PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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I recently purchased a Takahashi EM-100 mount off of the Internet. Takahashi made these mounts in the 1980’s and mine appears to be from the last year of production. It’s serial number is 9002 ( pic #1 )– which translates into the 2nd mount made in 1989. I owned one of these mounts years ago that had a serial number of 6297, which means it was the 297th mount made in 1986. That one was “Takahashi gray” ( pic #2 ), so they must have changed color to “Takahashi green” somewhere in between. They are a solid mount and according to the Instruction Manual, “the maximum load carrying capacity of the EM-100 mount is approximately 30 lbs.”, though most (and I would agree) feel it is more like 25 lbs. I purchase this one as a backup to my workhorse mount – a Losmandy G-9.
I knew when I purchased it that a "restoration" was in the mix. The seller pretty accurately described the shortcomings and I point them out in the pictures, but after unpacking it, I found a couple additional ones. As shown in pic #3 , the counterweight shaft was missing a retainer nut and the large slow-motion knobs were missing; I knew this and I had purchased it without a tripod. However, I didn’t know there would be no counterweight. I contacted the seller and he said it was an “oops” on his part and that he would be sending one along shortly. In pic #4 there were also missing cover screws for the R.A. clutch cover, which I also had been told. But added to that was a broken slow-motion shaft on the R.A. spur gear. The seller said that it was there when it left, so it must have happened in shipment. It is less that ¼” inch in diameter and so it’s not surprising that this could have happened; rather than bother with a UPS claim, I’ve decided to machine a new one. The only other shortcoming that I knew about is the paint; as you can see in the pics there a several scuffs and the paint has faded. Fortunately, the mount is in “Takahashi green”, a color much easier to match than the older “Takahashi gray”. These are for the most part “cosmetic” problems; the mount’s movements are still smooth and “tight”. Still, I have my work cut out for me – stay tuned!
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PJ
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LLEEGE
Running out of Oxygen
Reged: 03/03/05
Posts: 9048
Loc: Cloud-chester,NY
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Good luck with the rebuild. Still a nice looking mount.
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"Okay! You draw the straws. I'm-a taking the parachute."
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TxStars
sage
Reged: 10/01/05
Posts: 487
Loc: Lost In Space
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You can contact Art at Takahashi USA and see if they have any spare parts, I know they have the paint.
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http://txstars.org/
Tak FC-50 / Tak FCT-65 / Tak FC-100
Celestron 8" Schmidt camera
Clasic Sand Cast C-8 & C-5
"SCUZZO" 300/f 1.1
Cameras: Nikon F2/Mamiya 645, press 6x7 ,6x9/ Hasselblad 6x6 / Lenses Yes Many - Yay Film
Mount - GoTo by hand and eye
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Thanks Luke. I'm hoping to use it with my FS78. A little overkill, but I like "steady" viewing!
Charles, I did contact Art about a drive controller and he has a ol' PD4 that he says would work. I'm also looking at a PD6 from another seller.
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PJ
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TxStars
sage
Reged: 10/01/05
Posts: 487
Loc: Lost In Space
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Yep the PD-4/PD-5/PD-6 will all work with the EM-100.
The FC-76 will be great on that mount, when you get it all set up you will have a nice astrophoto rig.
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http://txstars.org/
Tak FC-50 / Tak FCT-65 / Tak FC-100
Celestron 8" Schmidt camera
Clasic Sand Cast C-8 & C-5
"SCUZZO" 300/f 1.1
Cameras: Nikon F2/Mamiya 645, press 6x7 ,6x9/ Hasselblad 6x6 / Lenses Yes Many - Yay Film
Mount - GoTo by hand and eye
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Charles,
Thanks for the info. I'll let you know what I end up with.
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PJ
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Today I worked on the broken slow-motion shaft on the R.A. gear. I drilled out the old shaft from the spur gear, machined a new shaft and pressed it into the gear (pic #5 ). Here's a pic with the slow-motion knob back in place: pic #6. Also in the pic are the 3mm screws I was able to purchase at the local hardware to replace the missing ones on the R.A. gear cover.
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PJ
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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The project continues:
Over the last week, I was able to obtain two black Takahashi slow-motion knobs and the promised counterweight arrived from the seller. The knobs fit perfectly
(pic #7) and should help with navigating the skies without a motor drive. Also seen in the picture is my Losmandy G-9 tripod adapter plate. I found that the base of the Takahashi fits perfectly into the hole of the Losmandy plate. That will make things convenient. 
The counterweight proved to be less promising. It is the 7 kg. (15.4 lbs.) weight and would be far too much weight for my FS78. I decided to machine a counterweight from a 8 lb. piece of brass I had (pic #8) . Here is a picture of the raw brass next to the finished product (pic #9). Notice that I needed to sleeve the piece of brass to fit the Takahashi counterweight shaft. Here is the final product alongside the Takahashi counterweight with the paint touched up (pic #10). Should be a better fit for my scope. Not sure if I will leave it in "natural" brass or paint it Takahashi "green"? Also seen in this picture is the counterweight shaft retainer nut that I machined for the shaft end.
With all the needed parts obtained or made, next in the project comes disassembly for greasing and painting.
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PJ
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LLEEGE
Running out of Oxygen
Reged: 03/03/05
Posts: 9048
Loc: Cloud-chester,NY
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Looking good!
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"Okay! You draw the straws. I'm-a taking the parachute."
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Thanks Luke!
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PJ
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Now I'm committed - ( pic #11 ) !!
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PJ
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Charlie Hein
Postmaster
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 7960
Loc: 26.06.08N, +80.23.08W
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I'd say so!
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"He's dead, Jim - I'll get his wallet, you get his tricorder." - Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Weston CSC:
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TxStars
sage
Reged: 10/01/05
Posts: 487
Loc: Lost In Space
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Yep you have the majority of it apart.
