Renovation of a Manual EQ5-class Mount

[Eldest_Sibling]

I can't use a go-to mount, whether an alt-azimuth or equatorial. I have too many trees here upon the lay, although I do have access to most parts of the sky, through gaps, "portals", between same.

Only the northern part of the night sky is quite, rather, illuminated, and by a large city 25 miles or so away, but I do have a very nice, and useful, view of Polaris, the North Star, nonetheless...

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I like to observe the star on occasion, as it doesn't move.

There is also a considerable entertainment-venue to the west, about 10 miles away, but it's not nearly on the scale of a city; more like a small town. Just as well, as that's where everything sets.

The view to the east, where most everything rises, is free of light-pollution, as is the the southern view, save that of a neighbour just across the road...

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That's Orion hanging above those "insecurity" lights. I do not have such on my property, and no need.

My skies have been at about 4 to 5 on the Bortle scale, over the last 25 years, although it may be nigh to 6 these days, and most unfortunate.

I am a visual-observer, with eyepieces, only, but with the odd afocal-shot taken through an eyepiece on occasion. I do that to show those first starting out as to what they might expect in the way of performance with an entry-level telescope, like this long-focus(f/12.9) 70mm achromat...

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Would that they did choose the longer-focus instruments, although I do have a few shorter. But I need a supportive mount for that endeavour, and now, I have one...

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I got it for a song, also a dance, new old-stock, as a result of the fall-out after Orion(of California) acquired Meade last June, and from an eBay seller who has always seemed to be a liquidator for Meade products.

It is a Meade LX70 equatorial mount-head; identical to the Saxon EQ-5, the Sky-Watcher EQ-5, all three manufactured by Synta, and clones of at least the Vixen "Great Polaris".

The Meade mount-head compared to that of a Celstron CG-4(EQ3-class) that I had acquired in 2012, but never used...

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The Meade did not come with a tripod, but that of the Celestron is identical. I may have to pull even more parts off of the latter for the former, but perhaps not, yet they'll be there if needed.

Then, the mount-head will need motorising, the RA-axis only. I do have one of these 9V-battery powered gear-boxes...

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[Eldest_Sibling]

Beginning at one of the lesser of the four axes, the latitude, or altitude, axis came equipped with four 0.020"-thick plastic washers to stabilise the union between the mounting-base and the mount-head itself...

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Before beginning this mount-head's renovation, I first browsed through this article...

http://www.astronomyboy.com/cg5/

It made mention of my own in particular, but it dealt primarily with the Celestron CG5. My own is identical to the second-generation CG5 illustrated within the article, and equipped with ball-bearing assemblies for the RA-axis. Those were added to improve support for Celestron's larger telescopes, the company's Schmidt-Cassegrains specifically. Then, I have read that some, if not many, do not prefer ball-bearings within their mounts.

One thing that I have noticed, among practically all renovations of these mount-heads, is that during a renovation, and at their conclusions, the plastic washers are, invariably, reinstalled, returned to the head.

I knew, before the Meade LX70 even arrived, that the axes, and elsewhere, would be filled with plastic washers, from top to bottom; bad prospect, that, but one that might be corrected, enhanced.

The latitude-axis does not move, hardly at all, for once you set your latitude, that's it. Small adjustments may be made on occasion afterwards, however slight. Therefore, the plastic washers should do just fine, yes?

But not within my own; I ordered aluminum sheets, 0.040" in thickness. The final thickness, however, for each side of the axis, came out at almost 0.060", so in the end I had to use four washers after all, the other two somewhat thinner than the first two...

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The increase in thickness resulted from removing the paint from certain areas...

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...and in the levelling of same where needed, specifically the spokes...

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...much improved.

[Eldest_Sibling]

This, the very first GEM, or German equatorial mount, on the planet, the Dorpat...

https://i.imgur.com/3fCQwZW.jpg

Then, the Yerkes GEM...

https://i.imgur.com/4zpIsAE.jpg

I think it's safe to say that neither one of those equatorial mounts contained plastic washers.

Of course, compared to those two, my own is most insignificant. But we do manage to do what we might.

I felt that it was best to separate the two axes, then to work on them one at a time...

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Firstly, the axes needed the factory glue-grease, high-viscosity, cleaned out, then the parts of each inspected, and sized-up for what was to come. I began with the RA-axis. Both axes have an aluminum lock-nut, disk-like, solid, that keeps the parts within from falling out and apart onto the floor...

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The one for the RA-axis has three set-screws. Those must be loosened, backed off, and before unscrewing the lock-nut...

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The two holes at the front of the nut, circled in green, are used to unscrew same. I made a tool for that, of oak and galvanised 4d nails...

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The set-screws of the lock-nut are accessed through this hole, and as the axis is slowly rotated, one screw at a time...

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It's off...

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We then see the first of the ball-bearing assemblies, which consists of the ball-bearing ring itself, with two enclosures...

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After removing the lock-nut and the ball-bearing assembly, the RA-axis may be taken apart.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The RA worm-assembly was removed and set aside. This was done by removing four screws; but not the black centre-screw, as shown...

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This might be done before removing the lock-nut.

Let's have a pull-apart, shall we...

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There they are, the two plastic washers, and to be discarded, but not before the thickness is measured. It doesn't matter as to the inner and outer diameters, as those will be measured elsewhere.

This, the primary ball-bearing assembly within the RA housing...

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I use charcoal-lighter fluid, the type used for grilling food outdoors, to remove the factory-grease. It works a charm...

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The parts for the RA-axis cleaned and de-greased, and ready for the next step...

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[Eldest_Sibling]

Atop the DEC-axis is the Vixen-style saddle, and for my telescopes, large and small. It and the worm-assembly were removed first...

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Incidentally, the DEC worm-assembly is identical to that of the RA-axis, hence, the two are interchangeable.

