I cant wait until I finish my motorised tracker! & then my motorised double arm!
I think I am also going to have to make some sort of pan/tilt head for my tripod tracker mount, a nice rigid one! I don't like having a ball head underneath my tracker, it's not as solid as I would like it to be, and its harder to align my tracker as it moves in all directions! sometimes I get a bit using it
Some time ago, I made a controller for this motor, using microprocessor, that generates the necessary sequence to drive this motor with minimal current consumption (see here)... the firmware is very simple, just a program loop with specific number of passes to keep exact timing (it does't have to be 1rpm, it could be anything)
If you are handy with this kind of stuff, there are very cheap options available - for example, you can get Microchip controller from Jaycar and program it to drive the above mentioned motor.
Then again, if you are handy, you already know about this anyway..
Jeez, under $3? What a bargain! I just grabbed a couple to play with.
I think I am also going to have to make some sort of pan/tilt head for my tripod tracker mount, a nice rigid one! I don't like having a ball head underneath my tracker, it's not as solid as I would like it to be, and its harder to align my tracker as it moves in all directions!
I made a plywood adjustable equatorial wedge, fixed to an inexpensive flat topped tripod. It works quite well.
Here is my final manually operated barn door tracker that I will be using until I have made my motorised tracker. I have all of the parts I need (I think). I just have to make one trip to Jaycar to purchase a small gear kit and then I'm set to start building it.
I'm making it from the following parts/components list.
2 x pieces of Black Nylon
1 x 2RPM motor 12V DC
1 x M6 x 1.0 pitch threaded rod
2 x plastic hinges
1 x gear kit to gear down to 1RPM
1 x Spotting scope
I am going to make some kind of EQ mount for the tracker that can be easily converted and used as a Pano mount.
I am also going to drill and tap and secure a couple of small blocks of nylon to the side of the arms so it can be converted to a double arm tracker (at a later date).
Here's my curved rod camera tracker that I made up a few years ago.
I used an old (modified) servo & pulley's for the drive.
I attached a 2nd hand 4 x 20, T'scopic sight to align it.
The main thing, is that I used brass hinges. Ain't no play in them babies.
Works well.
Looks great!
I made some real progress on building a motorised tracker last night. Just have to head out to find a little plastic enclosure to hide the motor and the circuitry then I'm set! These plastic hinges I used when doubled up have no play as all! I'm really happy with my latest creation!
Here is my first wide angle image's of the Milky Way using my motorised barn door before my lens dewed up!
Anyone know what type of resistors and how many I need to make a lens heater? for a canon 10-22mm wide angle? a link to another thread will do.
I'm going to read up on dark/light frames & using deep sky stacker (I think that's the program I have), and also post editing on Photoshop (star colours etc.) My current goal is to create very clean and clear photos of the milky way, once that goal is accomplished I'll start zooming in on things!
The first pic is stacked on Photoshop, noise reduction, level adjustments, saturation etc.
The second is stacked using deep sky stacker, and then tweaked in PS.
Any hints or tips will be appreciated, or just keep doing what I'm doing!?!
As for dew, try first with a tube made of black paper or plastic (from folders on sale in K-Mart).. It will have to be wide enough not to interfere with filed of view...
A couple of wounds of kanthal wire around that tube (and low voltage, 0.5V/100mA or less... might be tricky because lowest battery voltage is 1.2V) would be sufficient - you just need it to be warm, couple of degrees above environment should suffice.
As for dew, try first with a tube made of black paper or plastic (from folders on sale in K-Mart).. It will have to be wide enough not to interfere with filed of view...
A couple of wounds of kanthal wire around that tube (and low voltage, 0.5V/100mA or less... might be tricky because lowest battery voltage is 1.2V) would be sufficient - you just need it to be warm, couple of degrees above environment should suffice.
Thanks Bojan,
I'll look into that, however, I was thinking of something that I can use 12v DC then I can just tap into my power source that I use to drive the motor.
I'll look into that, however, I was thinking of something that I can use 12v DC then I can just tap into my power source that I use to drive the motor.
I just put a long black cardboard tube on the end of the lens, keeps stray light and dew away and I haven't needed heaters yet.
Thanks Poita, the problem I have with that is I am using a wide angle lens at the moment, I can't even screw 2 of ND filters onto it without seeing them in the photos. That method might work for my 50mm lens and zoom lenses though!
I made a few more mods to my tracker as it was very frustrating & hard to align while trying to hold my smart phone (compass and protractor apps) against it in one hand and then make adjustments with other hand whilst holding it with my head lol.. So I screwed on a small compass. I also changed the vertical part for latitude adjustment to a metal part as the plastic was no good, kept slipping! Its a lot more rigid now too which is awesome!
Also leveled it all up in the lounge and set the latitude to my location and made some markings, so when I head out next it should be very quick for me to set up! I even put a cheap eBay spotting scope on it which was probably not worth the $30 but hopefully it helps with finer adjustments.. Also going to put an elastic band from the camera platform to the drive board to give it some constant tension. I've also been studying my nightscape photos, I should be able to find the celestial pole with ease, hopefully!
I was really looking forward to using it tonight as the skies were supposed to be 'mostly clear' according to weatherzone.......... Maybe tomorrow night will be clear? Fingers crossed! I cant wait to take some shots and share my results!
Thanks for keeping this thread updated Russ, it's been a pleasure following along. I've recently converted my old shed into a workshop and, combined with this thread, I've been inspired to rebuild my poor mans dual arm barndoor. I've got a Pentax K30 with the astrotracer add-on, which I hoped would work in conjunction with one another to allow for some pretty great results.
I'll be sure to post up any results as soon as it warms up and clears!
Thanks for keeping this thread updated Russ, it's been a pleasure following along. I've recently converted my old shed into a workshop and, combined with this thread, I've been inspired to rebuild my poor mans dual arm barndoor. I've got a Pentax K30 with the astrotracer add-on, which I hoped would work in conjunction with one another to allow for some pretty great results.
I'll be sure to post up any results as soon as it warms up and clears!
No probs elfinke, thanks for following my post!! Good luck with your barndoor! I was thinking of making a double arm but I thought I might perfect my single arm tracker first
I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of your barndoor!
p.s. I'm hoping to head out in a couple of hours to give mine another whirl! Hopefully the clouds stay away!
I snuck out last night, I feel I have improved on my methods, but cars kept coming past so I think that's why the left/lower left part of the image is brighter than the rest, the 2nd image has been processed in Photoshop, maybe too heavily? I don't know? I'll find my way soon enough!
I just returned from another trip but the lens warmer slipped and turned the focusing ring on my lens a tiny bit, what a waste of time, out of focus images do not look very good! At least next time I know to check the warmer!
If you replace the solid steel axis of the barn door for a steel pipe, you will obtain a hole that can be used as a polar finder.
I my wood traking toy (I made it for the Hale-Boop ...) I use, instead a barn door, two wahsers in order the angle I can see trought them is the same that the circle that Polaris have. Placing Polaris in the adequate border of the second washer I achieve a very precise Polar alignment, enough for a 300mm. telelens.
With the apropiate distance between the M6 screw to washers for to need a complete tour each minute and a clock glued in the know I can have a good traking simply moving the know for to have all the time the ¿second arrow ? of the clock pointing to me.
using it 
? of the clock pointing to me.
is the use of half Superpolaris mount.
