Making a mount with slow-motion controls? (w/ lots of questions)

[spacegalaxy]

After a response from a few people, I am thinking of getting a alt-az mount w/slow-mo controls but the prices are very high, so can I make one at home? Also, the other reason is that the one I was looking at was suspicious looking like it could be displaced by a simple breeze, so can I make a slow-mo control mount or will it be an uncompleted dream?

 

[vlaiv]

Making a Alt-Az mount is really not that hard at all.

Do internet search for "pipe mount" to get the idea of what is involved (most of them will be EQ type - but difference between Alt Az and EQ is just in how you put it - on a flat surface or inclined plane / wedge).

Here is one article on how to build one:

https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/articles/how-to/how-to-make-an-alt-az-pipe-mount-r1873

Slow motion controls will be much more difficult to make as you need to get / make worm and worm gear.

You can in principle make worm and worm gear with standard bolt and tap for same thread and hand drill - look at this video for example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jKlq8Ofd4

 

[spacegalaxy]

8 hours ago, vlaiv said:

Making a Alt-Az mount is really not that hard at all.

Do internet search for "pipe mount" to get the idea of what is involved (most of them will be EQ type - but difference between Alt Az and EQ is just in how you put it - on a flat surface or inclined plane / wedge).

Here is one article on how to build one:

https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/articles/how-to/how-to-make-an-alt-az-pipe-mount-r1873

Slow motion controls will be much more difficult to make as you need to get / make worm and worm gear.

You can in principle make worm and worm gear with standard bolt and tap for same thread and hand drill - look at this video for example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jKlq8Ofd4

 

Thanks @vlaiv I was thinking of a pipe mount, but it is very hard to make the slow motion controls, so can be able to do planetary observing w/o slow motion controls?

Again, thanks!

[vlaiv]

7 hours ago, spacegalaxy said:

Thanks @vlaiv I was thinking of a pipe mount, but it is very hard to make the slow motion controls, so can be able to do planetary observing w/o slow motion controls?

Again, thanks!

Yes you can. It is not as comfortable with slow motion controls, but you can observe.

I have two alt-az mounts - Az4 and dob mounted 8" scope (which is also type of alt az) - both lack slow motion controls, and I use both for high power planetary viewing (sometimes even up to x300).

[timwetherell]

On 27/02/2022 at 10:11, vlaiv said:

Yes you can. It is not as comfortable with slow motion controls, but you can observe.

I have two alt-az mounts - Az4 and dob mounted 8" scope (which is also type of alt az) - both lack slow motion controls, and I use both for high power planetary viewing (sometimes even up to x300).

I'm inclined to agree. A nice buttery smooth well balanced alt-az is probably much easier to use than slow motion controls. You'd have to track both axis simultaneously at differing rates and it might be like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time. I have a home made alt az for quite a big scope and it works quite well just pushing it around - bit more intuitive.

Mine uses ball bearing races to take the actual load and separate discs and friction screws to vary the resistance which works quite well

[johninderby]

So much easier to track and keep a target centered using slo-mo controls. Would never have an alt-az mount without  slo-mo controls any more. Just couldn’t go back.

Have been spoiled with my Rowan AZ100 mount. Incredibly smooth and no need for counterweights. It can be used manually or with the slo-mo controls and as mine has the GOTO system fitted can also use that if I want to so have the best of all worlds. Can be using GOTO and if I want push to a target or use the slo-mo controls can do so all without affecting the GOTO.

Of course there are those that prefer alt-az mounts without slo-mo controls so each to their own.

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by johninderby