Crayford update two.

[Tony Leece]

Well i managed to start piecing the thing together this week.
I have been swamped at work, so it has taken i while :duh:
It will probably look a little different to the pictures below when finished, as i want to get it working first, then chop as much excess ali away, to reduce the overall weight. (for example, the blacked out bits about the bearings).
The bearings are from my sons (unused :Chessy_Smile: ) roller-blades. Hope he doesn't mind, when i get round to telling him :Chessy_Smile: :Chessy_Smile:
All the best and thanks for looking........
Tony.........


930
931

[rmcpb]

Tony,

Its looking great. The hard part will be explaining the bearings that are now essential to your son even though he hasn't used them before :cool!:

[Radar]

Looks awesome Tony. Looks like you have a nack for these things. Metal is not the easiest thing to work with. What kind of metal are you using?

I'm in Broome at the moment (cable beach). Nice and hot up here.

Ray

[phoenix]

Hey Tony


Your Crayford focuser is coming along well, How long till complete ?

What would that cost you in parts ?



Cheers Jason :pipethinker:

[Draig]

Hi Tony,

Looks like the focuser is coming along quite nicley. :welldone:

And well done on reducing the world's population of roller blades :Chessy_Smile: .

Cheers Colin

[Tony Leece]

Looks awesome Tony. Looks like you have a nack for these things. Metal is not the easiest thing to work with. What kind of metal are you using?

I'm in Broome at the moment (cable beach). Nice and hot up here.

Ray

Thanks Ray, the metal in question is aluminium and it's great to work with.
:thumbsupmate:



Hey Tony


Your Crayford focuser is coming along well, How long till complete ?

What would that cost you in parts ?

Cheers Jason :pipethinker:


Thanks Jason, hopefully not too long now mate:Chessy_Smile:
This project has cost me $10 it total, this was for a metre long piece of scrap tubing for the draw-tube ( the motor focusser in the images below, was bought).
I work as a supervisor in the aluminium end of a metal shop and fortunately there are plenty of off-cuts to play around with.
Not sure how much it would cost to buy the aluminium plate and tube new, but you are limited to buying in large lengths and it would be pretty pricey.
All the best........



Hi Tony,

Looks like the focuser is coming along quite nicley. :welldone:

And well done on reducing the world's population of roller blades :Chessy_Smile: .

Cheers Colin

Thanks Collin mate, i haven't seen many roller bladers around Perth, only skatboarders :hmm:

Thanks everyone for the support.
All the best guys...........
Tony.........


Needs a bit of a clean up and a mounting plate to fit onto the OTA, but it is nearly done 'i think :Chessy_Smile: '
933
934

[rmcpb]

I'm suitably impressed. Everyone says aluminium is as easy to work as wood but I'm not sure. Great work!

[orion]

Congratulations Tony it looks a job very well done.

[Tony Leece]

Thanks Rob, Thanks Ed. Much appreciated guys :thumbsupmate: :Chessy_Smile:
Cheers...........
Tony.........

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Tony,

Very nice - and a good move adding the motor unit, Usually, the Crayford has a flat milled along the outside of the tube where the rod bears and a piece of Teflon between the bolt and the flat, makes for a silky smooth finish.

I could not live without my motorised Crayfords. I did at one stage buy a couple of chinese made Crayford units, they were not bad at all, needed a bit of adjustment, but even these were $199 each, so a cheap one is not that cheap. I still have a motorised JMI that I only used a short time until I changed to Moonlite CR-1 motorised units.

I am still trying to find time to put my anodising system together, I have all the gear and chemicals etc, so that one day I can aluminise all my home made aluminium parts.

By the way, you can use any of the tungsten tipped saws, planers, used for wood working, and ordinary bandsaws, jigsaws etc. The standard tools out at INCAT are the better brand power tools (blue colour) name has slipped my mind. I cut 20 mm plate with a coarse bandsaw blade easier than hardened oak. I am always knee deep in aluminium alloy shavings instead of wood shavings! I get all my marine grade mil spec alloy from the ship builders, INCAT.

Great fun making your own gear, and very cost effective,

Enjoy,

Clear skies...

[Tony Leece]

Thanks Shevill, the tubing that i scrounged for the draw tube has only a 1mm wall thickness, so milling was out of the question i'm afraid.

I have seen your Crayfords on another post and they look very cool :cool:

The anodising system sound very good, is it expensive or difficult to set up?
How do you add colour?
I haven't got any decent gear at home for these projects (yet :Chessy_Smile: ), i use the equipment we have at work.

I agree with you, you get a real kick from making your own gear and it is usualy at a price that keeps the wife happy :Chessy_Smile:

All the best mate........
Tony..........

[beren]

:thumbsupmate: Tony fantastic work

PS: heres some info anodizing on http://www.focuser.com/atm/anodize/anodize.html

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Beren & Tony,

I bought Ron's Book-(I have a spare copy of the latest version it was $US 25plus post). Available for $AU25 incl. post in Aus. from me.

I have bought heaps from Ron and he is a great bloke to deal with.

I also bought my anodising dyes from him as they are proper dyes suitable for anodising and do not fade in sunlight. You can use RIT Dyes, but they do fade. He cannot freight any liquids or acids overseas, only dry powder chemicals.

Clear skies...
Shevill

[beren]

Just brought another focuser from Ron, excellent service as always

[Radar]

G'day Tony, have you got this thing mounted on your scope yet?

Ray

[Tony Leece]

Thanks Ray, i have been snowed under with things at home and have had no time to update this thread, or do any observing:crying23:
My wifes relatives came over from the uk, loads of things at work and of course the on going house reno's:duh:

This is what the scope has looked like for the last month or so....
1100

And here is the thing attached, as of ten minutes ago.... not had a chance to test it yet, but i did clean the optics and re-collimate the scope. so fingers crossed :Chessy_Smile:

1101

Thanks for keeping an interest mate.
All the best............
Tony.........

[Radar]

Pretty impressive DIY there Tony. Looking forward to hearing how you go with it.

Does it take two inch eyepieces?

Ray

[orion]

Now thats a focuser

[rmcpb]

Impressive bit of work there!!

[Tony Leece]

Thanks guys,your very kind :thumbsupmate:
Yes Ray,it takes two inch eyepieces as well (even though i only own one at the moment :Chessy_Smile: ), it always helps to plan for the future :eartoear: .
I will let you know if it works ok as soon as i can get the time to get out with it.
All the best ........
Tony..........