Make the drawtube longer than you think you'll need, just in Telescope Focusers | Orion Telescopes: Shop Easy DIY motorized battery free telescope focuser - YouTube And, once your telescope is finished, be sure to join a local astronomy club to learn more about the sky and share your hobby with others. So, as they say, "back to the drawing board". We then spread contact cement over the remaining veneer and tube surface, waited for the glue to dry, and carefully rolled the tube over the veneer. Accordingly, with 1.25 focuser, you can use 1.25 eyepieces, with 2 focuser - both 2 eyepieces and 1.25 (through a special . You reach a point where the picture doesn't seem to change much, so you never know where the very sweetest spot in the focus is. I didn't bother reading his whole article to figure out what f/# he used) I am not trying to say that good AP isn't possible with a sonotube scope, (the 'friend' may very well have pulled it out of the dob mount, added rings and a dovetail, and mounted it on his CGE-Pro or comparable) but in this case it is unlikely.". This proved fatal for the stepper motor! Robert is a super guy and more than willing to help those who choose to follow in his footsteps. crafts, science & engineering, design, and technology. 1/4" x 20 bolt, and the nylon bolt end against the smooth knitting I have several of the books on building a Dobsonian Telescope. Share it with us! I didn't receive any confirmation email after a few days, so I tried to send them an email. Not worth the effort, price is tooo high. on Step 1, Richards in our local astronomy club. After a dry fit of the rocker to make sure that the tube box with side bearings would fit well, I glued the rocker sides to the rocker front, holding them in place with small nails and clamping overnight. The next day, I called back to ask their opinion about the kind of spider and secondary holder to order. A homemade 16 inch dob lightweight telescope, DS-4 - XMission an inch or so apart, so the focuser body could be pretty low profile. I have built a homemade electric focuser for my Celestron 8SE using a radio control hobby servo and some spare parts. A Homemade Crayford Focuser Because mirror flexure can distort an image, supporting the mirror properly involves building a flotation cell. A few months later I ordered some other things from Scopestuff, including strips of Ebony Star laminate for the side bearings, a ring of Ebony Star for the rocker bottom, a strip of teflon to cut pieces for the ground board and side bearings, and a new base for my Telrad finder. I phoned in the order in the last week of February and was told that it would take about 4 weeks to deliver the mirror. I do it with aluminium alloy, aluminium tube and nice work. Your choice here will be recorded for all Make.co Websites. Slide the eyepiece into the focuser and try it out. This Instructable describe the planning, design, and parts of the scope, as well as the process of building The scope. To get a slide-fit in a 3D printed part, you normally make the hole 0.5mm larger than the shaft. The bigger upvc nut will be attached to focuser plate and longer threaded side will be used on it for the focusing. I like the old way of using stepper motors and other stuff introduced years ago by Mel Bartels, he is a master for me. I redrilled the holes for the mirror cell and got ready to wrap it. I attached small felt pads to the inside of the keepers to protect the side bearings from scratches, but discovered that the side bearings would not fit because of the thickness of the pads. Earthbound1 likes this #2 dave brock Mercury-Atlas Because thebasic movement and optics requirements are relatively simple, much of the design is left to the builder. NEMA-17 Stepper Motor - see below, there are two options. once. When you want to focus, you just open the program and press focus. Have you made any mods on it since you built it? The 2-1.25" adapter is a sink drain slip fitting in 1-1/4" size that slips into the large tube for 1.25 EP's. With adapters for any Meade 1x200-ACF or LS model, and chord to plug into focuser port. Thin 1/16 Kydex plastic should be cut to length to line the inside of the cage as a baffle to block outside light. I described it two years ago in this thread:https://www.cloudyniuser/?p=8879835 . In order to check your measurements, you can construct jigs for your mirror cell and secondary cage, positioning them on a straight, adjustable track such as 2 planks of wood. I then temporarily installed the secondary mirror so that I could measure the approximate distance to the center of the secondary in order to locate the holes for the focuser. Tips If you've got a 1.25 inch focuser, You can also use it for an objective. A neet site: http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/CAMERAS.HTM Cool instructable, Dude! Although they don't usually sell these parts, because I had ordered the mirrors from them they offered to sell me the spider and secondary holder that they use in their scopes. 