Are you going to use the new color or the old when repainting it?
I have been thinking of powder coating one of my Tak mounts.
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http://txstars.org/
Tak FC-50 / Tak FCT-65 / Tak FC-100
Celestron 8" Schmidt camera
Clasic Sand Cast C-8 & C-5
"SCUZZO" 300/f 1.1
Cameras: Nikon F2/Mamiya 645, press 6x7 ,6x9/ Hasselblad 6x6 / Lenses Yes Many - Yay Film
Mount - GoTo by hand and eye
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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I plan on using the new color, it's closer to the original paint on this mount. This is the only EM-100 I've seen in this color, all the other ones I've seen have been the darker gray color. I've started to mask the decals/labels. They are in surprisingly good shape and I believe if I tried to remove them, I might cause some damage. I would love to powder coat the mount, but don't have the means/talent to do it myself.
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PJ
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Quote:
I'd say so!
Charlie,
I took notes and pics during disassembly, so it should go back together relatively easily.
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PJ
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Charlie Hein
Postmaster
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 7960
Loc: 26.06.08N, +80.23.08W
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Quote:
Quote:
I'd say so!
Charlie,
I took notes and pics during disassembly, so it should go back together relatively easily.
I have great faith in your abilities in this regard. That said, when you break it all down (pardon the pun), that really is a whole bunch of expensive Takahashi parts all loose (as in not assembled) on a table. That's more than enough all by itself to give most stout hearted men a serious case of indigestion.
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Charlie,
I know what you mean; some knots in the stomach for sure.
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PJ
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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I finished painting ( pic #12 ) and will give the parts a few days to dry properly. Masking went well, coming off with no damage. I know from experience that this is not always the case (once I masked a label on a scope, only to have it come off with the masking tape). 
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PJ
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LLEEGE
Running out of Oxygen
Reged: 03/03/05
Posts: 9048
Loc: Cloud-chester,NY
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Did you paint the brass CW? I like the brass look. Of course, it's your mount. 
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"Okay! You draw the straws. I'm-a taking the parachute."
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Luke,
No, I'm still indecisive there. I will wait until I assembly everything and take a look, but I am leaning toward your preference.
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PJ
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Ed Kessler
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/17/06
Posts: 828
Loc: Millersburg, PA
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One look at those bearings gives me a pretty big "hint" as to why my TAK EM-11 tracks better and more smoothly than any other EQ mount I've owned!!
Looks like the project is going well, PJ!!
Clear Skies,
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Ed Kessler
Televue NP127is, Borg 101ED,
Coronado SM60, 1961 Questar Standard (updated with new optics and a Powerglide II Retrofit, 2009)
16" "Jeff Counsil Dob"
Vixen VMC200L
Pentax XO, XP, SMC Orthos, Vernonscope Brandons
Televue 2-4mm Zoom, 13mm Ethos, 22mm Nagler, 35mm Panoptic;
TAK 32mm MC Erfle; 25mm and 15mm Zeiss Microscope Eyepieces
sic itur ad astra (Just to look profound!)
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Thanks Ed. I noticed the bearings also, six total with four on the R.A. axis alone!
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PJ
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Drying went well and I felt confident enough to go ahead and assemble the mount today. Here it is - back together! (pic #13). Re-greasing really helped, making its operation even smoother and I thoroughly recommend it.
Next I placed it upon my Davis & Sanford Astro 600 tripod (this is the tripod Astro-Physics sells as the SDS400 for their 400 mount). Here are a couple of pics with my FS78 in the "saddle": (pic #14), (pic #15). The shade of green is not a perfect match to the scope and clamp color, but I'm pleased with how close it came. Not bad looking for a 19 year-old mount, eh?
After I took the pics and was looking them over, I noticed the latitude adjustment screw looked a bit bare. On the previous EM-100 I owned, there was a knob on this screw (pic #2). I don't know if Takahashi left it out when manufacturing the late EM-100's or it's just another missing part. Anyway, I decided to go ahead and machine a knob, pressing it on the screw (pic #16). There - I think its complete!!
Let me know what you think. Any suggestions? Should I paint the counterweight to match or leave it as is? All thoughts appreciated.
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LLEEGE
Running out of Oxygen
Reged: 03/03/05
Posts: 9048
Loc: Cloud-chester,NY
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Looks fantastic! Great job! 
I'd leave the CW as it is. Looks classy. 
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"Okay! You draw the straws. I'm-a taking the parachute."
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Ed Kessler
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/17/06
Posts: 828
Loc: Millersburg, PA
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Quote:
Looks fantastic! Great job!
I'd leave the CW as it is. Looks classy.
It has been interesting following this thread. You've done a beautiful job, PJ. I've often wished for these sorts of machining capabilities.
I vote to leave the counterweight as is.
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Ed Kessler
Televue NP127is, Borg 101ED,
Coronado SM60, 1961 Questar Standard (updated with new optics and a Powerglide II Retrofit, 2009)
16" "Jeff Counsil Dob"
Vixen VMC200L
Pentax XO, XP, SMC Orthos, Vernonscope Brandons
Televue 2-4mm Zoom, 13mm Ethos, 22mm Nagler, 35mm Panoptic;
TAK 32mm MC Erfle; 25mm and 15mm Zeiss Microscope Eyepieces
sic itur ad astra (Just to look profound!)
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PJ Anway
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 1136
Loc: Michigan's U.P.
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Thanks guys! It was a fun project and I learned a lot about Takahashi mounts along the way. I was able to get out last night to observe and everything work fine manually. Recently, I was able to locate a PD6 drive controller in Europe and it is on its way, but that could take a while.
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PJ
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