EQ6 Rebuild

[Mike]

OK I have finally managed to get some replacement shims for my EQ6 from a guy in the US who makes sets of them for $6 (including postage). So, weekend after next I will be stripping down and rebuilding my EQ6 for the second time in an attempt to get rid of the weird tracking issues I have been having.

Hopefully I will then be able to finally get back to doing some imaging, especially now the nice dark skies are here. It's been way too long !!

I will keep you posted.

[Mike]

OK, completely stripped the mount down over the weekend. It is now in pieces all over my kitchen table.

What I foudn was that one of the bearings had seized up. I took the dust caps off and the grease inside was a strange brown colour with hard bits in. A good clean out with white spirit and a regrease has got it back to normal. I am wondering if this was the cause of my weird guiding errors.

I also found that the shims had degraded and had cracked putting small flecks of white plastic all over the place, including near the teeth of the worm ! Not good.

Anyway, everything has now been given a good clean out with white spirit, swarfega and washing up liquid and has ahd a good dry. It is now all ready for a regerase and reassemble, including new shims (once I find my digital micrometer in the garage somewhere). Hopefully the mount will be back in full working order for the weekend to carry out some tests.

I have also ordered the EQDIR Mod from the states (Shoestring) so I can do away with the hand-unit and operate everything from the laptop (thanks for the advice Chris). This apparently gives a much easier alignment routine, greater control and more accurate GoTo and guiding.


b.t.w. The Paramount ME is down to £7500 - mmmmm, wonder what I can sell......

[Rocket Pooch]

Well done, did you change the RA worm end barings?  they are £8 for new units!

When you put it together can you do a PE measurement it would be interesting to see what it is.

[Mike]

No I didn't. Apart from the brown gunk inside one of them (the grease in the others was clean and looked fine) all of the beaarings seem fine to me.

I fully intend on doing a PE Graph for my own curiousity so I will post it up here once it's done.

[JohnP]

I look forward to seeing how you get on with the EQMod as well..... John

[Ian]

Mike, I've got a digital vernier caliper and a micrometer if you can't find yours...

[Rocket Pooch]

Mike, I've got a digital vernier caliper and a micrometer if you can't find yours...

Is that a gag about Mike's manhood?

[Mike]

Oy!! 

Just ordered a Cordless Gamepad too to control the EQDIR/MOD

[Rocket Pooch]

Did you get the rumblepad?  I did it works from 30 meters away

[Mike]

Yeah the guys on the UKAI Forum that had the EQ-MOD recommended the Cordless Logitech Rumblepad II so that is what i've ordered.



I believe there is also another Mod called EQ-DEFCON that allows you to use the Gamepad and a high powered laser on the top of the mount to shoot down aircraft and satellites when you get bored of imaging. It's a bit pricey though so i'm not sure about that one just yet.

[Rocket Pooch]

Actualy I was mucking around with mine in the summer with the lens cap off trying to burn a spider, its a long story involving wine.

Karen was not impressed.

[Ian]

I don't suppose the spider was too impressed either...

did you get it?

[Rocket Pooch]

No didn't get it, I was trying to reinact a scene from Diamonds are Forever.

[Rick]

Now where did I read that story about the person who turned the laser out of a DVD burner into a pointer, and burned his fingers with it?

[Mike]

There is a website somewhere that gives full instructions into how to turn a maglite into a laser weapon by replacing the bulb with the laser from a DVD Writer. There is also a video showing the guy popping a balloon with it from about 3 feet away. I think you can find it on YouTube.

[Rick]

The story I heard involved the individual using his pointer to light his fireworks on Guy Fawkes night... 

[Rocket Pooch]

Mike,

I did my re-build yesterday and took out that Egger worm, the shim size on my dec and ra we're exactly 1mm, all the components and faces we're exactly the same size.

Also, I replaced the RA & DEC bearings with sealed units made in Italy and removed the open Chineese bearings.

If it's clear this week I'll fully adjust it and measure the PE.

Chris

[Mike]

Well i'm in a bit of trouble with mine. The RA Worm wheel will not go back into the casing properly. It has to be forced in and when it is in it will not rotate, it's jammed solid.

The inside of the casing is very rough and I am wondering if the wheel has been rubbing against it in use, or maybe I have damaged it somehow in taking it apart. WHy they make the casing so tight is anyone's guess. I am going to try and sand out the inside of the casing to see if that will give that bit of extra room for the wheel to go back in. If I can't get it fixed in time for the weekend that I will be at DSC without any kit

Anyway, the forecast for the weekend at the moment is :-

Friday - Rain
Saturday - Rain
Sunday - Cloudy, maybe clear at night

Where did you order your bearings from?

[Rocket Pooch]

Mike,

If you want me to pop around this week and fix it let me know when.  Are you sure its the RA worm that's stuck, that would be impressive, or is it the big brass bit the work turns on?

Chris


P.S. I'll check about the bearings and let you know.

[Mike]

Yead i'd love some help if you don't mind.

It's the big brass wheel I am talking about. They give you about 0.01mm gap between the edge of the wheel and the casing so any tiny discrepency and it won't go in !

[Rocket Pooch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnmkygmGNiM&eurl=http://timsastroblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/little-tune-up-for-eq6.html

Wii

[Mike]

Can't view that from work.      Will 'ave a butcher's when I get home.

[Mike]

Update!

Chris is working his magic and is confident something can be done to fix it. There is some damage to the worm and wheel but nothing major and shouldn't affect guiding. The casing might need a skim out on a lathe but he is trying to see if he can sand it down first as it only needs about 0.2mm off it.

Thanks for all your help Chris - I'll get you a nice bottle of single malt for DSC

[Ian]

of course, if you get your mount working, it'll attract the clouds like astronomers to a 16" RCX at Astrofest...

[Mike]

True