Popular Post +Graham Posted April 26, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 26, 2019 Had a decent session on the mount today. First job was to fit the plate over the letter box to tidy that all up. Then it was on to fitting the motors. RA. Dec After this it was time for its first test. I decided it would be prudent to leave the drive belts off for the initial test. Switch it all on -- with ever growing excitement I pressed the slew button and ---------------------- nothing. ? Not a squeak out of it. With a sinking heart I started checking the connections. Oh how I laughed at myself when I realized I had not even connect the main power supply lead up to the bench power supply. ? Wired that part of the puzzle up and tried again. -------------- Success Motors were spinning away. Then came the part I hate -- programming the computer. After many trials and tribulations I managed to get the ServoCAT software to talk to the ServoCAT box of tricks. After setting up my gearing and power demands I went back outside into the obs to test it out. This time I fitted the drive belts. Once again the excitement was building as I pressed the RA slew button. The excitement very quickly turned to slight fear as the mount set off like a scalded cat. It was moving at an alarming rate of knots. ? Bloody hell I thought to myself that is a bit dangerous I will have to change that. Back to the computer where I slowed everything down by 50%. This is a quick video I took on my phone. Tomorrow I get to program up the Argo Navis. ? ? I also need to make some guides for the belts as they have a habit of running off the gears. More to follow as it happens. BAZ, +Bino-viewer, tuckstar and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottletopburly Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Top stuff graham if theres someone who can get it working YOU are that man ? ? +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philjay Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Nice one Graham. +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 Thanks folks. It has taken me the best part of a year from the start of the initial concepts of this project up to now. Don't quite know what I am going to do to occupy myself with in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottletopburly Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 40 minutes ago, Graham said: Thanks folks. It has taken me the best part of a year from the start of the initial concepts of this project up to now. Don't quite know what I am going to do to occupy myself with in the future. Sit back and reap the rewards of your hard labour graham that’s what ? +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 That looks great Graham, good luck with the programming!! +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ibbo Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Good stuff. a couple of those lines you wrote made me LOL. +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 Superb stuff Graham, I'll bet that you are quietly chuffed with it and so you should be! +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted April 27, 2019 Author Share Posted April 27, 2019 12 hours ago, Bottletopburly said: Sit back and reap the rewards of your hard labour graham that’s what ? Not possible for me to do that Dave. Cannot be sitting still doing nothing. 12 hours ago, Ron Clarke said: That looks great Graham, good luck with the programming!! Thanks Ron. 11 hours ago, Ibbo said: Good stuff. a couple of those lines you wrote made me LOL. Thanks Steve. A couple of yesterdays events made me chuckle as well. 2 hours ago, BAZ said: Superb stuff Graham, I'll bet that you are quietly chuffed with it and so you should be! Thanks Martyn. More than a little pleased with how it is turning out. Just got to get the bits and bobs talking to each other so it can realise its full potential. +RonC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted April 28, 2019 Author Share Posted April 28, 2019 Bit more done today in between the showers. Got Maxim talking to the ServoCAT so I can now run the mount from the computer. Once I can get a star alignment to give me a datum point I will be able to set up a designated parking point for the mount. Once this is achieved it will give the mount a confirmed set starting point on the encoders which should mean it is permanently aligned. So no more setting up. Just power up and go. Well thats the theory anyway. ? Bottletopburly and wolfman_55 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted April 29, 2019 Share Posted April 29, 2019 Its a remarkable feat of engineering Graham, it really is. Hats off to you. ? I still think its worthy of a feature in one of the Astro mags ; i'm sure they would be interested in paying you a visit once its all running tickety-boo. +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 All looking good graham ? +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8472 Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 Top work, Graham. You've gotta be happy with what you've done so far. +Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 23 hours ago, 8472 said: Top work, Graham. You've gotta be happy with what you've done so far. Yes I am quiet pleased. I will be happier once I have made the new scope and this beast has shed a load of weight. I estimate the new scope will weigh around 50 Kilos less than this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 22 hours ago, Graham said: I estimate the new scope will weigh around 50 Kilos less than this one. How heavy was the scope originally.....?? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 Fully assembled it a struggle for two people to lift it. The back plate which holds the mirror cell is a big lump of cast iron, it must weigh at least 30 kilos on its own ? The only way I could get the bare scope onto the mount was with a chain block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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