deezdrama
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/29/05
Loc: Central Illinois
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Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
#2985720 - 03/15/09 05:32 PM
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Took the voyager/100ed pro combo out last night.
It was my first time using the mount, generally I love the mount (first alt-az mount) but noticed a few quirks I need to get straightened out and wondered if anyone else had similar problems.
alt and az movements seem very sticky, It wasnt bad at low to medium powers but at high powers when manually moving it it would jump all over the place, seems like the factory tension is way too tight, The 2 tension knobs where loosened , tightened ect to no prevaile. I removed one tension knob to see what kind of grease was being used, I found out quickly its the famous synta glue-grease.
But ive read so many good reviews on this mount - I pictured being able to glide it around effortlessly, but when using it - in order to get it to start moving in either axis it gives a good jerk- so planetary tracking is hard....
so I figure no big deal- I will use the slo-mo knobs. Had to use the included slo-mo knob extension for the alt control- it put it within a decently comfortable reach, but the az knob is a very far leaning stretch to reach it.
How do other users of this mount get around these problems?
I also noticed the alt slo-mo didnt work most of the time unless I cranked down the tension for that axis.
Other than these- its a nice mount.
So....
should I relube with superlube
or just back off factory tension?
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therocksal
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/02/08
Loc: Everett, WA
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: deezdrama]
#2985739 - 03/15/09 05:44 PM
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I bought a Voyager and used it with my 100ED for the first time last week. It's a bit sticky but I found a good enough tension that it's fine although when I get to a planet I will tighten it more and it is then more sticky but I use the slo mos after that and that way it works great...might get some vibration pads for it...will try it with my C8 coming next week.
Edited by therocksal (03/15/09 05:47 PM)
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deezdrama
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/29/05
Loc: Central Illinois
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: therocksal]
#2985782 - 03/15/09 06:05 PM
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I bought a Voyager and used it with my 100ED for the first time last week. It's a bit sticky but I found a good enough tension that it's fine although when I get to a planet I will tighten it more and it is then more sticky but I use the slo mos after that and that way it works great...might get some vibration pads for it...will try it with my C8 coming next week.
Mine came with one knob extension that I use on alt, how do you find it having to reach for the az knob using a long 100ed?
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mclewis1
Thread Killer
Reged: 02/25/06
Loc: New Brunswick, Canada
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: deezdrama]
#2985968 - 03/15/09 07:56 PM
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If you're moving a slow motion knob and nothing is happening you likely haven't balanced the scope on the mount properly. The heavier the scope the more sensitive this is.
A little stiction when moving the mount without the slow motion knobs is apparently normal. I find that after a few back and forth movements that this stiction is reduced to levels that I no longer notice. It is always more noticeable in colder weather.
If you loosened or removed one of those black panels then you're likely going to have to fiddle with the tension adjustments to get it right again. There's a reason why the instructions say something to the effect of "don't touch these".
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gglasser
member
Reged: 08/16/08
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: mclewis1]
#2986033 - 03/15/09 08:52 PM
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I had a similar problem, this is what i figured out. there are slotted collets on each side of the worm gear, external of course, at the slo mo knobs. the worm gear runs through them. mine were over tightened. You can use a flat head screw driver and insert it in one side and loosen or tighten as you desire. If you loosen too much they will turn with the slo mo control. This worked very well for me and reduced the load on each axis by 50%. This also reduced the backlash. I had half a knob on one axis, now its gone.
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dvb
different Syndrome.
Reged: 06/18/05
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: gglasser]
#2986778 - 03/16/09 10:25 AM
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I was also surprised (and a bit disappointed) at the "stiction" of the Voyager, having had the buttery-smooth EZTouch.
Motion with the SloMos is very smooth; just pannining is sticky.
However, I've actually come to appreciate the stickiness, because it makes balance less important. I was always re-balancing the scope on the EZTouch. With the Voyager, I can change Eyepieces, add Barlows etc., and not have to rebalance.
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therocksal
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/02/08
Loc: Everett, WA
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: deezdrama]
#2986855 - 03/16/09 11:24 AM
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Mine came with one knob extension that I use on alt, how do you find it having to reach for the az knob using a long 100ed?
It's definitely a bit of a stretch but I'm 6'5" and with my monkey arms, it's not too bad, at least not as bad as I thought it would be. I do have to adjust a bit to the side to keep looking in the EP while moving it.
I remember trying to use the slo mos on my LXD75 clone with my 6" achro...very un-fun.
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deezdrama
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/29/05
Loc: Central Illinois
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: therocksal]
#2987416 - 03/16/09 05:16 PM
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I bet a regrease with superlube would make the voyager super smooth, its a shame they still use that synta glue grease- But I assume its used to make up for wide tolerances between moving parts and to hide any sub smooth bearing surfaces from being felt.
Anyone dissasembled one of these before? Wonder how bad it would be? Ive had a cg5 completely dismantled/polished/and relubed, cant image it could be any worse?
Or maybee over time things will smooth out
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TomN
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/14/09
Loc: Washington State
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: deezdrama]
#2988123 - 03/17/09 12:19 AM
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Mine tends to be pretty sensitive to the cold weather. I've been out at 15 degrees and it gets fairly sticky. You might find it works better as we move into spring...
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Loc: Sunny California
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: deezdrama]
#2988902 - 03/17/09 01:45 PM
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I use a Portamount which I'm sure is similar in design. I can back off the tension on the Portamount to where the slow motion controls no longer work. It then becomes pretty much a fluid alt-azimuth mount. Problem there is balance becomes critical. So I apply enough tension so balance need not be perfect and the slow motion controls engage. When I have it adjusted properly, there's enough stiction to keep the scope parked whenever I stop slewing it, but not enough to cause manual slewing to become sticky and thus cause jerky movements. The tension on the Porta is controlled by hex nuts. How so with the Voyager?
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deezdrama
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/29/05
Loc: Central Illinois
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: Starlighter]
#2989512 - 03/17/09 08:40 PM
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theres a thumbscrew that when turned presses a brass clutch button against the bearing housing
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TurboSE
member
Reged: 10/18/07
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: deezdrama]
#3002111 - 03/24/09 12:37 PM
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I took apart the alt axis and cleaned it and regreased with a CRC product called Super adhesive grease - I believe it is lithium based. I much took the ideas from astronomy-boys tweaking on the CG-5. It is now much easier to move but I still have a issue with it - at one position in the turn of the knob it feels as there is a imperfection in the wormwheel...
It wasn't very hard to dissassemble or getting it together again. Remember that the black backplate is used to adjust the tension between the gears.
I have to take it apart again and try to find out what is imperfect!
Edited by TurboSE (03/24/09 12:42 PM)
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mtlott
member
Reged: 07/12/08
Loc: Georgia
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Re: Astrotech Voyager mount / sticky movements
[Re: therocksal]
#3003051 - 03/24/09 09:49 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
Mine came with one knob extension that I use on alt, how do you find it having to reach for the az knob using a long 100ed?
It's definitely a bit of a stretch but I'm 6'5" and with my monkey arms, it's not too bad, at least not as bad as I thought it would be. I do have to adjust a bit to the side to keep looking in the EP while moving it.
I remember trying to use the slo mos on my LXD75 clone with my 6" achro...very un-fun.
I had bent bar made & panhandle made for my Voyager. The bent bar really helps the knob access. The slo-mo is really smooth and the panhandle helps with, well, panning. See older thread with photos here.
Marie
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