Hi folks, just a quick update. As you know I've been having guiding problems with the MyT mount, did lots of troubleshooting but never really fixed it to my standards. So more googling revealed a certain fix, I hope, that is the mount needing a yearly regrease- except I hadn't done it for almost 3yrs! Pretty sure the clean and regrease will fix, as now I recall stiction was pretty bad- even just slewing revealed sticky gears. So here are the gory pictures, including the nice clean gears and newly greased teeth. Learned plenty from the disassembly process. And wow, such workmanship. And boy, was there a heap of dirty grease in there!
Oh and a bonus pic of the first obs shed to go onto our property here in Tamleugh (Bortle 1 skies 21.9 mags/arcsecs), hereby to be known as TPO-1 , Tamleugh Park Obs 1. It'll look better soon!
Haha you're a funny bugger Lewis! And I love your new deep space thumbnail approach, that tickles my funny one.
So far there are only very small marks on the surface of the worm. That surface doesn't mesh with the gear. Doing the last axis tonite and will then test. Nervous times...
Logan, I haven't needed SB's help yet, plus they have plenty of instructions and videos featuring the lovely Sarah. As long as you are very careful and thorough it's not rocket surgery.
And a quick test last night showed the mount was tracking and guiding far smoother. I was shocked the thing turned on after I had pulled it apart!
Rick, fortunately the shed should be far easier than ikea! Only 4 sides and 2 roof components. I even marked them clearly for ease of assembly, better than Ikea. Adapting and motorising the roof however, that'll be more like a mechano set!
Yeah Logan, I was confused at first, yes there seems to be a few of you about. Good name actually.
The shed was a standard suburban shed. I will be cutting the ends of the roof off 'precisely', then affixing timber bases ready for the wheels and tracks. Diego will hopefully make the trip up to help me install it and then I hook up Spotify and speakers to play the Imperial March every time it opens.
Logan, I haven't needed SB's help yet, plus they have plenty of instructions and videos featuring the lovely Sarah. As long as you are very careful and thorough it's not rocket surgery.
And a quick test last night showed the mount was tracking and guiding far smoother. I was shocked the thing turned on after I had pulled it apart!
Rick, fortunately the shed should be far easier than ikea! Only 4 sides and 2 roof components. I even marked them clearly for ease of assembly, better than Ikea. Adapting and motorising the roof however, that'll be more like a mechano set!
I’ve never heard of the strict requirement to regrease annually. It’s good practice, no doubt, and I certainly do it. The thing should guide well regardless of that. E.g. EQ6 owners rarely regrease, if ever, and the stock grease in those things is just nasty. The Lubriplate that we use for our SB mounts is infinitely better quality. I guess my point is - for a mount of that cost, it should just work, regardless of grease state.
Yeah Logan, I was confused at first, yes there seems to be a few of you about. Good name actually.
The shed was a standard suburban shed. I will be cutting the ends of the roof off 'precisely', then affixing timber bases ready for the wheels and tracks. Diego will hopefully make the trip up to help me install it and then I hook up Spotify and speakers to play the Imperial March every time it opens.
Awesome!I want an obsy really bad, it would let me image MUCH more often! For me, setting up during a full moon just isnt worth it
Yes the yearly requirement is common knowledge, I could get away with every 2 I hope, esp once the shed is done. I've imaged in the ASV dark site regularly and it is very dusty. You're right tho, we shouldn't have to do it that regularly!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Logieberra
I’ve never heard of the strict requirement to regrease annually. It’s good practice, no doubt, and I certainly do it. The thing should guide well regardless of that. E.g. EQ6 owners rarely regrease, if ever, and the stock grease in those things is just nasty. The Lubriplate that we use for our SB mounts is infinitely better quality. I guess my point is - for a mount of that cost, it should just work, regardless of grease state.
Younger Logan- you just need to be patient, get your 1600 first before you start pushing after an Obsy! I waited over 40yrs to buy my first telescope
Yes the yearly requirement is common knowledge, I could get away with every 2 I hope, .....
Yearly? I think I do the PME once ever three or so years and the PMX has never been done. I think I have had that for about 4 years now. I suppose I need to have a check soon. I know they recommend regreasing regularly but it surely depends on use. I think both my mounts run about 600 odd hours a year and my lack of greasing has not seemed to change guide parameters
I doubt your issue is grease orientated. It could be that you have a very out of spec worm. Or it might be one of the adjustment pins are too tight.
Thanks for chiming in Paul. Have you seen the pic of my worm gear in this thread? Does it look ok to you?
My gear has always been outside, in dusty environments during imaging, now at home I often leave out for weeks, with 2 or more tarps on during day. Yours are in observatories? I'm hoping that's the difference as I don't want to have to order new components! Esp after just 3 yrs
Unless a system is seriously exposed to the elements or suffers direct ingress or suffers extreme heat or cold, I cannot see the need to replace grease more often than every 3 to 4 years like Paul mentioned.
I haven't seen anything I thought was alarming in your pictures.
My gear is always in observatories but left unattended. Dust gets inside the observatories, probably more so than if they were under a tarp. I do regular twice a year cleans of the surfaces with a damp cloth but don't bother too much about the endurance of most of the equipment. If you follow the adjustment of the equipment in the PDF supplied by SB on replacing worm gears you should be ok. The regrease is a good thing but like I said I doubt that is the problem. It might be but I am guessing it is something was too tight.
Thanks Lewis, hmm we had a few 42c days here, even with the tarps on I know it got very hot under there. Hence the obs shed effort.
I'll get back to everyone once I can test more
Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM
Unless a system is seriously exposed to the elements or suffers direct ingress or suffers extreme heat or cold, I cannot see the need to replace grease more often than every 3 to 4 years like Paul mentioned.
) Is that shed roll off/fold off?
For me, setting up during a full moon just isnt worth it 