It was a long, hard road leading up to the bottom of the DEC-shaft...

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Its lock-nut has only two set-screws to back off before unscrewing. Note the plastic washer; history. The setting-circle has two of those, much thinner than all of the others, mired in the only instance of glue-grease that I uncovered throughout the entire mount-head, I'm happy to report, and they're for it as well.

Throughout the mount, otherwise, the grease used by the factory is very much like what I use to re-grease, but I cleaned it all out anyway. Did Synta finally get a clue?

What might we find here, within? I'm almost afraid to look...

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:scared:

More plastic washers, when will it end; drat. Oh, it has ended. What a relief, no more to be discovered.

The DEC worm-gear is shorter than that of the RA-axis; for reference.

The components of the DEC-axis were cleaned, de-greased, and stowed away within their own special, little box...

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[Eldest_Sibling]

The mount-head is of aluminum, totally, including the axes's shafts, save the screws(steel), the worms(brass), and the ball-bearing assemblies(steel).

Incidentally, I found no metal filings or shavings, swarf, within this mount-head. Not a single bearing-surface was painted, either. All surfaces were mirror-polished, at the factory, as seen; even some that do not contact another. In other words, all of the parts are ready to be re-assembled, and with this...

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...Super Lube, a PTFE(Teflon)-based grease.

I've had that canister for quite some time, tried and true. I did consider, for this mount-head, an alternative, having purchased it soon after the mount-head arrived...

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...Lucas Marine, a calcium-sulfonate grease. It's blue, and like the accents round and about the mount-head. But no, that's not why I chose it.

The two greases compared...

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However, I decided in the end not to use the Lucas Marine. It is an unknown, to me. I can use it for other things, for that various and sundry, but not for this mount-head.

But before applying the grease to this part and that, I like to make special little things for my mounts, things that might've, should've, been included, from the factory, but as we know they're not going to provide them.

The Bronze Age...

https://imgur.com/BeItYH6

Bronze hasn't been widely used for tools and weapons for about 3000 years. We're in the Iron Age, now. Some say that that's to be the final age, but who knows. The Earth is awfully deep. There might be something better down there, than iron. But then, iron has been brought to Earth from space, and on the backs of meteorites, so maybe that's going to be it after all. Somebody up there might be trying to tell us something.

Then, it has been said that when bronze is placed into machinery, it oft outlasts the machinery itself. I like that, a lot.

I've had this Grizzly G1257 scroll-saw, renowned among scroll-sawyers near and far, for many years, and during some of those the unit spent its time outdoors, exposed to the Sun, wind and rain. I finally brought it inside, and restored it. It wasn't damaged in the least, surprisingly...

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It's of cast-iron, the frame, the table; and awfully, awfully heavy as a result. I can use pin and pin-less blades with it, the latter with this rather clever adaptor...

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I can cut, saw, all manner of non-ferrous, non-iron or non-steel, metals with it, adroitly, or nigh enough to that of government work. I also use small and large metal-cutting shears in crafting my creations.

Up until recently, I had been using 0.008" -thick phosphor-bronze, and 16 times thicker than Wal-Mart's "Great Value", household, aluminum foil, at 0.0005" in thickness...

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I used it for my Celestron(Synta)EQ-1, sintered(powdered, oil-infused)-bronze items as well, and in addition to needle-thrust bearings, of steel. That mount has been completed.

Per Mohs scale of hardness, for metals...

Aluminum: 2.5 - 3
Copper: 2.5 - 3
Tin: 1.5
Bronze: 3
Brass: 3
Zinc: 2.5, same as gold
Brass: 3

I suspect that the "3" for bronze is probably indicated for the zinc-alloyed copper, which is used for arts & crafts/jewellery. I use phosphor-bronze, which is tin-alloyed copper, yea, and with the addition of phosphorus. If I had to guess, I'd say that a scratch-test would result in 3.5 to 4 on Mohs scale for phosphor-bronze. Steel is known to be at 4 to 4.5, but this phosphor-bronze seems to be softer. After all, it's of mostly copper.

There are also the Rockwell and Brinell scales to test the hardnesses of various metals, but the Mohs scale is easier for me to understand, admittedly. After all, I don't do this sort of thing for a living.

[croweater]

Alan I believe we have left the iron age and are now in the "plastic age" 😕

[Eldest_Sibling]

Yes, Richard, that does sound plausible.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The main plastic washers of the RA-axis had to go. I'm certain that they slide ever so smoothly over the surfaces with which they come into contact, but I want them out, no ifs, ands, or buts.

The two plastic washers are 0.020" in thickness, a fiftieth of an inch. That meant that I could not use the 0.008" bronze. So, I ordered a roll of the 0.020"...

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When I cut the band holding the roll together, the roll unfurled in a split second, and violently. I then cut out what I needed.

Glamour shot <Look this way, my darling! No! Not that way! This way!>...

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It's all about circles, you know, like whilst collimating a Newtonian, rotating an axis, the Airy-disk of a star even, not to mention its whirling, razor-sharp diffraction-rings, but I mentioned it anyway. Hence, I needed a compass...

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The one on the left won't do, and one I've had for years. So I went out to my local hardware and what-not discount-store, and got the one at the right, a 6", in length. They had a 12", too, but I passed. It's of tool-steel, utterly, and the tips of the legs are very sharp. Indeed, a point serves as a scriber in its own right...

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Not once did I have to fill its holder with a scriber-pen. I got one of those, too, at another hardware store, just in case. I have used it for describing marks, however.

Instead of measuring the plastic washers for their replacements, I made measurements per the axis's parts themselves, and with this...

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The primary-washer, at the teeth of the worm-gear...

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...and the other, secondary-washer, at the bottom of the worm-gear...

