Slo-mo for Gibraltor

Started by davidcolton, 02/02/2006 08:35PM
Posted 02/02/2006 08:35PM Opening Post
I've commented on this site that while I like the Gibraltor mount, it craves manual slow motions controls. As no one is offering this as an "after-market product," I'm wondering if anyone has built their own? Any ideas of how this might be done, for example, where could I obtain the gears to fabricate my own?
Posted 02/03/2006 03:46AM #1
I have a Gibraltar that a previous owner modified -- the azimuth has a zero-friction needle bearing. If somebody has a slo-mo/clutch idea I'd love to hear it too.

However, I've long had the idea of inserting between a Gibraltar/TelePod head and the tripod, a barndoor-tracker-like equatorial adaptor. Basically, add wedges to the two barndoor tracker leaves so the top and bottom surfaces are (near) level. Or, think of a small box sliced and piano-hinged to open/rotate about the polar axis. I called that the Soapbox/TeleTrack but in old issues of Telescope Making a related design was known as "nested corners" equatorial platform. I don't have a TelePod head to play with though, and none has been available lately at a good price ($150).

Would you be interested in building a prototype or two? :-)

-- William (Saratoga, CA)



Posted 02/03/2006 05:19AM #2
Haven't built my own, but have reluctantly sold my Telepod because of a lack of slo-mo controls. Bought the Tak Teegul and have found this to be a wonderful, ultra solid mount, with great slo-mo controls. Come on, Al cwy , you've got to have a solution to this.

Phil

David Colton said:

I've commented on this site that while I like the Gibraltor mount, it craves manual slow motions controls. As no one is offering this as an "after-market product," I'm wondering if anyone has built their own? Any ideas of how this might be done, for example, where could I obtain the gears to fabricate my own?