Posts Made By: Luc Coulombe

Normand Fullum - Hudson, Québec, Canada

http://www.celestron.com/news/index.htm

Luc

Hi Lee,

I always admired your work. Thanks for the pictures. One question: You said you used rubber stopper instead of springs. Could you explain what is a rubber stopper please?

Luc

Hi Philipp,

I believe it's JMI.

Luc

Apparently it was due to a battery faillure. Now watch for the new Duracell commercial.

Luc

Andre,

I just received from Moonlite a CR1 focuser ($165) plus a curved adapter ($10). That's about 225$CDN. It was shipped to me by USPS. Customs got a hold of it. I had to pay an extra 39$CDN in taxes.

Luc

Nice work Tim! Can't wait the haul my a** over to Ottawa and see it in person one of these days.

Luc (in Montreal)

Hello Mike,

Sorry to hear that your project didn't turn out the way you intended. I have done the same thing also over the summer: replaced the tube of my old Skywatcher 8" f/6 tube with a rolled/welded aluminium tube but I used 14ga. I used a wire brush to give it a satiny finish but because of the gauge of the aluminium I had no problems with dings and scratches.

If you have a picture of your tube, I'd really like to see it.

Luc

Hello Steven,

For my 50", 9¼" diam tube, I rolled around a broom stick (just the stick) a 50" by 30" length of felt material. I used Elmer's Spray Adhesive. Spray a 6" wide section the length of the tube and start by carefully applying the edge of the material. If you're extra carefull here to start "square" it will be easier later on when you'll unfurl the rest of the material. Continue this way, spray 6" wide, then unroll a bit of material. When you get at your starting point let if overlap the material. Use a sharp utility knife, Exacto, your favorite hunting/fishing knife and a straight edge and cut where the material overlaps. Just peel off the remaining strip between the ending edge of the material and your cut.

Luc

Hello Garrick,

I have made one for about $300CDN. There is a group dedicated to building EQP:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eqplatforms

Besides the lumber, you'll need to get a motor capable of slow speed. Steppers motor are usually used. If so, a good micro-stepping driving circuit can be found here: http://home.att.net/~wzmicro/prod01.htm
look for the MD-5 circuit.

Another substitute is the following gearhead DC motor found at Herbach & Rademan:
http://www.herbach.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HAR&Product_Code=TM02MTR4569&Category_Code=DCGEARHEAD
You can use this simple circuit to control the speed:
http://store.qkits.com/moreinfo.cfm/FK804

Also, Tom Osypowski, of EQ Platforms:
http://www201.pair.com/resource/astro.html/regular/products/eq_platforms/
will sell you all hardware and electronics. They are more expensive but are guaranteed to work without any fussing.

As you may have read on the net, there are different models of EQP than can be built, some simpler than others. I chose to build a VNS (Vertical North Sector) for it's fast reset time and because it's what Tom Osypowski builds and they are truly beautiful. Johnsonnians are another type of VNS: http://www.johnsonian.com/

For a start, I strongly recommend that you check out the EQP group.

Good luck,

Luc