Have had my Mach1 for a couple months now and am very pleased.

Lately, due to break-in I assume, it has deleloped just a tiny bit of
backlash in both axes - not much, but it wasn't there to start with.

I read message message 19854 ( http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn ) which
explains how to remove backlash in the Mach1. It worked beautifully,
at least to my bare hand touch (haven't been out to test it at night
yet, but I can feel no more clicking in the RA axis when I manually
shimmy the axis).

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have done
this fully loaded?

Thanks,

Hunter

Hunter --

Won't make any difference as long as you're reasonably balanced (ie:
don't try it with 40 lbs of instruments and no counterweights).

-- Jeff.


________________________________

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] On
Behalf Of hewholooks
Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2008 10:03 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: [ap-gto] Backlash Adjustment in Mach1



Have had my Mach1 for a couple months now and am very pleased.

Lately, due to break-in I assume, it has deleloped just a tiny
bit of
backlash in both axes - not much, but it wasn't there to start
with.

I read message message 19854 ( http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn
<http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn> ) which
explains how to remove backlash in the Mach1. It worked
beautifully,
at least to my bare hand touch (haven't been out to test it at
night
yet, but I can feel no more clicking in the RA axis when I
manually
shimmy the axis).

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have
done
this fully loaded?

Thanks,

Hunter

Hunter or anyone,
Roland' description of how to make the backlash adjustment for the
Mach1 has left me confused. I can not find two cover screws on the
top of the gearbox. I find three screws on the side which exposes
the reduction gears. On the bottom where the electrical connector is
located there are two large allen screws. Are these the ones to
loosen? There are several other smaller screws that it looks like I
would have to remove along with the large ones to "remove" any kind
of cover. I feel like I am looking at a different mount from the one
Roland describes in the refenced message.

Larry

--- In ap-gto@..., "hewholooks" <hewholooks@...> wrote:

Have had my Mach1 for a couple months now and am very pleased.

Lately, due to break-in I assume, it has deleloped just a tiny bit

of

backlash in both axes - not much, but it wasn't there to start with.

I read message message 19854 ( http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn ) which
explains how to remove backlash in the Mach1. It worked

beautifully,

at least to my bare hand touch (haven't been out to test it at

night

yet, but I can feel no more clicking in the RA axis when I manually
shimmy the axis).

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have

done

this fully loaded?

Thanks,

Hunter

I notice in the photo of Roland on the home page for this discussion
group that the gearbox design looks totally different than mine.

Larry

--- In ap-gto@..., "Larry Phillips" <llp41astro@...>
wrote:

Hunter or anyone,
Roland' description of how to make the backlash adjustment for the
Mach1 has left me confused. I can not find two cover screws on the
top of the gearbox. I find three screws on the side which exposes
the reduction gears. On the bottom where the electrical connector

is

located there are two large allen screws. Are these the ones to
loosen? There are several other smaller screws that it looks like

I

would have to remove along with the large ones to "remove" any kind
of cover. I feel like I am looking at a different mount from the

one

Roland describes in the refenced message.

Larry

--- In ap-gto@..., "hewholooks" <hewholooks@> wrote:

Have had my Mach1 for a couple months now and am very pleased.

Lately, due to break-in I assume, it has deleloped just a tiny

bit

of

backlash in both axes - not much, but it wasn't there to start

with.

I read message message 19854 ( http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn ) which
explains how to remove backlash in the Mach1. It worked

beautifully,

at least to my bare hand touch (haven't been out to test it at

night

yet, but I can feel no more clicking in the RA axis when I

manually

shimmy the axis).

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have

done

this fully loaded?

Thanks,

Hunter

Larry,

I removed the two large allen screws - they just screw into the cover
and nothing else.

Through these two holes are the screws that adjust the mesh. Use the
same hex wrench. It's kindof strange, you just loosen the adjustment
screws a turn or two, wiggle the axis, and re-tighten. Backlash was
gone.

I tested with a couple high speed slews and it sounded good. I hope
I didn't mess up my guiding, as I am always a little apprehensive
about things like this until I use the equipment again.