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The odd measurements may be rounded off, but not always. There were times when I had to adjust the measurements, but always slightly, either larger or smaller. Indeed, the replacement washers are oft "scuplted" to their final diameters.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The replacement washers were described onto the 0.020" bronze, using tiny pilot-holes drilled in the centres for the compass-point...

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But what are those other, smaller circles, there within the centres of the larger? Could they be replacements for these...

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Indeed, they are...

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...waste not, want not.

Incidentally, those original enclosures for the ball-bearing ring are also 0.020" in thickness. Curiously, they are only weakly attracted to a magnet. They're not aluminum, no, but perhaps an alloy-steel? Your guess is as good as my own. In any event, they are O so historic.

Sawing out the washers; I broke several blades in the process, and with this thicker phosphor-bronze...

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Note the pilot-hole drilled for the scroll-saw's blade, as well.

It is most important to never saw the inner diameters of these washers right on the described line, but before the line, one or two millimetres should be ample, and for fine-tuning the diameters afterwards. This can be important for the outer diameters as well, whether by sawing or using the shears. My goal was somewhat rough cut-outs, not those precise.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Understandably, the first thing that might pop into one's mind is why I didn't use a metal-lathe to make these washers. I do have one, a small one, but I've never used it before, and it needs restoring, too. Also, I would need to buy certain items for the operation, and ones that I would need to research first. The scroll-saw and the rest are working quite well for this, so there's no hurry for the lathe's restoration. Then, I may never need to do this again, after all, unless I get a manual EQ-6 in future, which is a most probable impossibility. I blame light-pollution for that.

After the washers were sawn out, again, roughly, they have to be fine-tuned. The primary RA-washer, again, where it meets the toothed end of the worm-gear and the primary, forward, sealed ball-bearing assembly, should not extend over the teeth of the RA worm-gear...

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I can see all of the teeth, all the way round, and that's the way it should be. This ensures that the washer will not interfere with the worm and gear meshing together. Admittedly, it is more of a good practice, perhaps my OCD instead, than an actual concern.

I use a Dremel rotary-tool to dress these washers to their final diameters. I use bits like these as well...

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But with the grinding-stone, at right, that one tends to build metal up at the edge being ground, which has to be removed afterwards with a diamond-bit. The sanding-drum doesn't do that, hardly at all. It does depend upon the pressure applied whilst sanding. I use the sanding-drum exclusively now, although they don't last as long as the stones, and whilst bearing against this bronze.

After a washer is dressed, the inner and outer edges are sanded, with progressive grits, 100 to 220, then polished with #0000 steel-wool and lemon-oil...

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"Holloway House" lemon-scented furniture-oil; I've had that bottle for many, many years, twenty or more. I would never use it for furniture, no, not ever. I use it as a machine-oil instead, and it works great, as it contains petroleum distillates. Don't put petroleum on your fine furniture. Also, "Old English" lemon-oil is the same, so beware. Then, I may need to get a bottle of that when my "Holloway House" runs out. I'm always working on something or other.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The primary RA-washer continued; for the inner diameter, I had to make certain to clear the very edge of the sealed bearing. Its bevelled, sloped edge is slightly higher than the rim surrounding it, and easy to miss...

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To slightly enlarge any inner diameter, I hold the washer in my hand whilst lightly rolling the sanding-drum round and round. I have done this for the outer diameters as well.

Glamour shots of the completed primary RA-washer...

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The washers, during their craftings, are invariably very-lightly scratched here and there, yet in the end are smoothed with the fine steel-wool and lemon-oil. After the grease is applied, they effectively disappear.

Test-fitting...

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That, yea, that is where the Earth stands still.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The secondary RA-washer has a problem, but not with itself...

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Incidentally, that is not a gouge into the washer's surface, rather only an abrasion, a "polishing" of the surface.

No, the issue is with that part of the axis instead...

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Note the very narrow ledge where the washer is expected to rest. SYNTA!

The surrounding area can be filled with an aluminum washer, then the bronze washer on top of that, and for extra support. However, I feel it would need to be at the exact height of the ledge, but perhaps not. In any event, I didn't bother. I can always return to that, if there's ever a problem.

It is for that very issue that the inner-diameter of the washer must be roughly determined, then carefully enlarged to where it just slips over the worm-gear's drum...

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I wanted that washer resting over as much of that narrow width as is practically possible. It is quite snug, but will rotate freely if required.

I could not saw out any of these washers, precisely, and expect them to fit without adjusting, perhaps not even with a lathe. That's not going to happen, not with my dubious, suspect set of ISO 9001 "standards".

But where are the smaller washers, and for the secondary ball-bearing ring? They were cut out of the same sheet of bronze. Ah, here they are...

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I made two shims, of the thinner, 0.008" bronze...

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...and for the inner-diameter of the ball-bearing ring, as I don't want the inner edge of the steel ring rubbing against the threaded, aluminum portion of the RA-shaft that it will surround. In addition, I don't want the ring to oscillate as it rotates. That's called having two birds in the hand, instead of just one, and with the other in the bush.

The two washers for the secondary ball-bearing ring differed from one another somewhat, and per these measurements...

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At left, the inner-diameter of the lowermost washer is about 1mm larger than that of the uppermost. The red line denotes the division of the inner and outer portions of the RA-shaft. At right, the lowermost must be able to drop into the well, as indicated. The uppermost might need to as well, therefore it's best to simply have both with that ability.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The worm-blocks of both axes...

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They are identical to one another, and, again, therefore interchangeable. But I kept them separated nonetheless. I did not end up placing the RA worm-block onto the DEC-axis, and vice-versa. Although, I do suspect that there's a huge container of these blocks on the factory floor, and to be dipped into when needed for either axis.

One thing I noticed about these assemblies, prior to disassembling, is that they contain no washers, zero, zippo, nada, none that I could see.

