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I have received the Meade 1244 focuser some time ago but because my mini lathe had burned out the motor I have to wait until I fix the lathe to do any modification to the focuser. Replacement motor for lathe finally arrived and I was able to proceed with modification. I had two small-flanged ball bearings that come from some old printer and silver steel shaft to suit. I drilled hole inline with front hole, in the back of the focuser body to fit one of the bearings. Hole in the front of focuser was too big for the bearing I had so I machined bush for bearing to fit. I also machined small aluminium pulley to fit on the shaft and groove for the belt on LX90 focuser knob. Next thing was to cut wedge from some black plastic to be bolted in place of APM module to allow the focuser to be bolted to it, square to the telescope tube axis. Focuser gear that would be normally attached to ETX 105 focuser shaft was bit loose on the shaft I used and I had to pack it up with some aluminium foil. The gear is fixed to the shaft inside focuser body to drive shaft and pulley.
When I put it all together and connected Autostar to the laptop I was quite surprised that it worked. Now I can focus from my computer running Envisage without adding an other cable to the rat’s nest of cables that surround my telescope. Whole focuser and modification cost me $80, not bad for remote electrics focusing.
Two small problems emerged with this modification. At even at highest focusing speed focusing is quite slow as pulley and the belt on focuser knob adds 2.5 : 1 speed reduction.
Bet slips on occasions, I have to find rubber belt that fits better or fit couple of trust bearings on LX90 focuser.
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