Saddle plate done

[Nigella Bryant]

Revamped my old saddle plate for the new Cq350 and made a three gang double socket board for the solar obsy, long overdue socket board. All ready to go in the obsy tomorrow. 

Got to play with my drill press again, lol. 

Edited January 14 by Nigella Bryant
Pic added

[JeremyS]

Looking good, Nigella 👍🏻

[Nigella Bryant]

Just now, JeremyS said:

Looking good, Nigella 👍🏻

Thanks Jeremy, excited to get it up and running tomorrow. 

[Nigella Bryant]

Tried the new mount, worked first time, connected via Green Swamp Server. Hit a problem with the hight of the pillar. I'm going to have to raise it up about 25cm so the telescopes can image the sun in the winter month's.  

On a positive, it'll get rid of the long rod's at present shown in the pics below the adapter plate. Guess I'll be waiting another week to get this done. 

Pleased with the mounts responsiveness under GSS and Cart de Ciel. 

It's a lot bigger than the dead Neq6. 

Brushed the cobwebs off around the solar shed too, 😆 

Edited January 15 by Nigella Bryant

[JeremyS]

You certainly don’t hang around when there’s a job to be done, Nigella! 👍🏻

[Nigella Bryant]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

You certainly don’t hang around when there’s a job to be done, Nigella! 👍🏻

It's called OCD Jeremy, lol. When I've got something that has to be done, chewing at the bit now having to wait til the weekend to raise the pillar, lol. 

[saac]

That is a lovely setup you have there Nigella. I don't know much about the Cq350 so looking forward to hearing how you get on with it. How are you planning to raise the pillar?  I suffered the opposite problem when I upgraded with an Esprit 120 this summer. It collided with the internal roof supports!  I ended up lowering the pier by cutting in a new foundation for it.  The added benefit made it an easier lift when putting the scope on and off the mount.  Anyway, looks like you are having fun there, these are the enjoyable projects. 

Jim 

Edited January 15 by saac

[Nigella Bryant]

53 minutes ago, saac said:

That is a lovely setup you have there Nigella. I don't know much about the Cq350 so looking forward to hearing how you get on with it. How are you planning to raise the pillar?  I suffered the opposite problem when I upgraded with an Esprit 120 this summer. It collided with the internal roof supports!  I ended up lowering the pier by cutting in a new foundation for it.  The added benefit made it an easier lift when putting the scope on and off the mount.  Anyway, looks like you are having fun there, these are the enjoyable projects. 

Jim 

Thanks Jim, I do love fettling with equipment, etc almost as much as actually doing astronomy. I'm going to use another drain riser fitted on top the existing pillar, fill with concrete and new rod's for the top plate using rod connectors. I'll have to cut the existing rods down leaving about 50mm to connect the extension bars to then fill with concrete. 

Nigella 

Edited January 16 by Nigella Bryant