That's a terrible shame, as I love to fill my mounts with all manner of bronze washers and needle-thrust and/or ball-type bearings, whether they need them or not. No, that's not true, of course, but I do place them where I think that they will do at least some good, with the performance, perhaps, better than before, but only after having inspected the areas, in relation to one another even, first.

A worm-block, exploded...

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Nope, not a single washer to be seen.

That nut required a 17mm socket; gads. I also made a special tool, like the others, but extra special, and to adjust the threaded tensioning-sleeve...

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But for these worm-blocks, I'm not certain if it would do them any good, but I did it anyway...

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...two for each worm-block. I took care of both at the same time...

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The washers lay within the outer, slightly taller rims of the mini sealed-bearings...

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Can't have those steel bearings rubbing directly against the brass worm. I made buffers for them.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The time came, at last, to re-assemble the RA-axis...

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All surfaces that touch one another were conservatively slathered with the Super Lube grease. This also includes the full outside length of the RA-shaft, and the outside of the RA worm-gear...

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Only one shim for the secondary ball-bearing ring was used, and sufficient...

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The lock-nut was screwed on until it stopped, then backed off about 1/6th of a turn.

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There it is, the secondary RA-washer, perched on its narrow ledge, as seen through those four holes at the front of the axis, and seemingly forever to haunt me.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Incidentally, as the mount arrived in two boxes, one contained these parts(including those for the axes's clamps, or clutches, and the parts for the RA setting-circle assembly, which had been removed from the mount-head prior to packing)...

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I've accounted for all of the parts that should've been included, and they're all there.

The components for the RA worm-block were greased and assembled...

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The worm was then attached, and adjusted.

The worm now turns ever so freely and smoothly, as though it's not attached, connected to the worm-gear. Then, the forward portion of the axis's rotations are butter-smooth, easy to rotate. No slop or binding whatsoever with either. It's quite incredible, particularly when compared to when the mount-head first arrived...

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Success! :jump2:

But then, the RA clamp hasn't been installed, nor has the DEC-axis itself, so I'll tone down my excitement for now.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Now that the RA-axis is completed, I may now begin to renovate the DEC-axis.

The DEC-axis had no ball-bearings or other within itself at all. What a pity, that. There's really no place within the axis to add a ball-bearing assembly, sadly.

In advance, however, I had ordered a 30mm x 47mm x 2mm needle-thrust bearing to grace the very bottom portion of the axis...

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But I could only snap it into place, and then dig it back out, initially, as shown.

So, I removed the paint from the well's wall, ground down the wall a bit all round with a cylindrical diamond-bit, polished the surface, and until the bearing spun round freely...

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...and with that tooth-pick. For the inner diameter of the bearing, I could not add a shim, like I did for the RA secondary ball-bearing ring, so instead I buffed, smoothed the threaded portion of the DEC-shaft that it would surround. The needle-thrust bearing will be sandwiched between two thicker, 0.020" phosphor-bronze washers as well.

Alas, I could not place the bearing where it really needed to be, and on the opposite side, within the DEC-housing...

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...as it would throw everything off from there on up; pity, that, as well. The bearing seats rather nicely there, as you can see, but it was not to be.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The specs for the primary DEC-washer...

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Note yet another narrow ledge there, but one that cannot be helped.

That for the secondary...

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...and that for the two washers for the needle-thrust bearing...

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I cut off a second portion from the roll of 0.020" phosphor-bronze...

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Again, just like I did for the RA-axis, I marked the centres with an X and drilled a pilot-hole for each with that teeny-tiny carbide drill-bit...

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...then described the four washers for the DEC-axis, the primary and secondary, and the two for the needle-thrust bearing...

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[Eldest_Sibling]

Unlike for the RA-axis, for the DEC-axis I will show more details of the process in the crafting of these washers...

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Again, I did not saw precisely at the described lines...

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...and so to tailor them there at the parts of the axis.

Here, the primary DEC-washer has been dressed with the sanding-drum, but not yet paper-sanded and polished...

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I was in earnest to see how well that one would fit after dressing, and due to its placement upon its narrow ledge, so I took the time to take photographs.

Here, the primary washer has been paper-sanded and polished...

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Again, the primary washer does not protrude over the teeth of the worm-gear, all round.

[Eldest_Sibling]

I dressed the secondary DEC-washer with the sanding-drum, but, initially, it would not drop down into the DEC housing. It was a bit befuddling, "What happened???" But, here it is, completed...

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The inner diameter was correct, but I had to reduce the outer diameter, considerably. I had described the outer circle accurately, yes. That was the primary instance where I had to lightly apply the sanding-drum, to "sculpt", round and round the outer diameter, several revolutions -- that French, then that Russian -- until, at last, it dropped into the abyss.

This is an example of where I use shears to dress the outside diameters, in this instance of the washers for the needle-thrust bearing...

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...and roughly shaped. There, the inner diameters had already been completed.

Then, the outer diameters here, after the sanding-drum, paper-sanding and polishing...

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Incidentally, this is what I'm replacing with those, and ill-fitting...

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Yea, just enough to get by, just enough to get it out the door and onto the seaborne container.

The total thickness of the needle-thrust bearing and its two bronze washers is 0.122", almost twice that of the plastic washer being replaced, and negligible in the end.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The re-assembly of the DEC-axis begins...

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I greased the portion of the housing for the worm gear and the primary-washer throughout, filling that narrow channel all round to boot...

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I then inserted the primary-washer, then the worm-gear...

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It's difficult to see the washer, but it's there.

Next, the secondary-washer was placed atop the bottom of the worm-gear...

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The DEC-shaft was then combined with the housing.

Next, the needle-thrust bearing and its two washers were seated...

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...and secured...

