Rowan Engineering (Astronomy) Visit - All the Secrets.....

[Alan White]

Yesterday I spent a great time making a trip up to Banbury, the purpose of which was to visit Rowan Engineering on a long standing invitation from them.
The invitation was at the last IAS and was not taken up due to some Plague or something that may have swept by us since.
The visit was a pleasure in  Derek's company, sadly I chose the week that Dave was away,  so I only got to meet half of the dynamic duo.
But I have threatened a return visit, so no getting off the hook for Dave, poor chap.

I was given the full 'Rowan Towers' tour, watching the machinery in action, being shown the beginnings and end stages of the fine AZ100 mount being given life, a mount so loved by many here on SGL and indeed by myself.   
No wonder they are such a solid mount, all that fine engineering is sadly hidden inside, it's quite something under the shiny black anodising.
A shame we don’t have a see though model available, new idea there chaps? 

I also saw the company's Air Gun products in production; all looking wonderful and quite tempting to a retired airgun shooter.
All as well thought out and produced as the Astronomy side of things and wonderfuly finished.

I think I was lucky enough to see the 'Top Secret' department and the R&D that is going on, quite a lot afoot and yes it is all real and all is well on its way to reality, sometimes things are worth waiting for and this truly is the case.
Things such as the circuit boards and similar and the multiple components just for the encoders was enlightening, this is such well-made kit.
It made me think, 'No veneer here', it's solid engineering with great finesse.
Rowan clearly listen to their customers as some of the things already mentioned on SGL appear to be in the pipeline,
but Derek sent me away after showing me their latest anti-spill-the-beans device, so I can’t say what’s coming soon even if I wanted to.
I have some odd memory of a stick like device and a bright flash?

A bit like this perhaps? But that's not Derek......then again is it?? 🤣



It was such a pleasure to see a small UK company working on products that are well designed, well made and a much desired product by more than  just the local market.

Nice one Chaps and the Rowan Team, thanks for the Tea Derek.
Looking forwards to the reality arriving in the near future.

Edited October 10, 2021 by Alan White

[NGC 1502]

Excellent Alan, what a privilege 👍

Please don’t worry, we won’t ask you to “spill the beans”.  
But just watch out for bright lights and rubber cosh next time at a dark site😁

Cheers from Ed.

[Stu]

48 minutes ago, Alan White said:

but Derek sent me away after showing me their latest anti-spill-the-beans device, so I can’t say what’s coming soon even if I wanted to

Tee hee. Sounds fun Alan. I won’t tell if you don’t 😉😉

Also sworn to secrecy 🤣

[johninderby]

Yes proper engineering. Built to a standard not down to a price. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

Yesterday I spent a great time making a trip up to Banbury, the purpose of which was to visit Rowan Engineering on a long standing invitation from them.
The invitation was at the last IAS and was not taken up due to some Plague or something that may have swept by us since.
The visit was a pleasure in  Derek's company, sadly I chose the week that Dave was away,  so I only got to meet half of the dynamic duo.
But I have threatened a return visit, so no getting off the hook for Dave, poor chap.

I was given the full 'Rowan Towers' tour, watching the machinery in action, being shown the beginnings and end stages of the fine AZ100 mount being given life, a mount so loved by many here on SGL and indeed by myself.   
No wonder they are such a solid mount, all that fine engineering is sadly hidden inside, it's quite something under the shiny black anodising.
A shame we don’t have a see though model available, new idea there chaps? 

I also saw the company's Air Gun products in production; all looking wonderful and quite tempting to a retired airgun shooter.
All as well thought out and produced as the Astronomy side of things and wonderfuly finished.

I think I was lucky enough to see the 'Top Secret' department and the R&D that is going on, quite a lot afoot and yes it is all real and all is well on its way to reality, sometimes things are worth waiting for and this truly is the case.
Things such as the circuit boards and similar and the multiple components just for the encoders was enlightening, this is such well-made kit.
It made me think, 'No veneer here', it's solid engineering with great finesse.
Rowan clearly listen to their customers as some of the things already mentioned on SGL appear to be in the pipeline,
but Derek sent me away after showing me their latest anti-spill-the-beans device, so I can’t say what’s coming soon even if I wanted to.
I have some odd memory of a stick like device and a bright flash?