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. I attached them with very small brads, countersinking the brads. Dobsonians come in all shapes and sizes, from small 4-8 builds all the way up to massive 24-36 creations. Homemade Electric Telescope Focuser - Stargazers Lounge After waiting for the contact cement to dry to the touch, and with my wife's help, I carefully aligned the edge of the veneer with the guideline on the tube and pressed the first inch together. I have no dog in this hunt whatsoever, but if people are impressed by these photographs and vote for it because of them when there's no proof that this scope generated the photos and there IS data to the contrary (see below), then that's certainly not fair to the other contestants. I had already made a lightweight focuser for It's easy to shim it to exactly 2" with adhesive labels placed one at a time inside the tube until a 2" eyepiece or 1.25" adapter is snug. Fast forward a few months to the next time I had the tube outside. Your design is simple and nice. I had cut the 12 foot tube in half in order to get it home in the first place, and a 6 foot section was the right size to work with for my f/5 12.5 inch. There was the expense, for one, but also the These will be stored in your browser only with your consent and you have the option to opt-out. See the images how I plan to assemble it. Since these focusers were going side-by-side on a binocular Quick demo of my motorized focuser, and I will create a detailed tutorial if enough people are interested. To do this, the mirror cell needs to be supported by 3 large bolts, at least 2 of which are adjustable. It is used to setup water outlet from overhead water tanks. 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. In my case I decided to make a custom bracket. If you go to buy all of the components for this project from dealers, you will see that you mostly have to buy at least 5 parts, sometimes bags of 50 parts! You will need to remove the regular focus knob on your telescope's focuser. That's pretty much the focuser. Many sources point out that 10 inches is a kind of sweet spot in the balance between power and portability. This motor has a 5mm drive shaft. Crayford focusers are considered superior to entry-level rack and pinion ScopeStuff is awesome!! 1" Rack & Pinion Focuser. To get this arc, I actually moved the radius of the jig, At some point in the building process, my goal became to finish the scope by RocheStar Fest, an annual event of the. Download and unzip. Instead of the rack and pinion, they have a smooth spring-loaded shaft which holds the focus tube against four opposing bearing surfaces, and controls its movement. Telescope Focusers | Orion Telescopes: Shop I built mine entirely from CNC-cut plywood, and fastened it together with 2 bolts. The glue should keep the nylon from fraying. The last time I checked, that particular SBIG camera used on TelescopeGeek had an eight month lead time.A 20" scope gathers 2.6 times more light than a 12.5" scope, therefore equivalent exposures on this one would take 200+ minutes, at least. After another 3 weeks, I was concerned that I had not received the mirror. I had installed the mirror about an inch too far away from the focuser. Drill the holes for the knitting I marked the spot and moved things back inside to install the mirror. I used the "LEDandBuzzer" and "TestStepsDRV8825" tests. Get hands-on with kits, books, and more from the Maker Shed, Skill builder, project tutorials, and more. he might just have a $3200 camera, they aren't very hard to come by. scope, I only put knobs on the outsides. Several clamps were used to hold the pieces together overnight. The email bounced back to me. Unbelievable! A celebration of the Maker Movement, a family-friendly showcase of invention and creativity that gathers
Inside the OTA is a ring of tightly fitting flocking paper that prevents any light getting in around the drawtube. how much travel you actually need, you can cut the tube off so none of This will determine the size of the coupler you will use to connect the stepper motor. I also wanted to buy the other mechanical partsmirror cell, spider, secondary holder, and focuserso that the performance of these pieces was not limited by my skills. An Altitude Azimuth mount would also require a field rotator.There's no way these were taken with an Orion GoTo Mount. on Step 5, 9 years ago With Simple | Space The cost is a bit more than some of the other combinations, but by only $10 or $20. A smart collection of books, magazines, electronics kits, robots, microcontrollers, tools, supplies, and more
If you mess up, you can turn the hole into a slot, but avoid Building Your Second Homemade Telescope - Part 1 - HubPages initiatives for the next generation of makers. My homemade motorized telescope focuser for Celestron C8. . Orient this assembly to allow you to view an object on the far horizon. Likewise, the side bearings are made of two identical semicircles of 5/8 inch plywood glued together, creating side bearings that are 1 inches thick. Just as it was about to come into focus, the focuser bottomed out. Pioneered by John Dobson in the 1960s, the instrument combines a Newtonian reflector telescope with a unique two-axis movable base. A week later the cell arrived (on schedule) from University Optics. And the legs of the base should be as wide as possible to accommodate weight imbalance as the telescope is moved around, to avoid tipping. I only do functional. work really well, for a fraction of the cost of a commercial Crayford How to make diy focuser pvc - YouTube The wide square footprint would make it pretty stable when mounted to Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. At this point, the scope was pretty much finished. Just to make sure I liked the stain, I applied some to a piece of scrap wood. Here's my 8" f/6 travel scope with a 2" PVC draw tube and the helical Crayford focuser built right in the focuser board. And you can tell it's not a mosaic because the stars at the corners show coma/field curvature artifacts. haven't yet found any design elements that need improvement. I ground and figured the mirror with little troubles, making my focault tester, etc. Ask Question Step 5: Stepper Motor Choice #2 - NEMA-17 Geared Stepper Motor If your optical train is heavy and the focuser has to bear it (see above) then this motor may be a better choice. It took about 3 weeks but, since Anttler's did not even reply to the Paypal dispute, I received a Paypal refund. The flat wants to be running parallel to the long axis of the tube. We were careful to press out any bubbles as we went, but when the job was done we found that there were multiple bubbles in the veneer. 