Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Motorizing the focuser of my Ranger?

I have been using a NGF-CM for my Ranger for quite a long time.  Like some amateur astronomers suggest, motorized focusing is somehow a must for imaging since whenever you touch the focuser, you will affect the image and so hand free focusing is a good way to get into a better focus.

NGF-CM brings too benefits, one is motorized focusing and the other one is 2" capability.  I really love my Pentax XL 40mm but then it's probably the only reason for me to keep the NGF-CM.

Today, I pulled out my original Ranger focuser and I believe that it might not hard to motorize it, and I might even use the small DC motor which I've used to motorize the 127mm Maksutov!  I just need a longer belt. 

I shall explore that a bit further, it saves some more money by kicking the NGF-CM out of the equation.  Actually, the NGF-CM has a third benefit but it's no longer applicable to me, it's the capability to allow the use of a stronger reducer for taking H-alpha full disc image in one shot.

After measurements:

A 45-50mm belt should work for my Ranger, however, problem is, the helical focuser will move along with the draw-tube, so the motor fixing mechanism has to be movable as well.

A 35-40mm belt should work for my 127mm Maksutov.


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