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Takahashi EM Who?

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67 replies to this topic

#51 payner

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Posted 26 January 2024 - 11:15 PM

Old thread, but right topic: 

 

l’ve very recently picked up an EM-10 with Temma 2 Jr (on the other site.) I’d love to learn more about these specific mounts than what I’ve been able to find online so far.

 

Can we determine approximate year of manufacture from the model and serial number (3xxx) even if only a range?

Tom,

 

I think your beautiful mount was likely made in the early 2000s, given it has Temma2 Jr goto system. What are the first two digits of the serial number?

 

PS: Fun thread of seriously great mounts that seem to go on ‘forever’ if reasonably cared for. 


Edited by payner, 26 January 2024 - 11:18 PM.


#52 Tom Graham

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Posted 27 January 2024 - 09:20 AM

[excerpt]…I think your beautiful mount was likely made in the early 2000s, given it has Temma2 Jr goto system. What are the first two digits of the serial number?…

Thank you for the compliment. The full serial number is 03066. From those of you that may have purchased your EM-10 with Temma 2 Jr, when new, does this serial number help confirm the date of manufacture in any way? 

 

Regarding Takahashi serial numbers and dating manufacture: My sense is that, unlike the telescopes, for mounts, the serial number prefix is almost meaningless and only serves to provide the relative sequence of manufacture. 
 

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#53 payner

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Posted 27 January 2024 - 10:31 AM

Thank you for the compliment. The full serial number is 03066. From those of you that may have purchased your EM-10 with Temma 2 Jr, when new, does this serial number help confirm the date of manufacture in any way? 

 

Regarding Takahashi serial numbers and dating manufacture: My sense is that, unlike the telescopes, for mounts, the serial number prefix is almost meaningless and only serves to provide the relative sequence of manufacture. 
 

Your "03" prefix indicates it was made in 2003. That is the target timeframe I had in mind.

 

In the last 6 or so years, Takahashi has abandoned that longstanding method of serial number sequence (i.e., the first two indicating year of manufacture).

 

PS: The "066" indicates it was the 66th mount of that model produced in 2003.


Edited by payner, 27 January 2024 - 10:32 AM.

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#54 Tom Graham

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Posted 27 January 2024 - 03:10 PM

Regarding the relationship of the first two digits of the serial number to the year of manufacture of some Takahashi mounts: I don’t recall having seen or heard this proposed before for mounts.

 

Like others, I was aware of this exact pattern (for Takahashi refractors) and that this pattern appears to have existed from approximately 1990 to 2015 — but I had only seen the pattern discussed and documented for refractors
 

Has this been discussed in other threads for Takahashi mounts?



#55 LB Myers

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Posted 04 March 2024 - 02:35 PM

Hi All

i have an older EM-1S Tak mount. I have searched high and low for any info regarding the worm to gear adjustments.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Ive tried Tak America/ LS&S but no luck.

Thanks in advance!

LB

email- scopeguy100@gmail.com



#56 LB Myers

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Posted 06 March 2024 - 05:51 PM

Never mind on the above post. Got it figured out!


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#57 deSitter

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Posted 07 March 2024 - 04:13 AM

Thank you for the compliment. The full serial number is 03066. From those of you that may have purchased your EM-10 with Temma 2 Jr, when new, does this serial number help confirm the date of manufacture in any way? 

 

Regarding Takahashi serial numbers and dating manufacture: My sense is that, unlike the telescopes, for mounts, the serial number prefix is almost meaningless and only serves to provide the relative sequence of manufacture. 
 

That is a thing of timeless beauty. Wow! Those Tak folks have it on the ball.

 

-drl


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#58 alanajones

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Posted 12 March 2024 - 05:04 AM

Hi, i noticed a couple of people earlier in this thread talking about needing to do a conversion to move from an EM200 to EM-11 tripod, if any Tak EQ mount users are able to help with the mount question below that'd be much appreciated. Many thanks.

 

https://www.cloudyni...t-modification/


Edited by alanajones, 12 March 2024 - 05:05 AM.


#59 payner

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Posted 20 March 2024 - 01:03 PM

I've responded to your linked thread.



#60 Lentini

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Posted 20 March 2024 - 07:52 PM

I have the EM-1S mount, and it’s so cool that such an old and beautiful mount just works. The first mount I have used for tracking. Just point it generally north, and (for visual) enjoy extended views. 

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#61 Avitam

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Posted 22 December 2024 - 01:19 PM

Hello All 

 

What an awesome thread. I am fairly new to AP and brand new to the world of Takahashi. I have been looking at higher payload mounts that I can convert to goto eventually ( I am very budget constrained and I love diy). 

 

I am looking for more info on the EM200, but I am having a tough time finding much info about the older Tak mounts. 

 

How many versions of the EM200 were there ? I am specifically looking at the EM200 USD ( based on serial number starting with 97, I am assuming it's from 1997). I have a friend in Japan who has come in possession of one and is looking to sell it to me. 

 

I would really appreciate any info. 

 

Thanks! 