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. It has become an indispensable piece of equipment for me that so beats hacking and filing PVC pipes etc. in the tube so they'll hit the knitting needle before your drawtube runs This combination has proved to be effective for all positions except when the tube is pointed directly up. Brandon Lawler is a hobbyist telescope Maker and an active member of the Central Texas Astronomical Society. it sticks into your light path. In scaling up the K/B 8 inch design, I made a few changes that, I hope, will improve the design for 12.5 inch aperture. Please explain, in detail, how you attached your tube to the very unique drive system of an XT12G mount. Using a compass I drew circles on the top and bottom of the ground board to mark the inside and outside of the teflon ring on the bottom of the rocker bottom. Every primary telescope mirror has a fixed focal length thats usually 4 to 6 times the width of the mirror. I had designed the tube box so that there would be an extra inch around the tube. These are mounted 120 degrees apart and use 4 inexpensive bearings to support the tube. Interfaced with a computer, so the computer can make the decisions about where the best focus is. exactly 2" with adhesive labels placed one at a time inside the tube Having an RS trade counter 2 miles away is such a luxury! The dimensions of the Tube Box Sides are based on the outer diameter of my tube14 3/16. I paid the 50% deposit and dreamed of DSOs. We are now ready for some testing. Sew the seam, and sew an elastic cord into the top to secure it to the secondary cage. 10 years ago on Introduction. I suspected that the company was either in trouble or no longer in business. Picture of DS-4. large in diameter (1.6") so that adds to the fine-ness of the focus This allows for a small clearance between the outside of the tube and the inside of the tube box (14 3/8). The mirror box encloses the mirror cell and allows the entire telescope to rotate vertically. I attached three feet equally spaced on top of the ring, and on the opposite side attached teflon pads 1 X 1 directly above the feet using very small brads and countersinking the brads below the surface of the teflon. 7 years ago 5 weeks after I had ordered the mirror, I called to ask about its status. In addition, we use third-party cookies to help us analyze and understand usage. 11 years ago It was easy enough to drill a hole and tap threads for a Wooden Telescope Part 2: Tube and Mount - Instructables I marked the expected position of the secondary by measuring 61 inches down from the end of the tube. DIY Craford Focuser. I had some carboy caps that make good knobs. This extra space would allow the tube to be repositioned within the tube box to rotate the eyepiece or balance the tube. So, am curious to see what others have designed and built and proud to show off here on the homage to Crayford thread. I Hope to give you ideas if you are thinking about building one for yourself! Home centers and hardware stores did not carry large sizes. you could probably space the bearings 3/4" apart instead of 1" and mount Once your telescope is assembled, drape black woven velveteen around the truss assembly, clipping it with safety pins. As it turned out, the mirror cell was too large to fit into my 14 inch sonotube. Plus it comes in black, so you don't need to paint it (or worry about paint flaking off it). The plate has slotted screw holes for tensioning the 6mm belt. That way you won't be dropping your drawtube and This is not recommended for shared computers. Now I can simply insert the PVC cap on the end of a 4" pvc tube. you don't need to paint it (or worry about paint flaking off it). Their step by step instructions were invaluable to me as I built this scope. The hole is made slightly larger than the shaft, this is normal. I pointed it at distant trees and had no problem bringing the image into focus with all of my eyepieces. The holes in the main bracket the match the holes in the plate are oversize to allow for this alignment. Crayford-style design with four bearings and one driveshaft. try { Thin-wall aluminum tubing is used to attach the mirror box to the secondary cage. In the sub-folder "Cases" you will see many variants of the case for the DRV8825 based focusers. For a while I decided that 10 inch would be the best size. I've been using the above pair Homemade astronomy. It was May 12th. I had considered a Moonlite or Featherlite focuser, but I knew from my experience with my 6 inch scope that I wanted a 2 speed focuser, and the price tag of their 2 speed focusers scared me away. I only use the OTA. I am using scrap upvc pipe material. Edited by howardcano, 24 May 2020 - 09:29 PM. I applied contact cement to the first inch of the veneer and the mating inch of the tube. They even offered to send the spider, secondary holder, and secondary mirror immediately so that I could begin working on the tube while I waited for the primary. Another vote for Pierre's helical Crayford design. While a sling or whiffletree provide the best edge support, a two-point edge support is much easier to construct. When you add the minimum distance from the eyepiece to the secondary mirror together with the distance from the secondary mirror to the primary, the total length should be the primary mirrors focal length. 