homemade telescope focuser
The scope including the optics, truss tubes, and eye pieces all stored in a single box making it easy to store and transport by car, but it was a little too big to fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat on most aircraft. The back of the mirror floats on 3 or more support points (this build uses 6) that are calculated usinga software tool called PLOP. Since my plan called for purchasing the mirrors and mechanical parts there were several decisions to be made and several vendors to contact. I carefully cut exactly through the center of each side bearing circle to make my semicircles. Building a Homemade Telescope Eyepiece - HubPages Install on Windows 10, this part is pretty straightforward. I only use the OTA. Crayford-style design with four bearings and one driveshaft. Fast forward a few months to the next time I had the tube outside. Among amateur telescopes, the most common are focusers with landing diameters of 1.25 ", 2", rarely 0.965 ", and even less often - 3". My DIY Motorized Telescope Focuser - YouTube I did not wrap the tube until I had completed the base. off the bearings. I will post the pic of final focuser once ready. a 3/4" thickness. The only thing on the list that was a bit difficult to find was baltic birch plywood, which had to be special ordered from the lumber yard. The premier publication of maker projects, skill-building tutorials, in-depth reviews, and inspirational stories,
Thanks Peter. exactly 2" with adhesive labels placed one at a time inside the tube I wasn't there so i can be 100% but i do not think my friend was lying to me and i believe the pictures are from my telescope my kids use it for stargazing a lot i have seen some deepspace but i use it mainly for sketching the moon and i like to view solar flares. think that design would be rigid enough under the weight of a diagonal tube and nut that fits the outside threads. I found a used 16 primary on eBay. The focuser 'knob' on the Celestron is just a rubber sleeve that usually pulls off easily. When you figure out From everything I had read, I expected that getting a sonotube would be as easy as running to any hardware store and picking it up. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. 11 years ago To cut the circles, I started with a depth of about 1/8 inch, then lowered the bit and cut a little more with each pass until I was through the board. As I understand, you are using it for a refractor. Bill, Impressive work and great idea about LSDF focuser. I used one of the top scraps from the rocker sides to mark an angle of 70 degrees from the center of the arc to the curved cut in order to properly space 1 X 7/8 teflon pads on the arcs. I think I got what I wanted and seems best solution for me. It has a 6mm shaft. I'm also going to focus on only one version of Robert's focuser (there are many). It was easy enough to drill a hole and tap threads for a Many sources point out that 10 inches is a kind of sweet spot in the balance between power and portability. experimented with various wires and rods and eventually decided that a I have already seen some designs on CN, Stellafane and web but still checking if someone has recently made anything simpler. The shroud made from two 22 inch tall containers came out short, so I had to add an eleven inch strip of nylon. As I read the book I decided that I should build a 12.5 inch truss tube scope. I am thankful to enjoy the inspiration, and the details, that you provide, as I will soon be constructing a Dobsonian Telescope. Orion Dynamo Mini for powering a Nexstar 6SE? The last chapter of the book describes a plan for an 8 inch sonotube dob with a few design elements from their truss design, and, as I read that chapter, the simplicity of its construction was very appealing. I ordered the focuser, received an immediate email confirming the order, and it arrived two days later. I file a dispute with Paypal to begin the process of getting my money back. In order for the Rocker Box to pivot on the Ground Board, a center pin is placed in a hole at the exact center of the Ground Board and Rocker Bottom. Secondary mirror with spider holder Search on eBay for a matched set. This means you lose much of the night's images. This software creates a model of your telescope by measuring out of focus star sizes at various points. scope, I only put knobs on the outsides. I redrilled the holes for the mirror cell and got ready to wrap it. I was inspired to build telescopes during a trip out to McDonald Observatory in west Texas, where I saw a 36 fork-mounted telescope, tiny in comparison to the huge research telescopes at the site. I really had to, since the underside of my telescope's focuser is all curves, no flat area for attaching the mounting bracket. I built a second set of electronics, and I had the NEMA 17 Direct Drive motor left over since it didn't work for my Orion ED80T-CF refractor. Similar photos at http://www.telescopegeek.com/gallery.htm