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scott mcleod jr
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Has anyone here built one before. I've got a nearly completed one but I am afraid its not stable enough to keep on track.
Doesn't it seem to you that it would be more helpful then for you to post pics and a description of yours and ask specific questions about it. I mean, what good is it going to do you to know that someone else has built one?scott mcleod jr said:Has anyone here built one before. I've got a nearly completed one but I am afraid its not stable enough to keep on track.
It is 1/4 and has a flat I tried to rig it with a piece of plastic in the hole, it looks tight but whenever it has even a little resistance it starts slipping. I am not super familiar with rigging gears I was also having trouble coming up with a way to keep the red gear stable (it does start to tilt up occasionally) how would i go about finding a screw to hold the gear to the motor better and also hold down the red gear, i think that's where I am having issues.montoyas7940 said:Good pics and cool project! And I understand your dilema. I have questions.
First. does it drive up opening the angle or down?
How is the gear attached to the motor shaft? It appears to be a decent (1/4" ?) sized shaft. Does it have a flat you could use a set screw on? Is it splined?
Worst case you could drill and pin it. That would solve the slipping and skipping but I still think the majority of your issues are coming from the curve.
With the rod and red gear alone, the gear should spin smoothly along the rod. Any dragging or hanging will only be worse when loaded. A snug fit is working against you. Does the red gear have a threaded metal insert or is it all plastic?
Would it be possible to scale up the radius and run the motor faster? That would give a gentler curve and reduce the error in thread pitch.
In the pic the rod doesn't appear to be a smooth continuous curve. Or is that just an illusion? Where the windowsill is behind the rod it appears to be a shaper bend.
Does the mesh of the gears give you any trouble? From the pics they look ok. But they aren't bevel gears are they?
Under the red drive gear for the rod did you use a bearing surface? (UHMW or similar) That might help as well.
A barn door tracker is a simple and inexpensive motorized mount that can be used to track the movement of the stars in the sky, allowing for longer exposure times in astrophotography. It consists of a rotating arm attached to a hinge, which moves at a slow and steady rate to counteract the Earth's rotation.
The main materials needed to build a barn door tracker include a hinge, a motor, a motor controller, a power source, and some basic tools such as a drill and screws. Other optional materials may include a tripod, a ball head mount, and a camera mount.
Yes, there are a few key things to keep in mind when building a barn door tracker. First, make sure to choose a sturdy hinge and motor that can handle the weight and movement of your camera. Additionally, it's important to properly balance the tracker and make sure it is aligned with the celestial pole for accurate tracking.
While a barn door tracker can be a great tool for many types of astrophotography, it may not be suitable for all situations. It is best used for wide-field astrophotography, capturing images of constellations and star trails. For deep space objects and planetary imaging, a more advanced tracking mount may be needed.
Yes, there are a few common mistakes to avoid when building or using a barn door tracker. These include not properly balancing the tracker, not aligning it with the celestial pole, and not using a sturdy enough hinge or motor. It's also important to use a stable and level surface for the tracker and to regularly check and adjust the tracking speed as needed.