Telescope Reviews: Lazy Susan For Intelliscope

I thought I’d finally get down to it and start this thread, which I’ve been planning to start since a few days. I’ve read about this mod. being done by several people but I was unable to find sufficient data dealing with this topic, particularly for intelliscopes

So here are a few questions I have from the top of my head...

1. I’ve read that installing a Lazy Suzan bearing makes the azimuth movement too free (weather wane syndrome!

) and hence some sort of friction mechanism needs to be employed. I know the light bridges use a spring loaded center bolt for varying tension, but this obviously cannot be used for the intelliscope... so any ideas which work would be really welcome.

2. I have read that the ball bearings have a tendency of developing flat spots, making it a click-stop azimuth. For all the people who have installed these bearings and have been using them for a while... How are the bearings holding up??

3. If flat spots are posing a problem, has any body experimented with cylindrical bearing surfaces as opposed to ball bearings i.e. line contact as opposed to point contact??

4. After installation of these bearings, does the scope become sensitive to the leveling conditions of the ground?? I intend to use the scope with a Round Table Platform down the road. Would this pose to be a problem??

5. Finally, sourcing these bearings. I have found several vendors who offer similar bearings i.e. 12” Dia, and 5/16” overall thickness. Are these the ones to be used with the intelliscopes? I would like to find a bearing, which has the right thickness for the intelliscope to work without the encoders requiring shimming...if possible

Here are the links I found:

http://doitbest.com/Kitchen+organizers--model-212482-doitbest-sku-212482.dib

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2273&filter=lazy%20susan

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2273&filter=lazy%20susan

Here is another great link for all intelliscope systems. It has all the information on the intelliscope system you’ll ever require and more!!

At the bottom of the page there is a drawing giving all the dimensional details required for the azimuth assembly.

http://maxwell.fief.org/intelliscope.html

I would encourage everybody, especially the path beakers who have pioneered this mod. to participate in what ever way possible be it pictures, links, suggestion or advice and hope fully, with your help we can make this a one stop thread for the Lazy Susan mod for intelliscopes and by and large for all dobs.

Thank you all!

Sabir

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No one can attain good livelihood-even if he is so lucky - without passing through misfortunes. Days will usurp the opportunities of those who waste today's opportunity due to their expectation of tomorrow's opportunities. Day's custom is the usurpation of opportunities and the habit of time is wasting them.
Imam Ali (a.s)

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