require 100+ minute exposure times on his 20" telescope and $3200 camera. I had some carboy caps that make good knobs. Attach the ball head to the top board. I described it two years ago in this thread:https://www.cloudyniuser/?p=8879835 . A Homemade Crayford Focuser It is not very powerful, it will not supply enough torque if you put any load on it or have a heavy optical train (like I do) and the focuser has to "pull" it upward when the telescope is vertical. Staples or finishing nails work fine, but be sure they dont bump up above the surface of the plastic. Before attaching the sides and front to the bottom with wood screws, I wanted to make sure those screws would not interfere with the Ebony Star ring that would be attached to the rocker bottom. It may need some careful coaxing with a screwdriver. Some of these are essential for the basic functionalities of our websites. Step 4Attaching the Side Bearings and assembling the Rocker. I did not glue the bearings to the tube box in case I needed to adjust the position later. Telescope Electronic Focuser : 16 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables In the sub-folder "Cases" you will see many variants of the case for the DRV8825 based focusers. Total cost for supplies for this project: It took a lot longer than I expected to receive my mirror and other parts from Discovery. Two of the holes for the bolts were blocked by knobs. Knitting needles are Dobsonian telescopes are popular with amateur telescope makers for their ease of design and construction, portability, and their use of large optical mirrors. The bearings only need to be My DIY Motorized Telescope Focuser - YouTube I use a 3D printer and an old gear motor to create an electronic telescope focuser.This is my first attempt at voiceover, I'm using a headset. that is a great website that guy has some fantastic photos. Frustrated by these difficulties, I stopped by one more hardware store to ask for advice. You should watch (and bookmark) this video. the bearings, totally eliminating any flex. Motion is very smooth. Focuser (GSO 2 speed low profile Crayford): $139 Ebony star strips: 2 @ $10 Ebony star ring: $59 Teflon strip: $11 Telrad base: $10 Baltic Birch " sheet (60X60): $42 Baltic Birch 5/8" sheet (60X60): $48 Circle cutting jig: $30 Birch Veneer (4X8 piece): $65 Hardware, stain, other supplies: $80 Total cost for supplies for this project: $1700 I used the "LEDandBuzzer" and "TestStepsDRV8825" tests. This design could be adapted to practically any telescope or focuser, so I've kept my outline on the project brief. Again from the main FILES page, go to "ASCOM DRIVERS" and download everything. I only do functional. I have one on my 12" f/5 truss dob and the focuser knob is on the top surface of the UTA. Look down through the empty focuser. Perfect for astrophotography or during high power planetary observation. Robert is a super guy and more than willing to help those who choose to follow in his footsteps. A Pocket Sundial From a Broken Pocket Watch! So, I duplicated the aluminum gear pulley in SolidWorks, and printed it out. This NEMA-17 direct drive stepper motor is available from Adafruit and many other sellers. After looking at many focuser options with a big range of prices, I decided to order a GSO 2 speed Crayford focuser from ScopeStuff. So, as they say, "back to the drawing board". ASIAIR - Is there an easy way to load Messier catalog into Autorun? Another vote for Pierre's helical Crayford design. stronger, but would give me a coarser focus action because of their How to make a $30 DIY star tracker for astrophotography This cost around $100 to build and all of the components came from. weight. Thanks Pinbout for sharing your design. Above youll find an interactive 3D rendering of the Sketchup file I used to design and cut all of the parts for my telescope. Helical is one of the option i am considering. Picture of DS-4. I an eyepiece. It seems to The focal length of the mirror is 61 inches. If your optical train is heavy and the focuser has to bear it (see above) then this motor may be a better choice. The project creator Robert Brown made a good video on testing the board. Save over 40% off the annual cover price for a full year (4 issues) of Make. Measure the diameter of the exposed shaft. together tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators across the globe. Here are a few photos of the "bracket", which is a simple 3D printed plate that mounts to the telescope's focuser ring, and serves as a mount for the stepper motor. Crayford focusers are considered superior to entry-level rack and pinion focusers, normally found in this type of device. This is my copy of the telescope that Sir Isaac Newton presented to the Royal Society of London in 1671, and is considered to be the first successful reflecting telescope. Quick demo of my motorized focuser, and I will create a detailed tutorial if enough people are interested. Edited by