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Unlike that of the RA-axis, the outside of the DEC worm-gear fits quite snugly within the housing, almost to the point of a vacuum being produced if separated. As a result, the worm-gear requires more force to rotate it, but that's just how it must be.

Lastly, the worm-assembly was attached, and adjusted.

[Eldest_Sibling]

I re-attached the DEC-axis to the RA-axis afterwards, but then I had to separate them again, and because of this part...

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...the telescope's saddle, and atop the DEC-axis. It only requires two bolts to secure it.

It turns out that the part of the saddle that overhangs the worm-assembly was pressing down on same, and interfering with the adjustment of the worm. Also, I could not spin the worm as easily, like I could with that of the RA-axis. In the end, I had to elevate the saddle...

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All surfaces to be joined were rough-sanded, then scored...

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J-B Weld steel-reinforced epoxy; with said epoxy in particular, perhaps with all epoxies, it's important to clean and de-grease the surfaces to be joined with 100% acetone. Never isopropyl-alcohol, but I do use the latter, 91%, for other...

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Much improved, however, once I battened down the saddle afterwards, the worm still became harder to twist, but not nearly as difficult as it was before. No matter, for I can easily twist the worm now, just not as easily as that of the RA-axis. I think that the threaded holes for the saddle's bolts were not tapped true and square at the factory. I'm thinking that once the bolts are tightened, which they must be, a bit of flexure or warping occurs in that area.

Had this issue cropped up with the RA-axis, I would've been heartbroken, livid rather, and on the phone with someone. The DEC worm will only be operated with a slow-motion cable anyway, never with a motor-drive. I have never had a need for, nor will ever need, a motor-drive for a DEC-axis.

I do know this: my old Vixen GP-DX, RIP, would not have had this problem.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The issue with the saddle, with the DEC-axis, is not the first time I've had trouble with a DEC-axis. With this Meade EQ-2, and what Meade termed their "Large Equatorial" within the manual...

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...it arrived with a wonky DEC-shaft...

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I contacted Meade, and they sent me a scrap mount-head from their refuse department, and under warranty. I may need the RA-housing from that as well.

It turns out that lightning does indeed strike twice in the same spot.

At long last, the axes of this EQ5-class mount were reunited...

279462

[Eldest_Sibling]

When the mount-head first arrived, I could pose it like this...

279477

The clamps, the clutches, and their parts were in their bag, in their box still. The reason I could pose it like that is because the axes were bound up, stiff, tight; the DEC-axis in particular, and now I know why. I suppose I could've worked the axes to where I could've used it like that, even, but there's no telling how much damage would've occurred as a result. But now, all is right as rain; well, not quite...

279481

What are those? They look like...buttons; wee, black, plastic "buttons". Mustn't tighten that brass bolt against the side of the aluminum worm-gear, and without a fail-safe. I know what they are, and as you might've guessed already, they're for it.

The black, plastic "buttons" are 5mm in thickness; and 9.4mm in diameter, but I wanted maximum coverage.

Glamour shot...

279483

...a brass rod, about a foot in length, and 10mm in diameter instead...

279482

No, I didn't have to force that rod into the hole. It actually wiggled from side to side afterwards.

No, not at all. I will not be substituting brass "buttons" for those of black-plastic. Rather, Synta substituted black-plastic for those of brass; bad, Synta.

When duplicating a metal article with wood, or plastic, the replacement is generally larger, to compensate, to match the strength and what-not of the metal article. Conversely, when duplicating a wooden or plastic article with metal, the reverse is true. You make it smaller; in this case, thinner, but not too thin, or else it might get squashed a lot sooner, broken up, and then I'd have a mess to clean up.

Many years ago, in upstate New York, a gentleman was making miniature table-saws, for sale. His company was called "Preac", and, unfortunately, is no longer in business. This is my own Preac, and with the largest table-option offered at the time...

279485

The standard table-option was half that.

With brass being non-ferrous, non-iron or non-steel, I can saw that, too, and with that.

[Eldest_Sibling]

279502

The fence of the saw was set to a frog's hair over 4mm, 4.1mm to be exact after sanding and polishing...

279505

279494

The saw had to be turned off for the taking of that image. I rotated the brass rod as I sawed. Had I been in my teens when doing this, I would've attempted to saw straight through the rod. Also, that's from when I made the pair at 5.5mm, and before that, a pair at 6mm. I did not follow the "rule" for those when transitioning from plastic to metal. It was trial and error, throughout this renovation, but not in too terribly many instances.

279499

Glamour shot...

279496

Another reason not to go past the thickness of the originals, of plastic, is to ensure that the clamping-levers will catch their stops on the housing...

279501

[Eldest_Sibling]

279509

With the 4.1mm brass "button" in place, the clamp-lever of the DEC-axis comes awfully close to its fitting, but to no ill effect; in its hard-locked position...

279510

I could've left either the 5.5mm or 6mm in place, for that matter.

The clamp-lever for the RA-axis, however, does not draw as close to its fitting; good, that. But there was another issue to rear its ugly head: when unlocked, the RA clamp-lever rocked back and forth; slop. The threaded hole was tapped just a bit too large for the brass clamp-bolt. I swapped bolts even; no change.

I took a shim of aluminum sheeting, 0.005" thick, and lined the threaded hole from top to bottom and halfway round. The shim does not extend down to contact the brass "button", just above rather. The shim was pressed into the threads, as best I could, then the clamp-bolt was screwed in, then removed. The shim was then conformed to the threads. Next, I greased the hole throughout, and reinserted the clamp-bolt: no more slop, not in the slightest...

279511

It just so happens that I'm not the only victim of Synta's sloppiness. A fellow astronomer, elsewhere, has a "Sky-Watcher" EQ-5, a Synta mount, just like my own, but with a go-to system integrated, and the same system that I could install, but I can't use a go-to mount; too many trees. The fellow is having the exact same issue with his RA-clamp. I then described and illustrated the solution for him. Hopefully, it will work for him as it has for me.

