· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> ATM, Optics and DIY Forum Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | (show all) Mert Post Laureate Reged: 08/31/05 Loc: Spain, Pamplona Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: ZachK]       #2420030 - 05/26/08 02:58 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   That's a wonderful job Ed, very inspiring!! Please let us know how it performs! Regards and thanks for sharing Post Extras:       reiner sage Reged: 09/28/05 Loc: Freiburg, Germany Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2420052 - 05/26/08 03:27 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Ed, can you tell me more about the motors? Are these DC geared motors? Could you post a link to where you bought them? Thanks Reiner Post Extras:       Luigi Postmaster Reged: 07/03/07 Loc: MA Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: reiner]       #2420346 - 05/26/08 10:00 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Looks like a really nice, clean implementation! I've been planning to build at paltform once I get my shop set up (I'm moving) and this is a nice as design I've seen. Post Extras:       Ed Jones Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/06/04 Loc: Sin-sin-atti Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: reiner]       #2420410 - 05/26/08 10:50 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The motors i used are 1/15 RPM AC timing motors CCW rotation 110 volt 60 hz 1.35 watts by Sonceboz. I just checked Apogee's website and sorry they no longer have them it seems. However Herbach and Rademan has this motor for $18.95. here It is clockwise however which means the motor must be mounted in front of the north bearing. Post Extras:       reiner sage Reged: 09/28/05 Loc: Freiburg, Germany Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2420491 - 05/26/08 11:24 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the information, Ed. I like your platform design. R Post Extras:       ren hoek member Reged: 09/22/07 Loc: Burlington Ontario Canada Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: reiner]       #2420701 - 05/26/08 01:10 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ed, would you consider building one of these for a price $$$ or perhaps a kit Post Extras:       Almagne member Reged: 02/25/08 Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2420849 - 05/26/08 02:24 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   A bit more information on the motor drive would be helpful. Is there some kind of control to vary the speed of the motors? Post Extras:       Ed Jones Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/06/04 Loc: Sin-sin-atti Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: reiner]       #2420914 - 05/26/08 03:05 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Note my workshop is a picnic table! I expended a lot of wife's good will on this project, I know not to push her limit. For a motor drive check out this thread. here Post Extras:       Wes James Postmaster Reged: 04/12/06 Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2420998 - 05/26/08 03:50 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ed- Any suggestions for driving stepper motors? I picked up a couple, and haven't found an independant, speed controllable circuit or kit. Most of what I found was meant to be run off a couputer, and that's not in my agenda. Thanks, btw for documenting this as you did... I'm one of those to whom EQ platforms are somewhat magic, not that I can't build- or do jigs, but the whole concept is right on the edge of understanding. The Yahoo EQ group has some good intro's in their files, studying them... am relocating from Florida to NY (upstate) within the next year or so, so not in a rush- want to have one for NY's latitude, so am slowly planning mine out. Bought a couple of stepping motors for it. Wes Post Extras:       Tom L Reged: 01/07/04 Loc: Sunny Oregon Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Wes James]       #2421091 - 05/26/08 05:03 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Ed! Just added this to my thread watch list. I love the way you made the bearing on the table saw. Post Extras:       Ed Jones Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/06/04 Loc: Sin-sin-atti Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Wes James]       #2421104 - 05/26/08 05:11 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Wes, The only stepper driver I've messed with is this WZ Micro It doesn't do half steps or microsteps. Steppers are more noisy than timing motors and need more battery power. Post Extras:       epee scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/30/06 Loc: Suh-van-nuh, Jaw-juh Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2421164 - 05/26/08 06:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ed, You may have inspired my next project. There goes the house painting for another month.... Post Extras:       Wes James Postmaster Reged: 04/12/06 Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2421433 - 05/26/08 08:59 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks, Ed- Wes Post Extras:       Ed Jones Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/06/04 Loc: Sin-sin-atti Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: epee]       #2421566 - 05/26/08 10:25 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Good luck, my wife found my paint brush today. What a way to spend Memorial day, painting the deck. Post Extras:       reiner sage Reged: 09/28/05 Loc: Freiburg, Germany Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2421924 - 05/27/08 05:31 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ed, I just read your thread on the speed control for the AC motors. This is a great idea. I use for my platforms generally geared DC motors and a small voltage controller circuit, such that everything runs from a pack of four AA cells, which last "forever". I don't like step motors partly for the same reason as you (noise, high current, and complicated electronics). These AC motors and the frequency controller are really a new twist. What kind of battery is required to run the inverter? Reiner Post Extras:       Ed Jones Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/06/04 Loc: Sin-sin-atti Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: reiner]       #2422034 - 05/27/08 08:23 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   That inverter comes with a cigarette lighter plug for a car although any 12 volt battery will work. One other note on timing motors. The ones I bought for my last eq platform ran fairly hot so I put resistors in series with them to drop the current. I put 2K or 4K resistors I think and they still didn't stall under load. Saves battery too. Post Extras:       Mark Harry Vendor Reged: 09/05/05 Loc: Northeast USA Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Ed Jones]       #2422063 - 05/27/08 08:49 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   On the large piece of wood you use and made for the south(?) bearing: Do you find it necessary to line it with something to keep the wood from developing a "divot" or "flat spot", or is the maple hard enough to accomodate the 1/2" shafts? And, any problem with traction between the motor shafts and wood? Mark Post Extras:       Mark Harry Vendor Reged: 09/05/05 Loc: Northeast USA Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Mark Harry]       #2422066 - 05/27/08 08:51 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My latitude is 42.5 degrees. I'm wondering if I could simplify things by using just 45 degrees, and making up the difference with leveling bolts/pads? Mark Post Extras:       RRavneberg professor emeritus Rest in Peace 19xx-2009 Reged: 12/02/05 Loc: Columbus, OH Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Mark Harry]       #2422104 - 05/27/08 09:10 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Ed, Looking forward to seeing your handiwork. Will you have it at Apollo Rendezvous? Post Extras:       Ed Jones Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/06/04 Loc: Sin-sin-atti Re: Eq Platform for $29.5 [Re: Mark Harry]       #2422478 - 05/27/08 12:34 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Mark, I have used maple wood, walnut wood and now maple plywood for bearings. Normal usage in my first 2 platforms hasn’t created any problems with divots. I don’t know how much banging around it would take to cause a divot but certainly more abuse than you’d want to put your scope through. I know others put metal on the bearings but I think this is overkill. I don’t get any slippage with knurled rods and 2 motors and I’m fairly sure these unknurled posts will not slip as well on wood, stay tuned, I’ll let you know. There was one case where I did get a divot but it wasn’t normal use. I left my platform running and it actually ran off one of the rollers and the causing the other roller to run in the same spot. The knurling did grind a divot but would have on metal too I think. I’d recalculate the platform for a different latitude, that part’s easy. Ron I will have this and hopefully my 12 inch at Apollo. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 7 registered and 27 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  ausastronomer, richard7  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 23344 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info CN Forums Home

Cloudy Nights LLC Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics