Dr_GMJN | 17/01/2021 18:21:54 |
![]() 1602 forum posts | All, I've been making a Dobsonian telescope mount for my long neglected Meade 10" Starfinder. The original equatorial mount was hopeless, because it was designed for a smaller telescope. I thought of a central hub, with axles radiating from it with small wheels on their ends, but again the issue is finding something very smooth for the wheels to run in. |
Brian H | 18/01/2021 09:07:35 |
![]() 2312 forum posts 112 photos | I'm no use at all on this one but just thought it would be good to bump it up the list in the hope that someone helpful sees it. Brian |
Bob Mc | 18/01/2021 09:24:33 |
231 forum posts 50 photos | Hi Dr GMJN.... This may be helpful, https://stellafane.org/tm/dob/resources/bearnings.html seems that after some experimentation that kitchen laminate was a good candidate. I have made a vertical azimuth telescope bearing using the material that my wife has for doing oven cooked chips, I don't know the name of it but its a golden cloth type material, in my application it slides on a metal shaft however you can't glue it so it would have to be held in place at the edges for a Dob. Bob.
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Cabinet Enforcer | 18/01/2021 09:29:55 |
121 forum posts 4 photos | eBay search for lazy Susan bearing. Not that dear and available in 14" size or even bigger. |
Chuck Taper | 18/01/2021 09:37:57 |
![]() 95 forum posts 37 photos | First off that's a real nice job. Put some effort into an "Equatorial Dob" myself... haven't given up yet but.... Have you considered using a "Lazy Susan" type bearing? Available in many sizes and qualities. Extreme precision in a Dob. is one of those diminishing return things. (my own experience only) Looking forward to some pictures of the final instrument!! Frank C. |
Dr_GMJN | 18/01/2021 10:32:42 |
![]() 1602 forum posts | Thanks guys that's great. I didn't know that Lazy Susan bearings went up to that diameter. If I can source one, I might make the base itself from a triangle of dimpled formaica kitchen worktop, use the Lazy Susan bearing in the centre to take the majority of the z-loads, and then make three height-adjustable teflon pads in light contact with the Formica base, purely as stabilisers to keep the bearing races parallel. That should do it.
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Dr_GMJN | 18/01/2021 10:39:57 |
![]() 1602 forum posts | Just to add - I found aluminium/ball bearing type Lazy Susan bearings up to 1m diameter on Amazon just now.... |
Dr_GMJN | 31/01/2021 11:44:04 |
![]() 1602 forum posts | Posted by Brian H on 18/01/2021 09:07:35:
I'm no use at all on this one but just thought it would be good to bump it up the list in the hope that someone helpful sees it. Brian Thanks Brian - it worked! |
Dr_GMJN | 31/01/2021 11:44:50 |
![]() 1602 forum posts | All, I finished the telescope mount, a brief account of what I've ended up with is here: DIY Dobsonian Telescope Mount | Model Engineer (model-engineer.co.uk) Thanks again for the advice. |
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