The 'Gaunt' gets RA and Tangent Arm

[MattT]

Originally Posted by Kunama

Pix .............. we want pix !!!

OK....here are a couple taken earlier this year before AN was added and before any painting took place.

Using the scope for what it was intended....60 sec exposures at ISO 250...whatever that means. Taken by my 18 year old son. Excuse the background mess of chairs etc

[MattT]

The last photos...

What does every long FL Refractor need...a couple of control handles at the focuser. This is the last bit of building. 5/16th threaded rod, 8mm brass rod and a pair of universal joints to work the clamp on the Dec axis for the tangent arm to work. One on each side

Now I can point the scope and clamp it down in Dec without having to use a spanner on the hex nut.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

very nice Matt ... very ' steam punkish ' ... this must weight a ton.
I'm betting you are... or was.... a ' fitter and turner ' to make all these ' addons '

Terrific work

Col.

[MattT]

My final bit of work ....nearly. The rods couldn't be left hanging in mid air so have fashioned this bit for them to sit in...steampunk of course.
Naturally I'll always want to tinker with this and first 'tinkering' will be ditching the Dec motor. Using the hand knob is quicker by a mile so I'm thinking on a 90º gear set, most likley pnched from a drill attachment, with a rod and hand wheel to join the two clamp tri knobs.

Other parts that are new...3mm teflon on both sides of the slip clutch, smooth as silk now. Cork was a bit jerky. Finally got the ideal finder scope, 80mm f7/7.5 Achro. Combined with an ES 34mm 68º eyepiece, flat field and around 4.5º TFOV

Col....never been a fitter and turner, not even close to it, but renovate houses when I'm not working for a living....present house has taken 8 years so far Of course that is no qualification what so ever for what I have done to this mount....just make it up as I go along mostly....kinda like life!

Obligatory photo....and the long shot