Any issue with drilling top of LB truss for argo holder?

[mbaddah (Mo)]

I've been drilling away on my LB to install a laser finder and telrad (completed).

I also want to drill in the bracket for the argo navis near the focuser for ease of use during the night. Anyone see any issue with this other than the added weight on top?

Cheers.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by mbaddah

Anyone see any issue with this other than the added weight on top?

Cheers.

Personally I wouldnt do it for the destruction of resale value after drilling holes that cant be removed if you ever want to separate the AN from the scope. Balance is also likely to be an issue.


External power is a much neater option also if the AN is on a stalk rather than on the UTA.
On my truss dob the AN sits up top but the scope had been designed to accommodate it with power already available.

[Jeff]

Probably better to just attach a stalk to the base.
I just used black aluminium tube from Bunnings (see attached pic).

Cheers,
Jeff

[Barrykgerdes]

On my 16" lightbridge I used velcro to attach a Meade Magellan 1 controller. It is about the same size as the Argo Navis. It will hardly effect the balance (can be compensated for). I would have drilled the section if didn't have the velcro on hand. As for resale value, forget it. If that is more important than convenience get another hobby!

The other very good alternative which is used by many is the "stalk" arrangement in one of its many variations.

Barry

[mbaddah (Mo)]

Thanks guys for the responses... I may duck into bunnings tonight and have a go at the stalk. Will post up how If any progress is made

[mbaddah (Mo)]

Well I went out to bunnings today with my handyman friend. Grabbed few pieces of metal, nuts and bolts and we (mainly him ) got to work!

Half 'n' hour later, we had a Argo stalk built up! I had bent the 'L' bracket (what the argo is mounted on, top of the black metal) on a 45 deg angle initially. After I took it home and put the UTA on the mount, I realised I had bolted the stalk on the wrong way! Moving the dob downwards would bump into the argo unit.

Temporary fix was to simply bend the 'L' bracket further up (the bracket is almost 180degrees) allowing the UTA to move downwards in altitude motion freely without bumping into the argo. I'll have to switch the stalk over to the other side sometime soon and replace the bolts on the stalk to the ones you can tighten/loosen with the hands only (like your ones Jeff ).

Appreciate all the help guys thanks

[GrahamL]

Geoff is there a fix for cabling when mounting the unit up top ?

I never gave it to much thought but at a glance thought you would have some wires flapping in the breeze as isn't the az encoder going to need some slack wire because the unit isnt in a fixed position ?

I couldn't see an easy answer
( not that it wasn't staring straight at me ) so didn't go down that road.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by nightstalker

Geoff is there a fix for cabling when mounting the unit up top ?

I never gave it to much thought but at a glance thought you would have some wires flapping in the breeze as isn't the az encoder going to need some slack wire because the unit isnt in a fixed position ?

I couldn't see an easy answer
( not that it wasn't staring straight at me ) so didn't go down that road.

Well my scope actually employs the aluminium truss tubes as electrical conductors. Power is fed via spring metal tabs inside the wooden tube clamp blocks and plucked out up top with banana plugs.

P.S. Sorry Jeff your thread got hijacked. Nice work and glad you're now sorted

[GrahamL]

It turned out great mbaddah

Yeah I get the power bit geoff , but the encoder cabling I don't
Does it run up a truss pole to ?