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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts
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gmussman
super member
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Reged: 09/21/12

Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: gmussman]
      #5571197 - 12/14/12 05:24 PM
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Forgot the link: http://orlygoingthirty.blogspot.com/2010/06/telescope-mount-hacking.html

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ohioalfa64
member


Reged: 08/16/12

Loc: Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: gmussman]
      #5573101 - 12/15/12 08:02 PM
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All I need now is someone smart enough to follow that microprocessor replacement detailed above.

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gmussman
super member
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Reged: 09/21/12

Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: ohioalfa64]
      #5573727 - 12/16/12 08:23 AM
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Ha! It's not that bad -- just take it apart and swap the crystal (the skinny silver thing). I'm not great at soldering, so I got a TV repair guy to do it for 5 bucks. Took him maybe 5 minutes.

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gmussman
super member
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Reged: 09/21/12

Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: gmussman]
      #5573733 - 12/16/12 08:30 AM
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You can PM me if you want to talk it through.

-Grant

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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel
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Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: gmussman]
      #5573766 - 12/16/12 09:07 AM
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took me longer to take the pictures and make the web page

although finding the exact right crystal was pretty hard..

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gmussman
super member
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Reged: 09/21/12

Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: orlyandico]
      #5574054 - 12/16/12 12:00 PM
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Hi, Orlyandico!

Thanks for putting up that web page -- great results with my Polaris! Great pictures, too. A great guide, for sure.

Edited to add: the 4mhz was much easier to find! A shop down the street had one in stock.

Edited by gmussman (12/16/12 12:02 PM)

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SteveG
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Reged: 09/27/06

Loc: Seattle, WA
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: gmussman]
      #5575796 - 12/17/12 02:21 PM Attachment (20 downloads)
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A $30 Celestron drive (93511) will bolt on and run the Polaris just fine. Due to the length of the RA slow-motion shaft, I had to mount the motor on the other side of the mount (why it looks upside-down). I simply drilled and tapped a thread right into the side of the housing. The down-side is there's no clutch, so I just loosen the RA axis and move it manually to adjust. This drive has a speed control, and as the 9V battery gets weak, you can adjust it to track properly.

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SteveG
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Reged: 09/27/06

Loc: Seattle, WA
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: SteveG]
      #5575798 - 12/17/12 02:23 PM Attachment (18 downloads)
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Here - showing the mounting:

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SteveG
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Reged: 09/27/06

Loc: Seattle, WA
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: SteveG]
      #5575800 - 12/17/12 02:23 PM Attachment (18 downloads)
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Another view:

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ohioalfa64
member


Reged: 08/16/12

Loc: Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: SteveG]
      #5575883 - 12/17/12 03:21 PM
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Very nice, and very simple--even better.

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gmussman
super member
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Reged: 09/21/12

Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: ohioalfa64]
      #5578038 - 12/18/12 10:30 PM
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Aw, come on! You just bolt it on and it works? No chance of ruining everything with a shaky hand while doing delicate work in the five free minutes before the kids wake up? No worry your math was wrong? You don't have to take it apart or learn a circuit diagram or do soldering or NOTHIN'? And its CHEAP?

I don't get it.

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SteveG
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Reged: 09/27/06

Loc: Seattle, WA
Re: Vixen Polaris load capacity new [Re: gmussman]
      #5579090 - 12/19/12 02:54 PM
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Quote:

Aw, come on! You just bolt it on and it works? No chance of ruining everything with a shaky hand while doing delicate work in the five free minutes before the kids wake up? No worry your math was wrong? You don't have to take it apart or learn a circuit diagram or do soldering or NOTHIN'? And its CHEAP?

I don't get it.



You get five minutes? Lucky you!
No worries - my math is always wrong!
Unfortunately you do have to take it apart - to install the 9v battery :-)

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