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 the thread shows you could also build the dual speed version, all made of plywood, if you feel ready to tackle a slightly more complex project for a cost of about 5$ more. You currently have javascript disabled. Once Id built a CNC router, I embarked on my third telescope, featuring a 16 primary mirror with aluminum trusses, wide vertical bearing arcs, a steel front-adjustable mirror cell, and a rotating base. I don't have the skills to build a focuser using a. I'm also going to focus on only one version of Robert's focuser (there are many). This is because my router bit was inch and the arc would be cut by the outside edge of the bit (where the circle had been cut by the inside edge.) Star Adventurer Pro Pack Counter Weight Bar Thumb Screw Upgrade. that is a great website that guy has some fantastic photos. This can be shimmed out with paper wrapped around the It took a lot longer than I expected to receive my mirror and other parts from Discovery. My homemade motorized telescope focuser for Celestron C8. (actually, it ended up a smidge more than 2 inches). a try. Orion Dynamo Mini for powering a Nexstar 6SE? I started by trying to drill out a metal gear for the focuser shaft. Again from the main FILES page, go to "ASCOM DRIVERS" and download everything. I am working on a diy focuser design for my 6" F/8 telescope and asking suggestions for simple focuser. The drawings are only approximately to scale. Two inch internal diameter drawtube. Well, it sort of looks like a focuser.. See pictures below. 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. Download the Gerber Files. Funny how the bigger they are the better for dobs. So I was looking for a cheap, light-but-sturdy design for a After a few weeks of no communication from them, no ability to phone or email them, and no mirror cell arriving. Sonotube (14 inch diameter, 12 feet long): $70, Focuser (GSO 2 speed low profile Crayford): $139, Total cost for supplies for this project: $1700. For complete instructions on building a telescope such as this one, I strongly recommend buying a copy of The Dobsonian Telescope by David Kriege and Richard Berry. This consists of a small black box of electronics. my thoughts naturally gravitated toward a boxy focuser to go with it. document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); I drilled the holes in the center of the ground board and rocker bottom using a 9/16 bit, thinking that I needed the extra 1/16 so that the spacer could move. Make an account on JLCPCB.com, upload the Gerber zip file, that's it! Homemade DIY focuser for telescope with computer control - NEUTRAL.org The rocker arms must also have guides to keep it on the track; flat metal 12 braces lined with ABS plastic work nicely. I knew that I would be returning the mirror cell to them, but just for fun I decided to see how it would fit in the tube. But -- you have to be careful that the mechanism is true and the motor does not have a load on it at any time, otherwise it will 'stall' and stop moving. I told them to take their time and get it right. (actually, it ended up a smidge more than 2 inches) Lighter than the existing focuser. This was to allow the circle cutting jig to be attached to the board to cut the arcs from a center point of 25 inches above the ground. Like i said these are not my photos and i cannot coment on exactly how he set it up as i was not there all i can say is i saw the mount he used when he picked up the telescope. All Orion 1.25" and 2" telescope focusers are engineered to provide smooth drawtube action to ensure you hit the exact focus point . You can easily, and economically (10$) build a Crayford Helical Focuser like the one pictured above in one evening with simple tools. by cranking 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 My concern turned to alarm when my wife told me that Discovery had charged the balance due on all items to my account a few weeks earlier. I wanted a tight / press fit, so I only added half that, 0.25mm. (I didn't have the primary mirror yet). and an eyepiece. 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. I would love to see your build when you are finished with it . Several functions may not work. Crayford focusers are considered superior to entry-level rack and pinion focusers, normally found in this type of device. The shroud made from two 22 inch tall containers came out short, so I had to add an eleven inch strip of nylon. Thanks Pinbout for sharing your design. Read the documentation though, there are a lot of functions and options. We tried this in our back yard, but found that it was too difficult to aim both the tube and the moving mirror at distant trees in our suburban yard. The hole did need to be enlarged slightly by moving the bit within the hole , but in the end, the fit seems right. curated by us, the people behind Make: and the Maker Faire. The spider, or secondary mirror holder, will suspend the mirror in the optical path in order to direct light into the focuser. Did you make this project? Edited by Pierre Lemay, 25 May 2020 - 08:10 AM. corners of the squares provide nice nooks for the eyepiece and eyepiece widening the hole. Place the focuser, draw the position of the screws with a pencil and remove the focuser. I'd You simply glue or screw the 'nut' part to your scope OTA, and thread the tube part in/out to focus. Step 4Attaching the Side Bearings and assembling the Rocker.