A bit like this perhaps? But that's not Derek......then again is it?? 🤣



It was such a pleasure to see a small UK company working on products that are well designed, well made and a much desired product by more than  just the local market.

Nice one Chaps and the Rowan Team, thanks for the Tea Derek.
Looking forwards to the reality arriving in the near future.

Banbury? See through mount? 🤔

Have you been thinking about Lady Godiva, Alan?

🤣

Sounds like a great visit. You will certainly enjoy yours when it arrives. Are you getting encoders?

[Tiny Clanger]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Banbury? See through mount? 🤔

Have you been thinking about Lady Godiva, Alan?

🤣

Sounds like a great visit. You will certainly enjoy yours when it arrives. Are you getting encoders?

Careful Jeremy, some denizens of Coventry might be after you,  Godiva is theirs, Banbury is a lady on a white horse with rings on her fingers & bells on her toes perhaps an early morris dance enthusiast ? But she kept her kit on ( according to the life size statue next to a traffic roundabout anyway ... )

Heather

[Alan White]

Sounds like Covenytry got the better deal to me 😉 @Tiny Clanger



 

[Alan White]

And @JeremyS, encoders?  What mount?  I have no idea what you refer to 🤪
The neuralyzer truly has erased my memory, I even have no idea how i got back to my driveway....

OK, yes, I will go with encoders to work with the Nexus DSC, which I have really taken a shine to.

[Alan White]

8 hours ago, johninderby said:

Yes proper engineering. Built to a standard not down to a price. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Yes indeed, sorry missed this comment earlier John, I was trying to multi-task, never goes well that.
Very much built to a very high standard.

Derek said about 'Perfection is not good enough', made me smile as I think in this case I think it is good enough.
 

Edited September 23, 2021 by Alan White

[AdeKing]

Sounds like you had a great time Alan, thanks for sharing with us.

Just think how much more you'll appreciate the mount when you get it having actually been fortunate enough to have seen under the anodising and what goes inside.

[RobertI]

You lucky chap Alan, must have been fascinating, thanks for sharing. Rest assured any secrets you share will strictly be between you and the 50,000 SGL members. 🙂

[Alan White]

2 hours ago, RobertI said:

You lucky chap Alan, must have been fascinating, thanks for sharing. Rest assured any secrets you share will strictly be between you and the 50,000 SGL members. 🙂

It's all I remember Robert 😉

[Alan White]

Well the Neuralyzer is wearing off and I now remember that something is being sent to me next week…..

I just wish I could recall what it is??

Just in case I have this HEQ5 tripod prepared for it…. Did I say HEQ5 hmmm

 

Hmmm odd, does that fit the AZ100??

 

[johninderby]

Looks like ypu will need the EQ5 \ HEQ5 adaptpr from Rowan.

[Alan White]

Or perhaps not, it might just fit straight on 😉

[AdeKing]

Hmmmm, interesting, will keep my eyes peeled for more info.

[johninderby]

The AZ100 is made to fit an EQ6 which has a slightly bigger recess in the top and an M12 bolt not an M10 bolt like the HEQ5.

Edited October 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Alan White]

M10 you say …. Interesting

 

[johninderby]

Why they made the HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts slightly different instead of the same fitting baffles me. 🤔

Edited October 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Alan White]

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

Why they made the HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts slightly different instead of the same fitting baffles me. 🤔

Me too John, just makes it all very complicated.

Is M12 really that more strength than M10 in Astronomy use?

[johninderby]

M10 is a common sized bolt used and should be more than strong enough for an EQ6 mount. As I remember the HEQ5 recess is 60mm dia. and the EQ6 65mm or something like that. 

Edited October 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Alan White]

9 hours ago, johninderby said:

M10 is a common sized bolt used and should be more than strong enough for an EQ6 mount. As I remember the HEQ5 recess is 60mm dia. and the EQ6 65mm or something like that. 

Thanks John, that is my thought as well on adequacy, on the recess, that makes no sense other than someone, somewhere made a unilateral call that the size chosen made sense to them.

I often ponder why any recess at all, why not flat bases?

 

[Alan White]

This memory is clearing, that’s not Derek or Dave …..

Something ‘New’ is coming ...... I am sure that’s it ..... but?

What could it be? 

 

Edited October 10, 2021 by Alan White