A bracket for my EAF to move around

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A bracket for my EAF to move around

#1

Post by SkyHiker »


Have you noticed how the bracket for the EAF autofocuser only fits on Skywatcher-like focusers? No matter what I tried, I could not make it fit.

Eventually I glued a wooden post to my 12" Newt with E6000 glue and the EAF to it. It worked great but it's not nice if you can't move the EAF around. So today I added an aluminum bracket that I can move around from scope to scope. I have a bracket for my 12" Newt and for the Mak-Newt. Aluminum is as easy to work with as wood.

I wanted this because I am beginning to see how a 12" scope can hamper my astrophotography - though I'm slowly crawling out of the pit that I dug for myself - so I wanted to move everything over to the Mak-Newt including the autofocuser.
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... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: A bracket for my EAF to move around

#2

Post by bladekeeper »


Great solution, Henk!
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Re: A bracket for my EAF to move around

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Post by OzEclipse »


Henk, Looks like it works but it's not exactly a quick change arrangement and really looks out of place. It's a bit late now but you may have been better off buying a finder dovetail to attach to the dovetail and two finder shoes to attach to the two OTA's. Given that it's done, maybe paint the wood pieces black & white to match the tubes?

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
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Re: A bracket for my EAF to move around

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Post by OzEclipse »


Henk
I hear what you are saying that bigger is not always better. I am doing mental somersaults now trying to work out how big an observatory to build and how big an instrument I should put in it. Given that my Dob is an 18" and is my primary visual instrument, this instrument will be primarily a photographic instrument. I have the Vixen VC200L which is lightweight, solid, not prone to flex and easily carried on my EM200. I had a 12" in mind but that entails a bigger observatory, bigger mount and the new OTA. The problem is that the smaller aperture limits my ability to record occultations of faint asteroids. Nonetheless, I might end up just sticking with the VC200L instrument and be limited to brighter asteroid occultations.

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
Memberships Astronomical Association of Queensland; RASNZ Occultations Section; Single Exposure Milky Way Facebook Group (Moderator) (12k members)
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Re: A bracket for my EAF to move around

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Post by SkyHiker »


OzEclipse wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 11:42 pm Henk, Looks like it works but it's not exactly a quick change arrangement and really looks out of place. It's a bit late now but you may have been better off buying a finder dovetail to attach to the dovetail and two finder shoes to attach to the two OTA's. Given that it's done, maybe paint the wood pieces black & white to match the tubes?
The EAF does not have a dovetail Joe. Believe me it has to be accurate to the millimeter that's why it's best to fit everything in place the way I did. The result is solid and very accurate, and it was an easy fit. I don't mind the wood color, it now has my signature.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: A bracket for my EAF to move around

#6

Post by SkyHiker »


OzEclipse wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 11:55 pm Henk
I hear what you are saying that bigger is not always better. I am doing mental somersaults now trying to work out how big an observatory to build and how big an instrument I should put in it. Given that my Dob is an 18" and is my primary visual instrument, this instrument will be primarily a photographic instrument. I have the Vixen VC200L which is lightweight, solid, not prone to flex and easily carried on my EM200. I had a 12" in mind but that entails a bigger observatory, bigger mount and the new OTA. The problem is that the smaller aperture limits my ability to record occultations of faint asteroids. Nonetheless, I might end up just sticking with the VC200L instrument and be limited to brighter asteroid occultations.
For asteroids / planets in an observatory I would get an SCT or an Edge HD because they don't need much space. They can be used for planetary but also for AP at F/2 with Hyperstar. I would not go lower than 11". A 12" Newt needs more space and it's far from ideal for visual. For sure they need a heavier mount. I was surprised reading the specs of that EM200, 18 kg visual is only 9 kg AP, how can that be for such a pricy mount?

Regarding your 18", big Dobs are best used on an EQ platform. If you want to use your 18" for AP try an Osypowski EQ platform, they are high quality dual axis and people do AP with them.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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