 

Avi



#62 Serenity Now

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Posted 28 December 2024 - 11:16 PM

Decades back I had the EM-2 mount as a complete "system" with the FS-102. This was a spectacular combo and I loved the mechanics, operation and handling, it's esthetics with that pale minty green paint, observations from my city-line industrial area residence (doubles, planetary and lunar). This was first class all the way. The FS-152 was the natural, next drool-worthy scope but I'd reached my semi-apo/apo glass ceiling.


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#63 photoracer18

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Posted 30 December 2024 - 05:22 PM

When I worked for Gary back almost three decades ago I had an EM-200 Temma 2 and second run TEC140ED, which has been in NM for a couple of decades now in a dome doing nothing but imaging for a friend. Now I have an EM-2 which I use occasionally but prefer my AP400QMD or my AP900QMD. My Denk BV is permanently attached to my SVX127D, biggest APO I have now. Getting too old for bigger scopes.


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#64 TxStars

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Posted 31 January 2025 - 05:40 PM

Here is one of the lesser known mounts in the states.

"Space Boy" with custom dual axis drive.

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#65 Tom Graham

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Posted 02 February 2025 - 02:46 PM

Here is one of the lesser known mounts in the states.

"Space Boy" with custom dual axis drive.

You’re right. We don’t see too many of these featured here. Thank you for sharing. 



#66 edif300

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Posted Today, 01:36 AM

How many versions of the EM200 were there ?

Avi


There are many after decades manufacturing it. They are actually mechanically quite the same, with minor changes such as enlarging the DEC housing and being major changes the upgrading electronics.


EM-200
EM-200b
EM-200 USD
EM-200 USDII
EM-200 USDIII
EM-200 TEMMA
EM-200 TEMMA Jr
EM-200 TEMMA PC
EM-200 TEMMA2
EM-200 TEMMA 2Jr
EM-200 TEMMA2M
EM-200 TEMMA2Z
EM-200 TEMMA3
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#67 elstargazer12

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Posted Today, 01:30 PM

Hi all,

 

Maybe this is more in the ATM section, but since this thread is active, I figured I'd post here. 

 

I've owned three Tak mounts over the years: EM-10 (sold), EM-200, and an EM-1s. In general, they ROCK! Absolutely wonderfully made. I've taken apart the RA on the EM-200 and one axis on a Tak Sky Patrol... the machining job is INSANELY good. Really better than it has to be. I've taken apart Vixen mounts before and it's clear as day the Taks are machined to higher tolerances. 

 

Anyways, for this post I wanted to share a motor drive rebuild I did for the EM-1s.

 

I've owned the mount since 2022. I started with a 6" mak on it (about 12 lbs) and as expected it was rock solid. I normally use a 5" APO (~22 lbs with accessories) on the em-200 and always assumed that it would be too much for the em-1s, so I never even tried it. Back in the day when I had the EM-10, which is nominally a bit stronger than the EM-1, I found it just marginally acceptable with the APO at high power. 

 

Inspired by another post here on CN, just last fall I tried putting the APO on the EM-10 for the first time (after having them in the same house for years!). And, guess what, it has been OK! Between 1 and 2 sec damping after a tap at high power. Not perfect, but usable by my standards. It's on a Berbelach Planet tripod, which is probably what made it a bit steadier than the EM-10 on the stock Tak tripod. 

 

So lesson 1: The em-1s on a strong tripod can be a wonderful mount, carrying something like 30% more than the stated capacity of 17 lbs. 

 

Then, of course, just weeks after I made this happy discovery, the old motor controller died. No motion, no LED lighting up. I looked into finding a replacement board, but that seems impossible. Plus, the mount only moved at 2x or 0x sidereal when you pressed the hand controller buttons, which was really testing my patience. 

 

So I did a little research and bought an Adafruit Trinket microcontroller board. It's Arduino compatible and really tiny to fit in the small cavity. Then alongside a TMC2208 stepper driver, I put together a new controller that runs at sidereal by default and +/- 5x sidereal with the hand controller. I would have preferred 12x or 16x, but that's as fast as the motor would turn! The gear ratio is insanely high: 24 steps / turn on the motor x 500:1 internal gear reduction x 2.5:1 external gear reduction x 144 tooth worm gear x 2 microsteps minimum for the TMC 2208 driver. That's almost 7 steps per arcsecond!! I guess Tak REALLY didn't want anyone to see ticks at 1000x while tracking... 

 

I also added an LED polar scope illuminator while I was at it. Also, now it runs on 12v DC with center pin positive like everything else.

 

I was planning on using the original EM-1s motor housing cover, but wanted to add an on/off switch (the original setup had the switch on the batt pack). So I used some scrap 3mm polycarbonate sheet to make a new window. I wasn't planning on it, but the transparent cover actually allows me to forego the on/off indicator LED, since I can just see the insides! There's a cool purple LED on the Adafruit board itself. At first I wasn't sure this was a feature or a bug, but I actually REALLY like it! Gives it some air of modernity and excitement. 

 

All and all, took a couple of days of messing with it to work, but glad to be using the wonderful EM-1s again.

 

Clear skies!

Roger

 

 

 

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#68 elstargazer12

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Posted Today, 01:32 PM

Here are two more photos of the wiring in case anyone is interested in making something similar. 

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