rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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I picked this mill base up and am going to make it into a pier base for either a large refractor or a newtonian.
What do you thinkers think?
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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This 5" solid steel pier base has a nice top plate for any EQ mount I wish to place there.
Thanks for peeking.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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Adventurer
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/22/07
Posts: 697
Loc: Planet Earth
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it looks v. heavy unless mobility is not an issue!
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"man is not made for defeat....A man can be destroyed but not defeated"
Regards
Adventurer
Meade ETX125 Telescope.
Home made 10 inches reflector.
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John Jarosz
I'm being watched...
Reged: 04/25/04
Posts: 2149
Loc: Chicago area, IL
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Quote:
I picked this mill base up
What did you pick is up with?  That sucker is heavy.
It will be great as a pier. I assume it's permanent in an observatory.
Are you going to remove the big casting that moves on the cylindrcal column? You'll prolly need a crane.
John
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6" F4.6(w/Paracorr) GEM reflector, 8" F11 Dall Relay Scope
6" F5 RFT Refractor, Garrett Gemini 20x80 LW
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
it looks v. heavy unless mobility is not an issue!
OH no this base will not be mobile. It's kinda like what is used for an OB.
The great thing about it is it is heavy, and it has that table built in for EP's and such. The heavy table as you can see from each image rotates. The steel pier is solid steel 5" thick, with a removable top plate that can easily be used to bolt a bottom plate of an EQ head to.
This base is exactly what I was looking for for a nice heavy Newt or refractor.
It's sitting on a roll dolly at this time..so I can roll it around the shop..slean it, and de-rust it.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Quote:
I picked this mill base up
What did you pick is up with? That sucker is heavy.
It will be great as a pier. I assume it's permanent in an observatory.
Are you going to remove the big casting that moves on the cylindrcal column? You'll prolly need a crane.
John
John...yes it was heavy, but not that bad. We just tipped it back, rolled the dolley under one edge, and pushed it back on it. Then pushed/rolled it up a ramp onto my trailor. It took three of us to do it.
I will most likely be leaving the *casting* on the steel column. It rotates, and can act as a table or part of some unknon aspect I'm not currently aware of..
It used to be the elevating base for the mill table.
The top plate is cast aluminum, and has a large bolt securing it to the steel column. It has tapped holes on each corner, and it can be loosened and removed. it will work nicely as a top plate for an EQ to be bolted to. Its spot on level, and really requiring very little modifying.
It has a power conduit running up through its base as well.
I could put casters on the bottom, and leveling bolts...so I could roll it out of the scope garage like all my other scopes.
Way too many options......it's fun..way fun. Great find.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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Gary Fuchs
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/22/06
Posts: 548
Loc: Easton, PA, USA
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Neat find Rob!
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The bear
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/11/08
Posts: 691
Loc: rushville, indiana
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looks like it will meet your specs real good its nice when you can reuse things like this for what we do. this is what i try and do all the time your mirror seems to be taking a lot longer than you expected but looks like this may work out to your benefit else you would not have found the base for your scope "the universe provides".
doc
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Longitude -85.42786 Latitude 39.59153
when all else fails use duct tape "works for me"
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Here is one idea for the Mill base. I can use the adjustible table, and the 5" steel column top to afix a polar axis/drive for a fork mount. What's slick about this idea is that the table raises....with the polar axis built with articulating mounts...you can simply crank up or down on the large cast table and adjust the elevation of the polar axis. Since also...the top plate and the cast table rotate...I can have azymuth control as well.
This is turning out to be a pretty cool mill base.... 
See artists(me) drawing.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
Edited by rwiederrich (06/03/08 11:55 AM)
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Sky Captain
Scope Builder
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 5576
Loc: Seattle Washington
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Quote:
This 5" solid steel pier base has a nice top plate for any EQ mount I wish to place there.
Thanks for peeking.
Rob
Looks pretty beefy Rob!
 If it were me....I'd loose the "square base" and build a steel tube 3 leg tripod. You could make it a little shorter for your Newt. I'll show you what I mean later when I get there.
