2 replies to this topic

[Rep]

Hi:  We're beginners who purchased a used Meade DS2000 with Autostar because we have no idea (yet) as to how to find stars and planets.  We paid $100 and then discovered the horizontal axis will not rotate under power.  We can hear the motor whirr, so I took it apart and noticed the gear assembly has been broken and repaired.  The gears inside the mounting arm assembly are about .050 apart from each other, probably due to the repair.  It seems as though it almost catches, but one of the gears appears to be flexible like rubber, as opposed to plastic, and the smaller drive gear on the motor will not engage it.

 

This thing is ancient.  What's our chances of being able to purchase gears or the plastic gearset assembly?  Thank you.

 

Rep

[Christopher Erickson]

Probably about zero. It is about 20 years old.

 

Possibly you can work on it to fix the gear gap. I can't tell from the pic exactly where the problem is.

 

Someone with a 3D printer and who is adept with TinkerCAD might be able to create a new plastic part for you. If you have to pay for their time, it will certainly be a lot more than what you paid for that scope.

 

Maybe you can find an identical scope on eBay. If you find a broken one for a good price, maybe the two scopes can be combined into a functioning scope.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

[Thrifty1]

It would help if you can mark on the photo which gears are a problem or where something is broke. I can’t tell just from your photo.

I’ve had success with other Meade drives in replacing broken gears.

Edited by Thrifty1, 27 January 2021 - 11:07 AM.