sunrag, 28 May 2020 - 10:44 PM. Make an account on JLCPCB.com, upload the Gerber zip file, that's it! These are mounted 120 degrees apart and use 4 inexpensive bearings to support the tube. After the second call, I received a response that it would be ready at the end of the following week. I told them I was on my way. So I was looking for a cheap, light-but-sturdy design for a This was to allow the circle cutting jig to be attached to the board to cut the arcs from a center point of 25 inches above the ground. The part is very strong! Not sure if it is available in the USA. If you enter it in the next contest please let me know and i will make sure to vote for you. The company has a reputation for excellent optics, and it was neither the most expensive, nor the least. love to hear from people who are interested in this focuser design. Featured in the February, 2015 issue of Sky & help eliminate slippage when the focuser is pointed straight upward. Over how many nights did this photography session take place? The pivot bolt consists of a 1 1/8 inch brass spacer with an 11/16 inch outer diameter, a 3/8 inch bolt 2 inches long, a stop nut, and two large washers. If you don't want to go that route, contact me at gary.hethcoat@gmail.com since I have a lot of spare parts and I can sell you a "kit" with a PCB and only the parts you need. To cut the circles, I used a router with a straight cutting bit and a circle cutting jig. Unfortunately I don't have a 3d printer. With an outer diameter of 14 3/16, I cut the Tube Box sides 15 5/8 and 14 5/8slightly less than my extra inch extra on each side. Whether you need a basic rack-and-pinion telescope focuser for your homemade telescope project or a premium Crayford-type model with dual-speed focusing as a performance upgrade, you have come to the right place. While round tubing is sturdy, square tubing is easier to work with. I am well versed in technology, have all the tools necessary to build my own! Use mild soap and distilled . The lumber yard also gave me a lower price than I expected. (Sorry you I knew that I would be returning the mirror cell to them, but just for fun I decided to see how it would fit in the tube. DIY Truss Dob input: How to design truss? This unit takes signals from your computer and drives the stepper motor on the focuser. I called in the order and explained that I would be using a mirror two inches thick. I plan to use an FTA over it in case an extension is needed. Noosa Tigers Merchandise,
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The scope including the optics, truss tubes, and eye pieces all stored in a single box making it easy to store and transport by car, but it was a little too big to fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat on most aircraft. The back of the mirror floats on 3 or more support points (this build uses 6) that are calculated usinga software tool called PLOP. Since my plan called for purchasing the mirrors and mechanical parts there were several decisions to be made and several vendors to contact. I carefully cut exactly through the center of each side bearing circle to make my semicircles. Building a Homemade Telescope Eyepiece - HubPages Install on Windows 10, this part is pretty straightforward. I only use the OTA. Crayford-style design with four bearings and one driveshaft. Fast forward a few months to the next time I had the tube outside. Among amateur telescopes, the most common are focusers with landing diameters of 1.25 ", 2", rarely 0.965 ", and even less often - 3". My DIY Motorized Telescope Focuser - YouTube I did not wrap the tube until I had completed the base. off the bearings. I will post the pic of final focuser once ready. a 3/4" thickness. The only thing on the list that was a bit difficult to find was baltic birch plywood, which had to be special ordered from the lumber yard. The premier publication of maker projects, skill-building tutorials, in-depth reviews, and inspirational stories, Thanks Peter. exactly 2" with adhesive labels placed one at a time inside the tube I wasn't there so i can be 100% but i do not think my friend was lying to me and i believe the pictures are from my telescope my kids use it for stargazing a lot i have seen some deepspace but i use it mainly for sketching the moon and i like to view solar flares. think that design would be rigid enough under the weight of a diagonal tube and nut that fits the outside threads. I found a used 16 primary on eBay. The focuser 'knob' on the Celestron is just a rubber sleeve that usually pulls off easily. When you figure out From everything I had read, I expected that getting a sonotube would be as easy as running to any hardware store and picking it up. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. 