thread because I want to use a lighter tripod with the Twilight I head (like the Innorel or ZWO carbon).

Yes the head does come off, and no tools, as you can use  one of the nuts on the shaft and and the "handle" to "double nut" it, and the handle has enough torque to remove.

And once off, I then removed the lower section of the head (3 screws, and same allen wrench as others) and also tightened the center nut shown in the image.

The mount is the best it has ever been.  I wIsh I had discovered that sooner.  It was always a tad bit sloppy.  But now it is rock solid.

I hope to to make a 3-inch diameter aluminum disk with a brass insert to allow attachment to the carbon tripods.

Thanks for this thread!

[steven bellavia]

All done! 

I made an adapter plate out of 1/2" thick, 3-inch diameter 6061 aluminum:

https://www.mcmaster.com/1610T19/

 

Drill and tapped a center hole for 3/8-16, and then 3 thru-holes to attach to the bottom (using the previous screws).

I did not have to counterbore, as the ArtCise tripod top plate has 6 openings of which three can be made to match the screw heads.

 

I could have just used a 3/18-16 bolt to put it all together, but I liked this knob better:

https://www.mcmaster.com/6092K56/

 

 

Steve