The clamps for the axes are completed...

279512

[Eldest_Sibling]

Here, I have the mount-head attached to the tripod's hub, thereby to the tripod itself, with the DEC-axis upside-down, and to determine what to do about the DEC setting-circle assembly...

279514

The original washers for the DEC setting-circle...

279515

...history.

For replacements, I chose the thinner, 0.008" thick bronze...

279516

279517

279518

279519

The rotation is much improved.

I know, and you probably know, too, that the setting-circles for this mount-head, and many others, are next to useless, or utterly useless...

279520

Still, if I ever have a mind to attempt to use them to try to find something, then I want them in good order.

[Eldest_Sibling]

For US$150, I knew I wasn't going to get a polar-scope with this mount-head. I went to my room to look for the polar-scope that I bought for my CG-4, both back in 2012. But, alas, it would not fit...

279522

The polar-scope for EQ3-class mounts screws onto the RA-shaft, whilst that for EQ5-class mounts screws into the RA-shaft. There has been some confusion online as to that distinction, I've read.

So, I ordered an Astromania polar-scope for an EQ-5...

279523

...sold by Astromania, and shipped by Amazon. It was advertised as having the new-style reticle...

https://i.imgur.com/ttgdJpL.png

...and with emphasis on Polaris' hourly positions round the North Celestial Pole(NCP).

My old Celestron polar-scope has the old reticle...

279524

I lifted the new Astromania polar-scope up to my eye, aimed it towards a light-source, and saw this...

279525

:tasdevil:

...the exact, same, old, reticle.

What would you do upon seeing that?

[croweater]

Alan maybe it is easier to line up the asterisms than using the reticle anyway. :shrug: I don't really know. We down south have to use octans and I haven't tried my new Heq5 yet.
Cheers, Richard

[bojan]

Print my own reticle on transparency...
Doesn't look pretty, but works.

Long time ago (in the times of film photography) I photographed the drawing on a piece of graphic high contrast film.
Or, you can engrave it on a piece of polycarbonate or plexi-glass (https://www.randombio.com/reticle.html) (perspex).

[Eldest_Sibling]

The old reticle's asterisms are helpful, no doubt, including that of Octans.

Incidentally, your HEQ-5 will work with my older, Celestron CG-4(EQ-3) polar-scope. If I lived next door I'd give it to you.

[Eldest_Sibling]

It looks rather neat, fine.

Have you thought about mass-producing the reticle? Are there no commercial polar-scopes specific for the southern hemisphere? I've been wondering about the latter.

[Eldest_Sibling]

I contacted Astromania via e-mail on August 8th, 2021. On the following day, August 9th, I received this reply...

279554

I had been waiting for the last ten days or so for it to arrive.

It was a 50/50 chance prior to opening the box. It was either going to be the good, new reticle...or the bad, old reticle...

279555

279556

279557

...the new reticle. I now have two, new, differing polar-scopes for this mount.

https://www.avalon-instruments.com/support/13-troubleshooting/104-polar-alignment-using-the-new-skywatcher-polar-scope

"The new Skywatcher Polarscope only has the Octans constellation on it."

No, not true.

That was very good of Astromania to correct their error, but now I've ruined the chances of others, elsewhere, in getting one with the newer reticle, and for a song, a dance...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXCwlO2jnYU

I've replied to Astromania, to thank them, but also to urge them to replace the part boxes or trays on the factory-floors overseas that, collectively, contain perhaps a staggering surplus of the older reticles.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The time-dial of the RA setting-circle assembly; glamour shot...

279574

As with the first, purchased polar-scope, with the old reticle, once this free, replacement polar-scope, with the newer reticle, is installed, there is, and much to my chagrin, a 3mm wide gap, still, between the RA-time dial and the polar-scope's date-dial...

279575

279576

With the gap, the RA date-dial will slide out of its centring well, and towards the date-dial of the polar-scope, then to oscillate round, wonkily.

I can't make any bronze washers for it, to compensate for the gap, as they would be exposed. Then, multiple washers would simply "junk up" the assembly with too many parts.

No, all it needs is a little special something to fill in the gap. I have a sheet of this aluminum left over, 1mm in thickness, and from the renovation of the latitude/altitude axis. It would be a shame, and a waste, to set it aside...

279577

...but I can only make two 1mm fillers out of that unused sheet. I need one more, for a thickness of 3mm, then all three J-B Weld -ed together into one. So, I re-ordered the same thickness, same amount of aluminum, but as one sheet. Strangely, it was a few cents cheaper that way, as one sheet instead of two. It was also half the cost of a 3mm-thick sheet. In addition, I don't mind the extra work.

That's where I'm at, at a standstill, at the date and time of this posting, and waiting for the USPS to deliver the goods.

Incidentally, this is a polar-scope holder that came with the mount-head...

Obverse, and with a broken screw...

279569

Reverse, and with three plastic-washers...

279570

Note the triad of cushioning pads.

It was once useful, and for a polar-scope that is no longer extant...

https://i.imgur.com/y3njHgv.jpg

...that one, or other.

I'd like to see what sort of reticle that one had.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The aluminum for the gap-filler is currently, "Out for Delivery, Expected Delivery by 3:45pm".

I used to get stuff from the west coast in two days, three days tops. Ah, those were the good ole days. It had been stuck out there for almost ten days, this time round. It may be improving, the service, but I'm not holding my breath.

But once it states that it's out for delivery, it's a sure thing.

I'm...so...ex...ci...ted.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The aluminum arrived yesterday...

279825

...and brimming with hope, promise, and merry respites.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The two outer layers of the gap-filler for the polar-scope were sanded in several directions with 100-grit paper, then washed...

