New PUSHTO for the Rev.

[justin138]

Well, whilst waiting for the clouds to clear last night, i finally made the setting circles for the Rev and fitted them this morning. Just need to print off a scale for the bearing and then it'll be another successful mod out the way!

(Thanks to Geppeto for clarifying things for me!)

Justin

[GordonCopestake]

Excellent! I keep meaning to do one of these for my alt az. Consider an inclinometer for the alt rather than a paper scale. That way the base board doesn't have to be exactly level

[FLO]

Looks good Justin 8)

[justin138]

Now I hadn't thought about the base needing to be level! An inclinometer sounds like a fine idea, a quick search turned up this:

http://www.ukge.com/uk/product.asp?P_ID=256&PT_ID=133&numPageStartPosition=1

I thought Maplin did them but can't find them on their site.

The scope also performs a lot better without the ring of bearings as originally fitted. I replaced this a while back with PTFE pads which give a nice amount of friction as the bearings were too free moving and I had a wildly spinning scope! (well, maybe a slight exaggeration!)

Cheers

Justin

[GordonCopestake]

This one is magnetic so will stick to your tube

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=22388&name=inclinometer&user_search=1&sfile=1&jump=0

[Ambermile]

Soooo passe, you people have no style at all.

http://www.stanleylondon.com/abneylevel.htm

In fact, the whole site is awesome really!

Arthur

[GordonCopestake]

That looks nice Arthur, but it's not magnetic

I want a digital one but they cost too much

[Ambermile]

Cheap digital vernier = £8.00

two screws = 10p

calculator = 50p

Sorted (Phillistine )

[geppetto]

Nice one Justin 8)

Also consider a couple of bright red led's powered from a simple switched battery box

to light up the scales.

And, some washers made out of plastic milk carton between all the rubbing

surfaces of the azimuth bolt assembly.

Re the inclinometer, I'm thinking of making a larger version of the Axminster one.

A larger scale on a chunk of MDF with a strip of fridge door magnet on its base to fix to the OTA.

The indicator will be a short length of string with a paper hangers plumb bob weight on the end.

If it was good enough to build Roman roads with, it'll be good enough for us

[geppetto]

Me again

Forgot to ask..

Justin, where did you get the PTFE pads from?

[justin138]

Hi Phil,

I bought a sheet of PTFE on eBay from these people:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Fantastic-Plastic

Was about a fiver with shipping, mighty handy it's come in too!

Justin

[geppetto]

Thanks for that link Justin, will get some in stock

Just dug out my drawing for my forthcoming homebrew inclinometer (size to suit)

[GordonCopestake]

Looks good Phil. I'll keep my eye out for another project from you hehe

[GazOC]

I used to have manual setting circles on my old Dob and, while an inclinomter is a nice touch, if you use to program called DobPC to find the objects then it will allow for the Dob base not being level when you set up using the alignment stars. An unlevel base just equates to a change in latitude and longitude, Dob PC just alters the values you enter based on the alignment stars.

[geppetto]

program called DobPC

Right, off to look at that... cheers Gaz

[justin138]

Cheers for the link Gaz, couple of problems though! The program runs on a PC and costs! That assumes you can guess where to download it from as the links on the site are dead.

I have ordered an inclinometer (cheers Gordon!) and will stick with Startrak on the trusty Psion (small and cheap!) Report to follow......

Justin

[GazOC]

Strange, it def. used to be free.

[GazOC]

I've found a copy of DobPB I uploaded to a Yahoo group a few years ago. It's not a large D/L if anyone wants a copy Emailing just PM.

[The Warthog]

You could buy a protractor in a suitable size, in plastic, and cut it to give you a 90 degree dial for your inclinometer. It wouldn't cost much, and would be weatherproof and neat, and they come in various sizes.

[justin138]

Right gang, 'first light' as it were for the PUSHTO system...

Psion and Star Trak at the ready, I fitted the inclinometer and pointed the scope at M31 having first roughly lined up the azimuth scale to North. Comparing the readings on the azimuth dial, the inclinometer and the Psion, the Psion was miles out! A quick check of the time on the Psion told me it was correct and after 1/2 hour I realised it was on a.m not p.m :shock: so, back outside again...

I lined up the azimuth circle using M31 (Polaris being behind a tree!) then told the Psion to give me the co-ordinates for Uranus as I'd been trying to find it for weeks visually.

Using the co-ordinates it gave me, I dialled in the scope, looked in the eyepiece........................and there it was! Tried again on Capella, spot on in the centre of the eyepiece.

In conclusion then, for what the PUSHTO system cost (£13 for the inclinometer and some scrap hardboard), it was a very worthy upgrade. Now to find a cheapy digital inclinometer as the analogue one has quite a small scale on it.

Thanks to Gordon for pointing me to Axminster for the inclinometer and Phil for clarifying some points whilst I was having a blonde moment!

Cheers

Justin

[geppetto]

You see, its so simple it cant work, but it can

Pleased you got a result mate, it makes the fiddling about

worth while .

Now you can find all those faint fuzzies when the moon turns its light out.

Job well done 8)

[GordonCopestake]

Dont thank me, thank Phil as he pointed me to the axminster in the first place

I only just brought one myself and am trying to sort out my setting circles like you are