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Equipment Overload!
http://scopebuilder.webs.com/
Kerry.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Quote:
This 5" solid steel pier base has a nice top plate for any EQ mount I wish to place there.
Thanks for peeking.
Rob
Looks pretty beefy Rob!
If it were me....I'd loose the "square base" and build a steel tube 3 leg tripod. You could make it a little shorter for your Newt. I'll show you what I mean later when I get there.
Don't you have some driving to do? 
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Some updating on the pier.
Here is an image of the axis sitting on the pier.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Closer view of the ring gear.
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Machining brass bearing
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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aand finally the brass bearing fitted on the shaft with a grease bib fitted.
Rob(now onto the upper bearing)
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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Sky Captain
Scope Builder
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 5576
Loc: Seattle Washington
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Looking good Rob. 
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Equipment Overload!
http://scopebuilder.webs.com/
Kerry.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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I spent some time this morning cutting the 1" aluminum for the side walls that will be bolted to the alumimum top plate and the brass bearing housing. I luv my new metal band saw.....
Once the side plates are done..I will fashion a front plate and work on some kind of round top cover. The fork will be bolted to the threaded end of the shaft.
I picked up a very nice wire feed mig welder this weekend...so I will be welding the folk later this summer.
I hit pay dirt this weekend for Father's day. My sweety baught me a new air compressor, and a roll away air hose assembly with about 30 ft of rolled air hose. I spent much of Saturday hooking everything up. Now My air lines are permenant to the shop, and I can reach any part. Fun thing is..it all winds up away on the hose spool. Sweeet! It's all stored under the work bench..outta the way.
All in all...I got a new air compressor system, a new mig welder...Oh..Oh..and she got me new milling tools too.....
Oh to be married to a woman who adores me........
Rob(muscle flex...grrrrrrr)
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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mikey cee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 2092
Loc: bellevue ne.
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She probably wants to keep you out in the shop away from her longer!!  Mike
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Mike 10x50 sears tower binocs, 3" f/10 edmunds reflector, 2.4" f/11.7 manon refractor, 6" f/8 jaegers refractor, "The 8 Ball" 8" f/13.3 brandt refractor, 3" f/15.8 sans&streiffe refractor, 3.1" f/15 selsi refractor(towa 339), 2.4" f/15 sears refractor, selsi 30x30mm spyglass, criterion 5-draw 25x45x75x spyglass(1957).
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
She probably wants to keep you out in the shop away from her longer!! Mike
I only wish that was the case(not really).
She knows that me building my own scopes is waaay cheeper then buying them finished. I'm saving thousands on that 18" mirror alone. This mill base was a great find...cuz I'm saving another bucket of thousands of dollars......
She likes that.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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mikey cee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 2092
Loc: bellevue ne.
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Well as long as you two are happy that's really all that matters. The rest of us will muddle thru although I have few wants in regards to my equipment. Getting the observatory finished with chart racks and corner storage etc. Motorization of the roof etc. New painting and CD changer and wired for XM radio etc. Mike
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Mike 10x50 sears tower binocs, 3" f/10 edmunds reflector, 2.4" f/11.7 manon refractor, 6" f/8 jaegers refractor, "The 8 Ball" 8" f/13.3 brandt refractor, 3" f/15.8 sans&streiffe refractor, 3.1" f/15 selsi refractor(towa 339), 2.4" f/15 sears refractor, selsi 30x30mm spyglass, criterion 5-draw 25x45x75x spyglass(1957).
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Well as long as you two are happy that's really all that matters. The rest of us will muddle thru although I have few wants in regards to my equipment. Getting the observatory finished with chart racks and corner storage etc. Motorization of the roof etc. New painting and CD changer and wired for XM radio etc. Mike
 Shut..p maan....  Your OB is as sweet as it gets........now it's got a motorized roof....
I'm green..... 
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Here are some more pix of my work on the RA axis.
