I had an earlier thread re making an old mount into a widefield unit.
I removed the dec so it only had RA and dec adjust was to be by way of moving the camera on a ply replacement of the dec arrangement.
I ran into problems with the controller box which I was unable to resolve.
Bojan kindly offerred to look at the motor and control box and finally replaced the lot with considerable effort...some of his time was wasted because some idiot did not give him the correct address to return mail the goods...not only once but twice he sent the parcel to the address he was given ...the idiot was me...I confused PO box numbers..I was thinking of my fathers PO box number at another PO...the Post Office did not realise the mistake or recognise my name apparently and sent the parcel back twice...it was my fault but you would think they would have recognised the name...anyways I asked Bojan to send the parcel to Tabulam where even with an incorrect box number you would get your parcel.
This time I got the box number correct and picked up the parcel...
But I resolved that as a mark of my appreciation that the mount would be called "THE BOJAN WIDEFIELD MOUNT".
As everything was new I had to construct a housing unit..well yesterday I got some "me" time and started building a box using balsa...a great way to build stuff...and its partially done.
When its finished I will cover it in resin to give it heaps of strength.
Anyways here are some photos of the progress...actually I will have to add them after a resize☺.
Here is the resin step.
I add resin without hardner in the hope it will penetrate the balsa but now I add the black resin. Its coloured by black tiling grout in the absense of perhaps the correct colouring agent☺.
Hopefully this all hardens to produce a reasonable surface with a little bit of strength.
So far I think I did not add enough hardner so it may be a case of check it in the morning☺ Anyways if it has not gone off I will just add another layer with more hardner the result being a thicker atronger unit...all good.
Alex
I have done similar in the past but added a very small amount of hardner (which I failed to do here) and would leave it for a couple of weeks to soak in and go off a little...but I am under pressure and I guess not thinking clearly ... so I scraped off a lot of the second resin coat and started again to a degree..I probably dont need it as the multi layered box is very strong and will do the job resin or no resin...I use resin as a structural paint☺.
I need to finish this job by Wednesday so I can test it on Thursday and pack it up Friday and leave on Saturday...and in the middle of everything would you believe the clutch failed in my car which is a problem mainly getting to and from the repair place with crook legs.
Anyways progress continues and I hope to get some photos next trip using the mount having driven it up in a car with a new clutch☺.
Alex
Its all done except for a lid for the board which is done and just needs fitting.
Anyways gave it a dry run last night and horrors the mounts ra (and there is no dec☺) did not move...no reason for that...I could hear the motor running and I could see the shaft turning...it was the screw on the primary gear slipping☺ but what a time of concern and confusion.
I notice I may get a small view of the CSP out the back which although useless for photos as apart from that small view the rest is covered by branches..
So maybe get a line up and at least see how decent the mount is...and given Bojan put in belt drive it should be pretty good.
I took it for a test run last night.
It would not work..but it was the box interferring with the switch☺ enlarged to hole and the away it went.
Some minimal trailing with long exposures which I put down to balance ..there was none...so today added a hollow rod and made a counter weight by filling a toilet roll with lead sinkers with a nut in place to hold it where I wanted and a cardboard tube so the rod will fit.
As I waited for the resin to go off I took a look at the battery pack which I had disgarded in favour of clips onto a 6 volt battery...but looking at the pack it was 12 volts☺ so next test correct voltage and a counter weight should do it☺
Alex
Hi Bojan
Well thats good to know.
The counter balance wont go off but even if it does it is just a little to cloudy to see if that makes it perfect.
It will do 3 minutes easy maybe more...plus the alignemt was just by eye so it will be interesting to see how it goes qith good PA.
I cant get CSP out the back which I had hoped so it wont get a good run until I get back North.
I doubt if the masterfully designed and printed gear wheel is the problem☺.
As I said I just plonked the mount on the deck and pointed it where I thought would be ok☺. I cant even see CSP from the patio.☺
Not the best way to get PA.
My idea was to see if I could detect periodic error and so far at the short fl (80mm) I could not notice anything dramatic no doubt due to your using a belt drive rather than direct meshing gears☺.
And I was letting it run for 10 minutes. ..if three I think I could have taken reasonable subs.
The counter weight etc is in place but it was too cloudy to try it last night when I got in. The nut in the thing did not work so the weight is held in place with tape☺.
There are a few things less than perfect in my build but its only a proto type to complete field testing☺.
But the box turned out less perfect than I expected.
The really good news is the car has q new clutch and I hope to go North in a couple of days.
Alex
Did a few tests last night.
Even with poor polar all seemed good...there was a slight drift North which is correctable and it was moved West a tad too fast but I only noticed when I bought the camera inside to review everything so I did nothing by way of corrections...and I was at 200 mm fl. I am convinced at good polar align and an adjustement of balance will have things more than acceptable for the shorter fls I plan to be working at...probably nothing over 70mm if that.
So today pack the car leave tomorrow and with this set uo can arrived plonk it down and start capturing☺.
Alex
The mount was known as an eq5 but well before the "real" eq 5.
Yes the little star trails at 10 minutes showed an overall patten when looked at as a bunch...
I am convinced it will do all I expect...And thinking about it more I probably will be going for very short fl...mainly I just want Milky Way widefields...the wider the better.
The set up is nice and light and no dec is not a problem ... as I said before I expect because set up is easy (and up North I can get a pretty good PA just placing the tripod on the ground cause I can see the CSP) I will probably star shooting when I arrive.
But with software assistance on pa and a little adjustment time and short fl it is going to be a boon.
I can run the 80mm on the heq5 and the BWM (BOJAN WIDEFIELD MOUNT) or just use it when clouds threaten a stop.