Stoopid Digital setting Circles!

[Darkplague]

Ok, So I bought a used Lumicon NGC sky vector with encoders from astromart.

I made all the hardware for it at work to mount onto my 12" GSO dob.
Yesterday I went to install it all, and found that the Azimuth encoder hits the bottom of the mirror housing by 8mm. I made the azimuth bolt as low a profile as I could, but it still hits.

Has anyone had this problem before?

I could recess the particle board by 8mm, but this leaves it very weak and it would probably fall to pieces when you pick up the base one day.
Any easy solutions to fix this without doing major mods???

Help!!!!!

[asimov (John)]

Hmmm...The only thing that springs to mind is moving the OTA up & re-balance with counter weights?

No doubt theres a better way though!

[Howzat (Phil)]

Mines the other way round.
The head of the bolt is up top and the nut underneath and I don't have the green circuit board on my encoders

[acropolite (Phil)]

Would removal of the green cct board fix the problem...you could extend the pins with ribbon cable and mount the RJ socket under the aluminium plate.

[Gama]

Without seeing how the tube sits on the base, try increasing the size of the teflon bearings, this will give it a little height enough to clear.
You can buy teflon from most plastic suppliers for a few dollars.

[asimov (John)]

If it uses a cup-head bolt, if you reverse it & have it like Howzat's perhaps it will clear.

[Darkplague]

Originally Posted by Howzat

Mines the other way round.
The head of the bolt is up top and the nut underneath and I don't have the green circuit board on my encoders

If the nut is underneath how is your top board secured then?

Yer its the green part that hits ( Its all soldered together so I cant exactly take the green part off.

[Darkplague]

Originally Posted by asimov

Hmmm...The only thing that springs to mind is moving the OTA up & re-balance with counter weights?

No doubt theres a better way though!

At this stage I will probably do this, I aint happy with the original bearings which keep coming loose from the OTA. I think I may put in some heavier bolts to hold them in place.

Sigh, I bet the next few days will be perfect to use the DSC too!!! (((((((

[Darkplague]

After much thought,

I will just make up 2 new plywood sideboards 15mm higher than the originals. This will give me the extra height needed and will also stiiffen up the base considerably. 2 birds with the one stone!!!

It was always in the back of my mind anyway to stiffen up the sideboards.

Thanks

[asimov (John)]

Sounds like you've solved the problem. Good luck with it all.

[gbeal]

Or simply make a thin (perhaps 10mm) spacer to fit between the bottom of the sideboards/front board, and effectively make the existing ones taller.
I went for the "slide the tube up" method, with a bit of rebalancing.
Good luck.

[Darkplague]

Originally Posted by gbeal

Or simply make a thin (perhaps 10mm) spacer to fit between the bottom of the sideboards/front board, and effectively make the existing ones taller.
I went for the "slide the tube up" method, with a bit of rebalancing.
Good luck.

Yes also an option, but as it is now the sideboards wobble like crazy. Another spacer in between would make it worse I assume.

I think I will just make all new sideboards out of decent plywood. The original sideboards arent built for a 12" really anyway.