I'm measuring the side plates.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Here is a pic of one of the top plate side plates getting milled to receive the brass bearing.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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jcjr
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/06/08
Posts: 563
Loc: TN, USA
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That's a big mount Rob! Lookin good as far as I can tell. Though that is hardly an endorsement since I'm ignorant of mechanical stuff and easily impressed (grin).
There was earlier discussion of ball bearings for big mounts. Not exactly new tech, but of course brass bearings have served well even longer, at least since the age of steam.
Since I don't know nothin about the topic and would like to learn... Am curious what factors made you decide to use brass bearings with grease fittings, rather than ball bearings? Seems either would work fine. Just curious about design reasoning in this application.
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CPC 1100, C102SLT, SV F80, Meade 70 & 60 AZT
Q70 38mm, Pan24, Meade 5K 18mm UW, Axiom LX 15mm, Nagler 13T6, Axiom LX 10mm, Expanse 20mm, 9mm, 6mm, BO/TMB 5mm, 2.5mm
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
That's a big mount Rob! Lookin good as far as I can tell. Though that is hardly an endorsement since I'm ignorant of mechanical stuff and easily impressed (grin).
There was earlier discussion of ball bearings for big mounts. Not exactly new tech, but of course brass bearings have served well even longer, at least since the age of steam.
Since I don't know nothin about the topic and would like to learn... Am curious what factors made you decide to use brass bearings with grease fittings, rather than ball bearings? Seems either would work fine. Just curious about design reasoning in this application.
Well several reasons. One reason is I can get more surface area contact with brass/bronze bearings. If machined to very fine tolerances...these bearings work exceptionally well. Second...Roller bearings require you to engineer the mount a bit bigger to accomodate the bearing outer dimeter.
Ball bearings are best for axis that are moving at speed, and when low friction is paramount. In my application, brass bearings are the ticket. And I am making the top bearing part of the *housing* and can use the mass of the bearing structure to be *part* of the upper support.
Lastly...this is for a mount generally designed and intended for visual use. Still the tolerances are close, and movement will be smooth and slop free.
I hope there will be enough room for greese...... 
OH...and it was the *easiest* to machine.
Rob(I am not a skilled machinist)
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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jcjr
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/06/08
Posts: 563
Loc: TN, USA
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Thanks, Rob.
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CPC 1100, C102SLT, SV F80, Meade 70 & 60 AZT
Q70 38mm, Pan24, Meade 5K 18mm UW, Axiom LX 15mm, Nagler 13T6, Axiom LX 10mm, Expanse 20mm, 9mm, 6mm, BO/TMB 5mm, 2.5mm
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danm
sage
Reged: 04/27/08
Posts: 220
Loc: Northern California
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What mill/lathe is that, and can I ask how much it cost you? How do you like it?
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TV Ethos 13mm
Oberwerk Ultra 15x70
Celestron C6 f/10 & AT Voyager Alt/Az mount
8" f/6.3 Newtonian (Dad's ATM) & AT66 red tube
12.5" f/4.1 Telekit (Dad's ATM Mirror)
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 5649
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
What mill/lathe is that, and can I ask how much it cost you? How do you like it?
I believe it is from Central Machining. It's an older model that was liquidated. It went for around $700...I got this one for $500. It does everything I want it to do, and it is precise enough to do the job well. I love the combo set-up. I have a small shop so it fits my needs well.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
Providing a great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
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jcjr
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/06/08
Posts: 563
Loc: TN, USA
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Rob, will yours do threading?
I was looking at a similar medium-sized combo at a good enough price at Harbor Freight, pretty good swing and length, but that particular item didn't have threading capability. Of course having enough skill to make accurate matching threads at arbitrary size is another issue altogether (grin).
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CPC 1100, C102SLT, SV F80, Meade 70 & 60 AZT
Q70 38mm, Pan24, Meade 5K 18mm UW, Axiom LX 15mm, Nagler 13T6, Axiom LX 10mm, Expanse 20mm, 9mm, 6mm, BO/TMB 5mm, 2.5mm
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
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