11 years ago To cut the circles, I started with a depth of about 1/8 inch, then lowered the bit and cut a little more with each pass until I was through the board. As I understand, you are using it for a refractor. Bill, Impressive work and great idea about LSDF focuser. I used one of the top scraps from the rocker sides to mark an angle of 70 degrees from the center of the arc to the curved cut in order to properly space 1 X 7/8 teflon pads on the arcs. I think I got what I wanted and seems best solution for me. It has a 6mm shaft. I'm also going to focus on only one version of Robert's focuser (there are many). It was easy enough to drill a hole and tap threads for a Many sources point out that 10 inches is a kind of sweet spot in the balance between power and portability. experimented with various wires and rods and eventually decided that a I have already seen some designs on CN, Stellafane and web but still checking if someone has recently made anything simpler. The shroud made from two 22 inch tall containers came out short, so I had to add an eleven inch strip of nylon. As I read the book I decided that I should build a 12.5 inch truss tube scope. I am thankful to enjoy the inspiration, and the details, that you provide, as I will soon be constructing a Dobsonian Telescope. Orion Dynamo Mini for powering a Nexstar 6SE? The last chapter of the book describes a plan for an 8 inch sonotube dob with a few design elements from their truss design, and, as I read that chapter, the simplicity of its construction was very appealing. I ordered the focuser, received an immediate email confirming the order, and it arrived two days later. I file a dispute with Paypal to begin the process of getting my money back. In order for the Rocker Box to pivot on the Ground Board, a center pin is placed in a hole at the exact center of the Ground Board and Rocker Bottom. Secondary mirror with spider holder Search on eBay for a matched set. This means you lose much of the night's images. This software creates a model of your telescope by measuring out of focus star sizes at various points. scope, I only put knobs on the outsides. I redrilled the holes for the mirror cell and got ready to wrap it. I was inspired to build telescopes during a trip out to McDonald Observatory in west Texas, where I saw a 36 fork-mounted telescope, tiny in comparison to the huge research telescopes at the site. I really had to, since the underside of my telescope's focuser is all curves, no flat area for attaching the mounting bracket. I built a second set of electronics, and I had the NEMA 17 Direct Drive motor left over since it didn't work for my Orion ED80T-CF refractor. Similar photos at http://www.telescopegeek.com/gallery.htm require 100+ minute exposure times on his 20" telescope and $3200 camera. I had some carboy caps that make good knobs. Attach the ball head to the top board. I described it two years ago in this thread:https://www.cloudyniuser/?p=8879835 . A Homemade Crayford Focuser It is not very powerful, it will not supply enough torque if you put any load on it or have a heavy optical train (like I do) and the focuser has to "pull" it upward when the telescope is vertical. Staples or finishing nails work fine, but be sure they dont bump up above the surface of the plastic. Before attaching the sides and front to the bottom with wood screws, I wanted to make sure those screws would not interfere with the Ebony Star ring that would be attached to the rocker bottom. It may need some careful coaxing with a screwdriver. Some of these are essential for the basic functionalities of our websites. Step 4Attaching the Side Bearings and assembling the Rocker. I did not glue the bearings to the tube box in case I needed to adjust the position later. Telescope Electronic Focuser : 16 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables In the sub-folder "Cases" you will see many variants of the case for the DRV8825 based focusers. Total cost for supplies for this project: It took a lot longer than I expected to receive my mirror and other parts from Discovery. Two of the holes for the bolts were blocked by knobs. Knitting needles are Dobsonian telescopes are popular with amateur telescope makers for their ease of design and construction, portability, and their use of large optical mirrors. The bearings only need to be My DIY Motorized Telescope Focuser - YouTube I use a 3D printer and an old gear motor to create an electronic telescope focuser.This is my first attempt at voiceover, I'm using a headset. that is a great website that guy has some fantastic photos. Frustrated by these difficulties, I stopped by one more hardware store to ask for advice. You should watch (and bookmark) this video. the bearings, totally eliminating any flex. Motion is very smooth. Focuser (GSO 2 speed low profile Crayford): $139 Ebony star strips: 2 @ $10 Ebony star ring: $59 Teflon strip: $11 Telrad base: $10 Baltic Birch " sheet (60X60): $42 Baltic Birch 5/8" sheet (60X60): $48 Circle cutting jig: $30 Birch Veneer (4X8 piece): $65 Hardware, stain, other supplies: $80 Total cost for supplies for this project: $1700 I used the "LEDandBuzzer" and "TestStepsDRV8825" tests. This design could be adapted to practically any telescope or focuser, so I've kept my outline on the project brief. Again from the main FILES page, go to "ASCOM DRIVERS" and download everything. I only do functional. I have one on my 12" f/5 truss dob and the focuser knob is on the top surface of the UTA. Look down through the empty focuser. Perfect for astrophotography or during high power planetary observation. Robert is a super guy and more than willing to help those who choose to follow in his footsteps. A Pocket Sundial From a Broken Pocket Watch! So, I duplicated the aluminum gear pulley in SolidWorks, and printed it out. This NEMA-17 direct drive stepper motor is available from Adafruit and many other sellers. After looking at many focuser options with a big range of prices, I decided to order a GSO 2 speed Crayford focuser from ScopeStuff. So, as they say, "back to the drawing board". ASIAIR - Is there an easy way to load Messier catalog into Autorun? Another vote for Pierre's helical Crayford design. stronger, but would give me a coarser focus action because of their How to make a $30 DIY star tracker for astrophotography This cost around $100 to build and all of the components came from. weight. Thanks Pinbout for sharing your design. Above youll find an interactive 3D rendering of the Sketchup file I used to design and cut all of the parts for my telescope. Helical is one of the option i am considering. Picture of DS-4. I an eyepiece. It seems to The focal length of the mirror is 61 inches. If your optical train is heavy and the focuser has to bear it (see above) then this motor may be a better choice. The project creator Robert Brown made a good video on testing the board. Save over 40% off the annual cover price for a full year (4 issues) of Make. Measure the diameter of the exposed shaft. together tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators across the globe. Here are a few photos of the "bracket", which is a simple 3D printed plate that mounts to the telescope's focuser ring, and serves as a mount for the stepper motor. Crayford focusers are considered superior to entry-level rack and pinion focusers, normally found in this type of device. This is my copy of the telescope that Sir Isaac Newton presented to the Royal Society of London in 1671, and is considered to be the first successful reflecting telescope. Quick demo of my motorized focuser, and I will create a detailed tutorial if enough people are interested. Edited by sunrag, 28 May 2020 - 10:44 PM. Make an account on JLCPCB.com, upload the Gerber zip file, that's it! These are mounted 120 degrees apart and use 4 inexpensive bearings to support the tube. After the second call, I received a response that it would be ready at the end of the following week. I told them I was on my way. So I was looking for a cheap, light-but-sturdy design for a This was to allow the circle cutting jig to be attached to the board to cut the arcs from a center point of 25 inches above the ground. The part is very strong! Not sure if it is available in the USA. If you enter it in the next contest please let me know and i will make sure to vote for you. The company has a reputation for excellent optics, and it was neither the most expensive, nor the least. love to hear from people who are interested in this focuser design. Featured in the February, 2015 issue of Sky & help eliminate slippage when the focuser is pointed straight upward. Over how many nights did this photography session take place? The pivot bolt consists of a 1 1/8 inch brass spacer with an 11/16 inch outer diameter, a 3/8 inch bolt 2 inches long, a stop nut, and two large washers. If you don't want to go that route, contact me at gary.hethcoat@gmail.com since I have a lot of spare parts and I can sell you a "kit" with a PCB and only the parts you need. To cut the circles, I used a router with a straight cutting bit and a circle cutting jig. Unfortunately I don't have a 3d printer. With an outer diameter of 14 3/16, I cut the Tube Box sides 15 5/8 and 14 5/8slightly less than my extra inch extra on each side. Whether you need a basic rack-and-pinion telescope focuser for your homemade telescope project or a premium Crayford-type model with dual-speed focusing as a performance upgrade, you have come to the right place. While round tubing is sturdy, square tubing is easier to work with. I am well versed in technology, have all the tools necessary to build my own! Use mild soap and distilled . The lumber yard also gave me a lower price than I expected. (Sorry you I knew that I would be returning the mirror cell to them, but just for fun I decided to see how it would fit in the tube. DIY Truss Dob input: How to design truss? This unit takes signals from your computer and drives the stepper motor on the focuser. I called in the order and explained that I would be using a mirror two inches thick. I plan to use an FTA over it in case an extension is needed.