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Knobs!

Discussion in 'Telescopes and Mounts' started by Mak the Night, Apr 27, 2022.

Knobs!

Started by Mak the Night on Apr 27, 2022 at 9:15 AM

22 Replies 2396 Views 3 Likes

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  1. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]

    Above: ADM Slow Motion Control Knob Set. They have a 3/32 Allen key holding them onto the spigot. These are manufactured in the US so I figured they wouldn't be metric lol. Luckily I also have non-metric tools.

    [​IMG]

    I originally bought these for my EQ5 as the bundled Synta slo mo knobs (below) just aren't cutting the mustard.

    [​IMG]

    The stock Synta knobs, apart from being a bit rubbish, are plastic or resin and have a push fit. In my experience they perpetually fall off their respective spigots. The ADM knobs are aluminium and are fixed to the spigot with a hex/Allen screw/key.


    [​IMG]

    Then I had a brainwave! Vixen slo knobs are as bad the Synta ones. So I tried ADM's on a Porta II. The flexible Vixen cables also fall off a lot in my experience. So now I'm a really happy bunny as I can put the ADM knobs on the Vixen mount. Most excellent.
     
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  2. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    The push-on Synta knob in your picture looks a lot like the knobs used in electronic instruments from the 1960s and '70s. It's probably what they are. By comparison, the ADM knobs are functional art.

    Ed
     
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  3. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Functional being the word. I've ordered more for my other Porta II and the EQ5. Being able to pull the Vixen mount out of the bag and set up straight away without shagging around with slo mo cables is a huge relief. As for the EQ5, I usually spend more time picking the RA knob up off the floor than observing lol.

    n2 (copy).jpg

    I use a cable for the declination slo mo and it can be screwed on. It rarely, if ever, falls off. I haven't used the EQ5 for a while but may do later in the year for planetary. So, problem solved! I'm still a happy bunny.
     
  4. PXR-5

    PXR-5 Well-Known Member

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    They look great on the Porta!
     
  5. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    They certainly do!
     
  6. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    My CG4 came with slo-mo cables which worked OK for visual. With imaging they impeded RA travel at the extremes. My solution was to use aluminum knobs from some long-forgotten tool on the Dec shaft. I used an old vacuum port cap from the days when cars had carburettors on the RA shaft, the clutchless motor drive being on the other side.

    Ed

    Untitled-Stitched-01.jpg
     
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  7. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Looks like an ingenious and elegant solution Ed.
     
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  8. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    More knobs!

    1.jpeg

    This is my oldest Porta II.

    2.jpeg

    I use it for my ST102 and the 127mm SkyMax.

    3.jpeg

    Cool knobs or what?

    4.jpeg

    The Moon should be out later ... I'm ready to go!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 5, 2022
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  9. PXR-5

    PXR-5 Well-Known Member

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    Very nice and classy compared to the plastic ones.
     
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  10. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    I agree with Jeff about the knobs being elegant. One big advantage is that the knobs don't sway like the cables. If cables are bumped or the wind sets them in motion it affects the view as the cables oscillate.

    Ed
     
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  11. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Even better, they don't keep falling off.
     
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  12. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Notwithstanding the cable leverage regularly loosens the holding screws. I seem to spend half the night picking cables up off the ground lol.
     
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  13. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Knobs cooling.

    2.jpeg

    4.jpeg
     
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  14. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    I'm sold on these, Dave. I hate the stock cables and plastic "push on" radio knobs. I'm ordering some sets. They look good on you!
     
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  15. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Reggie, yeah, they're definitely worth the spondoolies. I got to use them 'out in the field' (my back lawn lol) on Sunday. I had a pretty decent lunar session.

    [​IMG]

    Remember the 3/32 Allen headed grub though. They should be threaded flush in the knobs when you receive them. You'll need your own Allen key/wrench.

    [​IMG]

    While using them Sunday with the Big Mak I was surprised with just how smooth the Porta II's slo mo's are. I never really noticed with the cables. I can get on with observing without being stressed out by 'persistent push-on plastic knob loss syndrome'. The ADM knobs don't fall off and you don't have to shag about with push-on radio knobs that regularly end up on the ground. Even the cables are a pain in the arse, they fall off almost as much as the push-ons. Plus I regularly forget to attach them anyway lol. I just pulled the Porta II/TL130 out of its case, extended the legs and it was ready for the OTA!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 5, 2022
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  16. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Hey, that's Annie! I thought she was only in the Eurythmics and then a solo artist. She's a rockin' Tourist ;)
     
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  17. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Hopefully the knobs (and the Big Mak) will get out tonight. Lots of Mare Imbrium ...

    [​IMG]

    ... and Clavius!

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    I got to see the Moon ... for all of five minutes! Bloody clouds. :mad:
     
  19. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    DRAT!!
     
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  20. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Hopefully the knobs (and the Big Mak) will get out tonight. Lots of Mare Imbrium ...

    [​IMG]

    ... and Clavius!

    [​IMG][/QUOTE]
    I like them as a duo. They worked well together. But Annie is a powerful solo force, too. I'll have to check out The Tourists incarnation more in depth. ;)

    Lunar eclipse coming up here in the States early Monday morning (5/16); I'm going to get some images.
     
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