3d Printed Barn Door Tracker

[Jasp05]

Hi guys,

I've nearly finished a project I've been working on. It's an almost fully 3d printed barn door tracker.

Has fine azimuth adjustment control. Hoping to get fine altitude adjustment added soon but for now the current way should be ok. (Still have to print some knobs/ handles for these controls).

Will be controlled via arduino with bluetooth control to phone or tablet. Plan on implementing a DARV alignment routine to the software also.

If I get really excited maybe even implement shutter control for the DSLR through the arduino also.


Just looking for some feedback and your thoughts on the design.

I hope to print a second version shortly and send it out to someone on IIS to try out and let me know what they think.

I would like to develop this into a cheap starter kit for people looking to get into astrophotography.

[LostInSp_ce]

Looks great Aaron and an excellent idea. Could this be the time for a new DIY 3D printing forum maybe? We already have a couple of great DIY forums here that inform, educate and inspire people so is another one that's dedicated to projects using this tech worth considering?

[Jasp05]

Your probably right. 3d printing can be an art form of itself so a dedicated forum to it isn't a bad idea.

:thumbsup:

[dikman]

Very nice! Looks more professional than a couple of bits of wood and a hinge.:thumbsup:
I've found a 3D printer is a useful tool to have around.

[that_guy]

Sounds like a great project! was this printed on standard PLA? Also where did you get the threaded curved rod?

[Jasp05]

Yeah its just pla plastic. The curved rod i bent by hand.


Cut a form out of MDF of the desired radius minus half the diameter of the threaded rod.

Then just did small bends along the length untilit matched the curve. It was a 1mtr length to start. I checked the curve against a template and cut the best section out.

I would like to 3d print a rack and pinion gear setup but not sure it would be as accurate..

[axle01]

Aaron I’m in the middle of making 3 barndoor Trackers out of alloy one with a curved rod and two with a straight rods, I’m having problems with the motor control for the 2 with the straight rods.
Really like what you’ve done, well done.

Al

[Jasp05]

What problems are you having with the straight rods Axle? Is it the control over speed or the accuracy of the tracking due to using straight rods?

With the straight rod design your motor will need to increase in rpm over time to cope with the angular error that occurs. people have done up tables with the calculations for these things online.

But curved rod is much simpler. Just set the rpm and your basically done.

[axle01]

I have the circuit board from StarTracker and I have to adjust the measurements to suit my mount, I'm waiting for him to send me some instructions on how to do it.

Al