Idea for 3D printed motorized Bahtinov flip mask

[AlexN]

Thats an awesome result mate! I love it!

[bojan]

Originally Posted by AlexN

Thats an awesome result mate! I love it!

Thank you Alex for kind comment.
I will place stl files here later, in case somebody wants to do their own printing.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

That's looking very good Bojan!
I was going to ask about the added mass when looking at your images but I see they were close up images and it's a big tube, the small amount of weight is nothing to it.
Is there any way it can misalign and cause issues (make it hard to get focus) if it's misaligned?


The mention of climbing ladders in the dark, my son has always had hearing related balance issues and I'm just an old fool so the small step ladder I purchased to use with my Newt I added some red LED lights along the front of the bottom step and an 18650 battery holder under the step. If I take the Newt and ladder out it's as simple as slipping a single (or twin, I don't remember) 18650 battery in the little holder and I always know where the bottom step is in the dark. Simple but very effective solution, more so in my sloping back yard. My ladder isn't exactly a step ladder and has a decent bar on the back to hold, it's more like a platform ladder I guess (if there's such a thing). But it IS very easy to lose orientation in the dark and you mentioned you're 10 years older than I am and I know my overall balance and reaction times are not what they used to be.

[bojan]

Hi Leo,
Small misalignment is not the problem.. see attached image (taken last weekend), when both sides of diffraction pattern are symmetrical, focus is there.
And... I also have a balance problem (after nasty inner ear infection 10 years ago) and I am actively avoiding situations that could result in dis-orientation and fall.
So any gadget that enables me to do things in observatory remotely is good.. There will me lots more in the future.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

That's working well then Bojan.


You've probably mentioned, what motors and gearing are you using and how is the torque?


Yes imbalance is no fun, my sons middle ear never formed (a condition also known as Large Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome) so not only was he born deaf (recovered a small amount of hearing in one ear with grommets when he was 4, we had no idea because he taught himself to lip read as a a baby) and NO ONE believes he is deaf when they hear him speak.

[bojan]

Wiring mod for Relay PCB.. and motors used.

[bojan]

As to software.. it was not easy to find a right application.
It seems there are couple of versions.. some work, some don't.

The one I started to use I found here, it seems to work only on 32-bit machines (which is OK with me, my desktop in observatory is HP Compaq 32 W'7).
There is also source provided, so it is possible to tailor it to one's taste.
And, the remaining 6 relays could be used for other functions, like open-close the ROR, heater, filters... etc.

The other one (RightBoot) is not free (there is annoying eval mode before you pay) works on only W'10 (and up.. it doesn't work on W'7 64-bit).

[bojan]

Fitted on ADM bar with 3D-printed brackets..