279868

The centre layer was sanded on both sides; glamour shot...

279869

All three will be J-B Weld-ed together.

[Eldest_Sibling]

279870

279871

Now to wait.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Not a glamour shot...

279924

Only one side will be described, then all three layers sawn in unison.

[Eldest_Sibling]

That's all I need out from that mess...

279931

[Eldest_Sibling]

Extra circles were described, and as guide-lines whilst dressing out the diameters with a sanding-drum, for improved accuracy. Also, the pilot-hole for the scroll-saw's blade was drilled...

279946

279947

279948

279949

One nice surprise: I did not see any epoxy along the sawn edges...

279950

[Eldest_Sibling]

279955

Here, it is just about to drop...

279956

[Eldest_Sibling]

A few more times round the inner diameter with the sanding-drum, and...

279957

...dropped.

"Look Mum, no gap!"...

279958

Much to my surprise, the outer diameter, of the thing or washer, where I had simply and randomly stopped sanding, turned out to be exactly as that of the scope-cap...

279959

That is what is known, in a strange vernacular, as a "coinkydink".

Next, I will need to reduce the outer diameter of the thing until it drops into the cap. It won't take too terribly much to drop it, only the thickness of the wall of the cap there.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Drat... :tasdevil:

279961

The thing just couldn't take the heat from the sanding and grinding. It just wasn't in the stars to be.

I have enough of the aluminum to do it all over again, but why would I want to do that?

Back to the drawing board.

[Eldest_Sibling]

I did learn from the failure. I didn't take the scope-cap into consideration. I will need to make the new thing the same diameter as the date-dial of the polar-scope, and with the same inner diameter as before.

I've ordered a 4" x 6" aluminum sheet, and 3.2mm thick. I should've ordered that the first time. I should receive it more quickly, as it will be sent from a state adjacent to my own. We'll see.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The 3.18mm-thick aluminum is currently, "Out for Delivery, Expected Delivery by 3:00pm".

[Eldest_Sibling]

280152

I've never had aluminum stock this thick before...

280153

It sits right at 3.07mm, according to the caliper. At that thickness, I won't have to radically adjust the date-dial of the polar-scope via its retaining-rings, like I would've with the old spacer; perhaps only very little or none at all.

The old spacer sat at 3.37mm, incidentally.

If I'm careful in laying the spacer out on the sheet, I can probably get a total of three spacers out of it, in case mistakes are made.

[Eldest_Sibling]

I couldn't describe the outermost circle right on the edge of the sheet, as this sheet is not quite squared, and it was not sawn but seemingly chopped out, as one or two of the edges are slightly bevelled...

280154

But there it is nonetheless. As to when it will be sawn out, that's anybody's guess, including my own.

[Eldest_Sibling]

280208

[Eldest_Sibling]

280231

Isn't it lovely? :painting:

280232

280233

Success; the next thing to do is to line the inner rim of the cap with flocking, and perhaps with aluminum tape as a substrate, depending. There were ridges round the inner rim of the cap, and were obliterated. I never did like plastic ridges taking up slack, in this instance, or as bearings in the case of draw-tube runs within focusser housings...

280230

[Eldest_Sibling]

My thinnest self-adhesive felt, even with the plastic ribs round the inner rim obliterated, would be far too thick for this. I didn't even attempt it. Instead, I got my older paper-backed flocking and installed a strip of that. But it was a bit too thick as well, to my liking. My newest flocking is not paper-backed, hence thinner, but not by much. Still, I had no other choice...

280235

280236

280237

It's quite snug, although I expect it to loosen up a little over time, but not too much I hope.

Thank goodness that's done.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Since my last reply, one of the things I've been doing is anguishing over how to re-attach the plastic covers for the altitude/latitude axis...

280402

I didn't want to simply glue them back on, but I can't think of any other way. So, I've resigned myself to gluing them, but not with a hard-curing glue in case I need or want to pop them back off in future. Fortunately, the cover with the markings re-seats exactly as it was positioned before.

Otherwise, the head has all or most of its other accoutrements attached...

280403

For two or three days I hunted, to no avail, but finally I found the 7-pounder of the two counter-weights that came with the old CG-4(EQ-3). It also came with a 4-pounder...

280404

Also shown is the 11-pounder that came with the new Meade head, just that one. Then, at the top, the 8.2-pounder that came with my old Vixen GP-DX head.

I should be all set, and to mount most if not all of my telescopes onto the new EQ-5 head. I do wish I could find a 2-pounder. Perhaps I can get by without one lighter when mounting my smallest of telescopes.

When I had gotten the Vixen GP-DX long ago, it came with at least that 8.2-pounder, if not a smaller one in addition. I can't remember. It probably didn't. But at the time, I did get these two 11-pounders in black, and now in rusty-black...

280405

I had gotten those two 11-pounders for mounting my 8" f/5 Newtonian, but the telescope was too large for the Vixen GP-DX in the end. I did use one of them with my 4" refractor however...

280406

The refractor does weigh about 11 to 12 lbs., so the two were well matched.

The Vixen 8.2-pounder was re-discovered several years later, then cleaned and re-painted. But I'm planning to strip it, and paint it another colour.

[croweater]

Looking good Alan. :thumbsup:
Cheers, Richard

[Eldest_Sibling]

Thanks Richard. I do have high hopes for the outcome.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Glamour shots of the completed mount...

283230

283231

283232

283233

It's a whopper of a mount...

283234

The cinder-block on the wee porch is for scale.

By the by, I now have a wonderful solution for attaching the plastic covers, besides glue, onto the latitude-axis. My smaller diameter, thinner neodymium-magnets...

