Equatorial head motor.

I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John


Ill join your queue !!! I'm all for home brew - and was surprised that
there's not loads of ideas on the net ! Would like to build a motor focuser
too !

NFR beyond the grave... wooooo wrote:
"John" wrote in message
...
I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John


Ill join your queue !!! I'm all for home brew - and was surprised that
there's not loads of ideas on the net ! Would like to build a motor focuser
too !


Wouldn't be terribly hard to do, even if you can't find anything on
line. What do you want PC control for ?

Steve

NFR beyond the grave... wooooo wrote:
"John" wrote in message
...
I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John


Ill join your queue !!! I'm all for home brew - and was surprised that
there's not loads of ideas on the net ! Would like to build a motor focuser
too !


K3 has some instructions for a DIY focuser on his website:

http://www.pk3.org/Astro/astrophoto_ef.htm


--
Abo

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John

There are quite a few, but they are hard to search for using google etc.
A good place to start would be to join the "scope-drive" Yahoo group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/scope-drive/
Which is pretty much based on Mel Bartels work (here's a page
on his own site
http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/BBAstr...ns.html#How_To

A lot depends on the mount you have - if it's a Vixen GP-type clone,
you can even add an Autostar and Meade motors, giving your mount
the full capabilities of, say, an LXD55 GOTO system for about £150.
If you want that, 'roboscope' is the keyword (and name of the supporting
Yahoo group.)

HTH,
--
Rob (~52N, ~1W)

I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John


Ill join your queue !!! I'm all for home brew - and was surprised that
there's not loads of ideas on the net ! Would like to build a motor
focuser
too !

And me. I ripped a load of steppers out of defunked printers. Would like to
do some thing with them. Let us (well me) know how you both get on.

Neil

In message , Rob
writes

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John

There are quite a few, but they are hard to search for using google etc.
A good place to start would be to join the "scope-drive" Yahoo group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/scope-drive/
Which is pretty much based on Mel Bartels work (here's a page
on his own site
http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/BBAstr...ns.html#How_To

A lot depends on the mount you have - if it's a Vixen GP-type clone,
you can even add an Autostar and Meade motors, giving your mount
the full capabilities of, say, an LXD55 GOTO system for about £150.
If you want that, 'roboscope' is the keyword (and name of the supporting
Yahoo group.)

HTH,
£150!!! That's more than twice the cost of my 'scope. The idea of DIY
was to save money.Do you print your own fivers in Photoshop, perhaps?
However, thanks for the links which I shall try later.
--
John

Neil wrote:
And me. I ripped a load of steppers out of defunked printers.

I like the idea of a defunked printer. Is that one that's been forbidden
from printing James Brown scores? :-)

(ITYM defunct... )

"John" wrote in message
...
In message , Rob
writes

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a small 'scope with equ.head but no motor.
Has anyone seen a plan for a DIY job, possibly PC controlled.
Years ago I saw a stepper-motor version which looked interesting.
--
John

There are quite a few, but they are hard to search for using google etc.
A good place to start would be to join the "scope-drive" Yahoo group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/scope-drive/
Which is pretty much based on Mel Bartels work (here's a page
on his own site
http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/BBAstr...ns.html#How_To

A lot depends on the mount you have - if it's a Vixen GP-type clone,
you can even add an Autostar and Meade motors, giving your mount
the full capabilities of, say, an LXD55 GOTO system for about £150.
If you want that, 'roboscope' is the keyword (and name of the supporting
Yahoo group.)

HTH,
£150!!! That's more than twice the cost of my 'scope. The idea of DIY was
to save money.Do you print your own fivers in Photoshop, perhaps?
However, thanks for the links which I shall try later.

The point I (badly) tried to make was that spending £150 would give you
£1000's worth of a very, very, good GOTO system.

For simply adding a motor to enable sidereal tracking, you can use a
stepper and something like scope-drive. That'd cost you just a few
quid, especially if you rip a stepper out of an old printer etc.

Loads out there - try a google for "stepper controller astronomy" etc.

Cheers,
--
Rob (~52N, ~1W)

Hi Mark

I like the idea of a defunked printer. Is that one that's been forbidden
from printing James Brown scores? :-)

LOL

(ITYM defunct... )

EMBARRASSED

Yes. Thanks.

/EMBARRASSED

Neil