Doc Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 (edited) Spent the day in the workshop again and this time built myself a dovetail clamp for the Fullerscope. It's 250mm long and 125mm wide and has three large thumbscrews to tighten the clamp up, the telescope ain't going anywhere. Just waiting for some springs to arrive now to put in the dovetail clamp. Edited April 27, 2020 by Doc Smithysteve, BAZ, +Ibbo and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Nice one Mick, quality shedding mate. Doc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 After a bit of faffing around I mangaed to get the worm and wheel roatating in unison. There is still a little backlash in the gears but it's pretty good. I made a few videos for you to view, next step will be pulleys, belts and stepper motors. Smithysteve and +DaveJW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Is that a Myford in the background? How I longed to own one of those 😁 Doc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 Yes Clive it's a Myford ML7 from 1948. The milling maching you can see is a Sharp Mk11 from the Town Bent Engineering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philjay Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Ken would be pleased to see the Sharo being put to good use. Doc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 It's a great bit of kit Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Strings Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Just caught up with this myself Mick, stunning work. Are you planning a new scope for is it intended for the current flock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 Thanks John. I'm not sure what to do with it to be honest. It was something to do in my workshop. What I have decided is to add motors and make it a go-to mount. Then either wait for a 6" F15 lens to come along and build a refractor or restore an old Fullerscope 8.5" Newtonian. Them maybe dabble in a bit of video astronomy (EAA) while using the shed as a warm room. I always have the 5" triplet and Clave to put on it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Looking good Mick. If you can get it to slew at that speed it will be impressive 😀 Doc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithysteve Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 You have done a cracking good job with that Mick, you must have had loads of fun sorting it so far... 🔭👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentrunning Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 What a great thread and what a stunning looking bit of engineering. When was the mount built? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 1 hour ago, silentrunning said: What a great thread and what a stunning looking bit of engineering. When was the mount built I'm not sure John but I would guess at early 1980's. I remember wandering around Telescope House in Farringdon Road in the early 80's and they had one of these mounts in the window and I thought them one day I would own one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philjay Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 On 30/04/2020 at 13:01, Doc said: . Them maybe dabble in a bit of video astronomy (EAA) while using the shed as a warm room. I always have the 5" triplet and Clave to put on it as well. Didnt you used to have a Watec Mick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 I did Phil and I sweared I would never use one again 😄 But the warm room might tempt me again, we will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 3, 2020 Author Share Posted June 3, 2020 (edited) I thought I would update my work on the Fullerscope Mount. While trying to attach a plate to the bottom of the RA worm housing the metal on the original just gave way, it was very soft and just crumbled away so I decided to remake the worm housing with a bronze bush. I then designed a plate to house the stepper motor and attached it to the bottom of the new worm housing. The stepper motos are nema23, 0.9° step, 1.26Nm, 2.8 amp. I then added GT2 pulleys and installed the wiring inside a nema 23 back panel via a cable gland. My next job is to do the whole lot again on the Dec axis, not sure if I should make a new worm housing to match. I'll see when I start drilling and taping the old one. The metal these one fullerscopes are made out of is not very strong and threads easily strip. New worm housing made Worm housing attached to the new base plate Stepper motor bracket attached to the base plate GT2 pulleys attached. The Nema23 back cover which will have a cable gland installed The flex will be connected to a EQStar control box so it will have Go-To capability. I need a 105 toothed GT2 pulley belt. Video Edited June 3, 2020 by Doc +Bino-viewer, BAZ, +Streetbob and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Strings Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Excellent work mate, will a 105 toothed belt be a standard or custom made length? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 Thanks John. It doesn't need to be exactly 105 teeth I have got some adjustment on the belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 (edited) Today I made the plate and bracket to hold the Nema23 Declination motor and pulleys. The motor is the same as the RA one being a 2.8 amp, 1.26Nm, 2.5v, and 0.9° step angle type. Just like the RA motor the Dec motor requires a 105 tooth GT2 belt. The DEC housing drilled tapped perfectly this time so there was no need to make a copy out of aluminium like I did on the RA housing. Edited June 4, 2020 by Doc +Streetbob and BAZ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 All belted up now and just the controller to go. +Streetbob, +DaveJW, philjay and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 Done some more to the Fullerscope mount last week. I tried to blend the old paint with the new paint and to be honest it was a difficult job. In the end I mainly just painted most of the mount, to get a good finish on wrinkle paint I found you had to warm up the mount with a heat gun first and then apply two heavy coats. Then gently warm the paint until it cures and leaves a wrinkle finish. I replace the wood riser with metal columns as the wood began to bow. All that is left is a polar bracket/scope which I have designed but needs building and to get a control box to run the motors from via CduC. The mount is rock steady with the 120ED Esprit on board there is no dampning down time at all. Here is some photos. BAZ, +Ibbo, +Streetbob and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Looks terrific Mick - smashing restoration job you've done there. 🙂 Doc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 Thanks Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philjay Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Very nice. Changing the wood block to risers looks much better. I temember getting spray cans of crinkle paint in the 70s, I painted loads of mounts and scope bits with it, unfortunately its been unavailable for decades, carconogenic or something. Doc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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