283235

Within the preceding images, the plastic covers for the latitude-axis are being held by the magnets, but it's only double-sided tape holding the magnets onto the covers' inner sides. The magnets are not touching the bolt, and will not need to in future. I will be attaching the magnets with other than tape, J-B Weld epoxy most likely, and spaced to where they will almost touch the head and tip of the bolt, but not quite.

The solution for the plastic covers pertains only to myself, as there is no real need to remove them in the first place. But I will tell you this: I noticed that the RA-axis was not quite set to my latitude, so I adjusted it, and O how smoothly it motioned; luxurious; again, like the thick door of bank-vault whilst closing.

Incidentally, when I had cut down and painted the pier-extension, several years ago, and painted it "safety blue", little did I know just how prophetic that choice of colour would be...

283236

[Eldest_Sibling]

I removed the taped magnets from the inner sides of the covers for the altitude/latitude-axis, and polished both...

283295

Aren't they lovely? :painting:

The cover printed with the degree-scale was fairly easy to pop off when I began this project, but not the blank one. As a result, the edge of the blank cover was damaged a little, with a scratch over onto the bevelled surface, indicated by the red arrow, and a rough edge in that same area. I first scraped the excess off of the scratch, "painted" it with acetone to smooth it, then polished the entire cover with Colgate® toothpaste, then Pond's® original cold-cream, and with my finger-tips only. The printed cover was polished with the cold-cream only. Both covers had some light and micro scratches in addition.

The relatively large scratch is still there on the blank cover, but noticed only via this macro-shot and a brilliant LED-light...

283296

It was quite noticeable before, just looking at it from two feet, more or less, distant. :rofl:

The small, neodymium magnets are 1.5mm in thickness. The depth of the inner side of both caps, 5mm. The head of the bolt, in relation to the blank cover, protrudes about 1mm into same. The tip of the bolt, in relation to the printed cover, protrudes about 2mm into same.

Hence, the magnet for the blank cover will need a 2mm riser, and a 1mm riser for the magnet of the printed cover. Once the risers are integrated, there will be about 0.5mm of spacing between the magnets and the two ends of the bolt; again, not quite touching.

When I had gone out to remove the covers, with their magnets taped in still, the printed cover was harder to remove, as its magnet was closer to its end of the bolt, the tip.

At present, I'm thinking about making an aluminium spacer for the gap between the saddle and DEC-housing, to epoxy it onto the underside of the saddle's rim...

283297

That would help to keep debris from entering the gap over time.

Alas, I wouldn't have to think of these things if Synta had been "on the ball".

[Eldest_Sibling]

Fortunately, as fortune does favour the foolish, the inner sides of the covers each had a small moulding mark in the centre, however vague. I then took my mini drill-press with a carbide drill-bit and drilled them out slightly for a compass leg-tip to seat...

283306

Incidentally, the magnet for the blank cover can be off-centre, if one is cross-eyed, but the magnet for the printed cover must be dead-centre, thus requiring a right good rap onto the head. :bashcomp:

The risers for the magnets, and from a 1mm-thick aluminium scrap-sheet...

283307

The risers were then cut out with "tin snips", and dressed...

283308

The two at far right will be epoxied together, and for the blank cover.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The magnets, and their risers, have been epoxied in place...

283335

The printed cover is on the left, and with only one riser...

283336

After the epoxy sets a bit, I may add more round the magnets and risers. I do have my mixing-palette with the unused epoxy, a "canary in the coal mine", and to test its setting over time.

[Eldest_Sibling]

Additional epoxy was just added round the magnets and risers...

283339

...and for peace of mind.

I can still twirl the unused epoxy of the first application round the toothpick, and as I type, therefore this second application should bond well to the first.

[Eldest_Sibling]

The covers for the latitude-axis gently snap into place...

283363

The slight spacing between the magnets and the bolt ensure that the covers are able to fully seat.

The RA-axis is aimed at Polaris, more or less, and ready to go with the 70mm f/12.9 achromat attached...

283362

The legs of the tripod are fully retracted, save the slight extensions required to level the mount, and per its built-in bubble-level. I expect I'll be keeping the legs retracted mostly, if not always. The lightest, four-pound counter-weight is attached, and the telescope balanced, more or less.

The revolutions amaze and astound. I'll be wanting slow-motion knobs instead.

No, you're not seeing things. I have a new observing-chair. It's much nicer than the old one...

283361

Although, I'll not be retiring it, just yet.

I'm going to need a two(to three?)-pound counter-weight. I can get an iOptron 2.2-pound, and a 13/16"(20.7mm) drill-bit to open it up. That would still be somewhat less than the Vixen two-pounder, but only somewhat. The Vixen is nigh insanely priced; two pounds of silver, it seems.

"Those interested in Vixen precision optical products can expect to see them available on Explore Scientific's website as soon as October of this year." - GlobeNewswire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjaonLGgSN0

[Eldest_Sibling]

Forget iOptron and Vixen. I ordered this...

https://on-stage.com/products/view/11140/471270

...and from a Reverb.com seller, similar to eBay, but for that musical only, for US$21.57, shipped.

We'll see how that flies.

Here are a couple of reviews I found online, at least one pertaining to that astronomical instead...

"I really had no need for the 11 lb Celestron weight and some one told me about these. They fit right on the weight bar and you do not have to remove the safety knob at the bottom to install and remove them. With the 3 lb and the 6 lb, I have all the weight I need right now, Plus they are smaller around, so you can move them all the way to the top and not worry about hitting anything on the mount. The lock knobs have a soft plastic or rubber tip, so it will not mark up the bar." - Michael

I assume that they have an "AVX", at least.

Then there was this one...

"Perfect size and weight for the Impact boom stands. No more hassles no matter how big the reflector used." - mediclimber

That had me confused, at first. All of that has to do with lighting. Of course, the rest of you probably knew that already.