|
I built a similar device about 18 years ago to drive an equatorial mount ( I never actually fitted it to the mount because I got a loan repaid and bought a LX200). The mount was made from parts salvaged from a land cruiser diff.
I used a cheap 3/8" threaded rod and the shuttle was made with two nuts welded to a piece of steel. I made thrust races for the rod (I have a lathe) and used a stepper motor salvaged from a HDD. I used a length of bowden cable in lieu of the steel tape running over a couple of pulleys at the ends of the worm assembly. I made drawings in ACAD at the time but I can't find them now. I actually made two devices one for the RA and one for the Dec. The actual cost for the project was $20 for the diff and a couple of $'s for the threaded rod. everything else was scrap.
I also wrote a program in Qbasic to drive the stepper motors and circuit board. (that's the only thing I have left of the project) with star and solar system objects, a two star alignment a facility and goto.
I had the whole drive mechanics operating on the bench but never actually used it. I was very interested to hear some one actually got one to work.
Barry
|