· 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 | (show all) Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: mattyfatz]       #4081092 - 09/29/10 04:34 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Some ehnancement of the homemade tripod: - internal alu arms for increased rigidity - accessories triangle dish - aluminium conical shoes, replacing the rubber ones - carry belt, cause the tripod is very heavy... Post Extras:       neo Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/12/08 Loc: Iasi, Romania Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #4081202 - 09/29/10 05:26 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Tavi Congrats and well done Absolutely brilliant! Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: neo]       #4535932 - 04/22/11 06:32 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The AZ-piston mount nr.2 is almost complete, ready for testing at night! Here are azimouth fine tune mechanism: It's based on a stainless steel M6 long screw: The Fraunhofer refractor (80F/11.25) and the maksutov-cassegrain teleobjective MTO11-CA (100F/10) on the mount: The stability of the mount is impressive and the fine tuning, can be improved, but useful. I will test the mount in the following spring hollydays. Post Extras:       eric_zeiner Phoenix's Dad Reged: 12/09/06 Loc: Georgia USA 34 31'57.18N 83 53... Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #4537141 - 04/22/11 05:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Now you are cooking! Post Extras:       neo Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/12/08 Loc: Iasi, Romania Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: eric_zeiner]       #4538266 - 04/23/11 08:02 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Fantastic job Tavi! I imagine that a drive system (maybe even Goto) would be a terrific addition to this mount. The only problem would be finding a good 'n cheap set of worm gears but with some patience... Post Extras:       Gray professor emeritus Reged: 01/31/11 Loc: Hixson, TN Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: neo]       #4538439 - 04/23/11 10:04 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   test Post Extras:       Doug76 Long Achro Junkie Reged: 12/05/07 Loc: Refractor Heaven Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #4538940 - 04/23/11 02:26 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   As Eric and Frank opined...Awesome and Brilliant! Post Extras:       Ed D Carpal Tunnel Reged: 04/30/10 Loc: Sunny South Florida Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Doug76]       #4539415 - 04/23/11 06:55 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm VERY impressed! Nice work. Ed D Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Ed D]       #4549841 - 04/28/11 02:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank you! Tuesday I've tried the mount with the refractor. The fine tune mechanism work great, except a small vibration on the azimuth. I will put a felt disk under the piston to brake it in position, cause the roler bearings allow moving it too easy. I'm sure the mount will cary the future classic cassegrain 200 F/15 I will make this summer. Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #4549849 - 04/28/11 02:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Neo, I will keep the idea of the worm gear for the next piston mount, I have a lot of them! Thank you and clear sky! Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #5347384 - 08/01/12 05:40 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Because I had allmost finished the new clasical cassegrain 8" - wich I'll show you in another topic - and in the testing phase some problems has arised, I've made some improvements on the heavy piston AZ mount. First, I made a vixen style bar and adapt a vixen head from EQ6 mount, then a counterweight and the bar to put the telescope in equilibrium. Cause the slips of the altitude clutch and the too big backlash of the fine tune mechanism on the azimuth, I've made some modifications to solve these problems. Also I put new knobs on the screws and a eccentric lever instead a screw to activate the altitude clutch. To make the movements smoother I put custom lexan washers instead steel ones. Now the mount work great, like when small refractors was on it, almost like a dobsonian when not used the fine tune mechanisms. Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #5615715 - 01/10/13 03:18 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   A new small piston AZ mount, finished last month: Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #5615728 - 01/10/13 03:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The new mount has fine tuning screws on both axis and a vixen style head. The RFT refractor 90x600 in the picture is too heavy for it, but I use this mount with the mini maksutov MTO11-CA and is working great. The only piece made on a lathe is the elastic textolit bushing which is the altitude clutch. Other pieces was made using hand tools and the homemade minimill. Edited by Tavi (01/10/13 03:29 PM) Post Extras:       Unknownastron professor emeritus Reged: 04/06/05 Loc: CatsEye Observatory,Rural Sout... Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #5641808 - 01/25/13 12:43 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very good ideas and beautiful work. You are a very talented craftsman and your finished works look as much like art as machine. I look forward to your threads about that beautiful metal cassegrain. That is one of the best-looking telescopes I have ever seen. Clear skies and clean glass, Mike Post Extras:       jmclaugh2001 super member Reged: 02/27/06 Loc: Reynoldsburg, Ohio Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Unknownastron]       #5641868 - 01/25/13 02:18 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Sweet! I luv it!! John Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: jmclaugh2001]       #5641878 - 01/25/13 02:27 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank you! I could't wait to bring them again under the dark sky. Post Extras:       Tavi member Reged: 10/11/09 Loc: Romania, EU Re: The Piston AZ mount [Re: Tavi]       #5642732 - 01/25/13 02:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   unknowastron, here is the topic about the cassegrain with details: http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=atm&N... Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 10 registered and 9 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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