David I'm wishing a had a bit gruntier mig (or more skill with the one I've got). My welds end up much rougher than I'd like then I mark surfaces cleaning up the welds. Still I'm happy enough with the result to take pictures and put them up here.
I've been eyeing it off this evening trying to work out if I want to add a laptop deck somewhere.
If I may make a suggestion, I think it would be advisable to have a longer stalk held by two mount points to the scope base.
When you bump it in the dark (and you likely will) there is a hell of a lot of leverage on that single anchor point.
I agree.
Somebody else may bump it but in reallity it'll be you.
My setup is basic but is quite solid. Next is to change the top bracket with a cam type fastener for quick attachment and removal. I find that I look at a lot of objects that always seem to be greater then 40degrees from zenith. That means I'm standing more towards the front of the scope when pushing and pulling, so I decided to make my Argostalk vertical. It also rotates so I can change the angle I veiw it from.
Have a closer look you two. I don't think it is "screwed" to the base. I think it has four machine screws going right through the side of the base with nuts on the other side.
I am guessing you could hit it with a hammer and not move it.
Geoff and Matt thanks for the feedback, I'd not put a lot of thought into things that go bump in the night which I should have. John is correct it've gone with the machine screw option and nuts on the back (by habit ). I don'tlike normal screws in chipboard. I've just been in and played with it. I have enough flew in it to handle moderate shaking and if I pull hard enough in the right direction I tip the mount (hopefully I'm unlikely to get a bump like that in real life). For most bumps I assume I'll just take the scope off target.
The height of the stalk is governed by the encoder leads. I do have a second longer set of leads I got for a horseshoe mount I'm trying to build. I considered using them but I'm then stuck with one lead with a lot of slack in it. If the height becomes an issue I'll have to ask Gary Kopff about options for an encoder lead set with one lead longer than the other.
Matt thanks for the photo of your setup. I'll be keen to see what you do with the cam when you get that done.
Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer custom encoder cable
Quote:
Originally Posted by hikerbob
If the height becomes an issue I'll have to ask Gary Kopff about options for an encoder lead set with one lead longer than the other.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for posting the pictures of your home made stalk and congratulations!
If you require a custom cable with different length leads for Az and Alt, don't
hesitate to email me at sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au and we can assist.
Hi Gary,
Any chance Wildcard will enter the AN dob-stalk market themselves? I'm all thumbs when it comes to making one of these things, but I sure would buy one. (And in-house design could allow clever options, like having the encoder cables housed within the stalk, etc.)
Just wishing out loud...
Cheers,
Brian.
I'm all thumbs when it comes to making one of these things, but I sure would buy one. (And in-house design could allow clever options, like having the encoder cables housed within the stalk, etc.)
Dave47tuc made one consisting of nothing more than plastic conduit and saddle clamps. Easily disassembled and cables ran up the centre.
I just thought I'd share my ArgoNavisStalk also.
It consists of a standard extension pole (I used a pull pin type rather than the twist ones because I've had the twist ones lock up) this allows the height to be adjusted, a Pro-edge paint trimmer (the type with an adjustable knuckle so you can adjust the angle), a 32mm plastic conduit saddle and a 32mm clip-in conduit fitting.
As can be seen in the attached image I added a small piece of self-adhesive foam inside the clip in fitting to stop the pole rattling due to the pole being slightly under 32mm in diameter.
The ArgoNavis cradle fits nicely on the trimmer and I drilled 4 holes in the trimmer to match the factory cradle holes and secured it with four metalthreads and nuts.
Total cost around $35 ($27 ot that is the pole so you could reduce that by $18 if you used the normal twist type pole)
Oh BTW I relocated the altitude brake to the other side of the mount and replaced the aluminum screw in thread with a 5/16" furniture fitting thread so I could use the old 5/16" thread Azimuth knob (removed when I installed the ArgoNavis) to tension the brake (I made a new larger brake block), this was due to the orginal brake knob thread binding and crossthreading in the aluminium nutsert.
I just thought I'd share my ArgoNavisStalk also.
It consists of a standard extension pole (I used a pull pin type rather than the twist ones because I've had the twist ones lock up) this allows the height to be adjusted, a Pro-edge paint trimmer (the type with an adjustable knuckle so you can adjust the angle), a 32mm plastic conduit saddle and a 32mm clip-in conduit fitting.
As can be seen in the attached image I added a small piece of self-adhesive foam inside the clip in fitting to stop the pole rattling due to the pole being slightly under 32mm in diameter.
The ArgoNavis cradle fits nicely on the trimmer and I drilled 4 holes in the trimmer to match the factory cradle holes and secured it with four metalthreads and nuts.
Total cost around $35 ($27 ot that is the pole so you could reduce that by $18 if you used the normal twist type pole)
Cheers
Garin
Nice work Garin.
2 Questions: How are you controling the altitude of your scope with the alt-brake removed?
Does this have anything to do with having the alt-encoder on this side of the mount?
The alt-encoder can go on either side of the mount but it did mean I would have to run the encoder cable from one side to the other and possibly need to buy the longer cable.
Also I had problems with the original alt brake with it cross threading due to overtightening.
So I relocated the brake to the opposite side and used the original azimuth bolt/knob (I needed to fit a 5/16" captive nut) which gives a bit more purchase and being a steel bolt and a steel nut rather than the 1/4" steel bolt and the aluminium nut arrangement, hopefully it would bind up again. Also I made a larger brake block with a larger surface area so I don't need to tighten it as much now.
Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer custom encoder cable