I thought adjusting it under load would be Ok, as I remember that it
is actually suggested to adjust my old Atlas while under full load to
correctly mesh the gears.

Hunter

--- In ap-gto@..., "Larry Phillips" <llp41astro@...>
wrote:

Hunter or anyone,
Roland' description of how to make the backlash adjustment for the
Mach1 has left me confused. I can not find two cover screws on the
top of the gearbox. I find three screws on the side which exposes
the reduction gears. On the bottom where the electrical connector

is

located there are two large allen screws. Are these the ones to
loosen? There are several other smaller screws that it looks like

I

would have to remove along with the large ones to "remove" any kind
of cover. I feel like I am looking at a different mount from the

one

Roland describes in the refenced message.

Larry

--- In ap-gto@..., "hewholooks" <hewholooks@> wrote:

Have had my Mach1 for a couple months now and am very pleased.

Lately, due to break-in I assume, it has deleloped just a tiny

bit

of

backlash in both axes - not much, but it wasn't there to start

with.

I read message message 19854 ( http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn ) which
explains how to remove backlash in the Mach1. It worked

beautifully,

at least to my bare hand touch (haven't been out to test it at

night

yet, but I can feel no more clicking in the RA axis when I

manually

shimmy the axis).

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have

done

this fully loaded?

Thanks,

Hunter

Thanks Hunter.

Larry

--- In ap-gto@..., "hewholooks" <hewholooks@...> wrote:

Larry,

I removed the two large allen screws - they just screw into the

cover

and nothing else.

Through these two holes are the screws that adjust the mesh. Use

the

same hex wrench. It's kindof strange, you just loosen the

adjustment

screws a turn or two, wiggle the axis, and re-tighten. Backlash

was

gone.

I tested with a couple high speed slews and it sounded good. I

hope

I didn't mess up my guiding, as I am always a little apprehensive
about things like this until I use the equipment again.

I thought adjusting it under load would be Ok, as I remember that

it

is actually suggested to adjust my old Atlas while under full load

to

correctly mesh the gears.

Hunter

--- In ap-gto@..., "Larry Phillips" <llp41astro@>
wrote:

Hunter or anyone,
Roland' description of how to make the backlash adjustment for

the

Mach1 has left me confused. I can not find two cover screws on

the

top of the gearbox. I find three screws on the side which

exposes

the reduction gears. On the bottom where the electrical

connector

is

located there are two large allen screws. Are these the ones to
loosen? There are several other smaller screws that it looks

like

I

would have to remove along with the large ones to "remove" any

kind

of cover. I feel like I am looking at a different mount from the

one

Roland describes in the refenced message.

Larry

--- In ap-gto@..., "hewholooks" <hewholooks@> wrote:

Have had my Mach1 for a couple months now and am very pleased.

Lately, due to break-in I assume, it has deleloped just a tiny

bit

of

backlash in both axes - not much, but it wasn't there to start

with.

I read message message 19854 ( http://tinyurl.com/5oktbn )

which

explains how to remove backlash in the Mach1. It worked

beautifully,

at least to my bare hand touch (haven't been out to test it at

night

yet, but I can feel no more clicking in the RA axis when I

manually

shimmy the axis).

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have

done

this fully loaded?

Thanks,

Hunter

In a message dated 5/3/2008 4:03:32 PM Central Daylight Time,
hewholooks@... writes:

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have done
this fully loaded?

Doesn't matter. Either way is correct.

Rolando




**************
Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family
favorites at AOL Food.

(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)

Thanks. To update all interested parties - I was out last night and
the mount performed like new, no problems.

Hunter

--- In ap-gto@..., chris1011@... wrote:

In a message dated 5/3/2008 4:03:32 PM Central Daylight Time,
hewholooks@... writes:

After I did this proceedure, it suddenly hit me that I did the
adjustment with the mount fully loaded with about 40 pounds of
equipment.

Should I have done it with the mount empty, or is it OK to have

done

this fully loaded?

Doesn't matter. Either way is correct.

Rolando




**************
Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family
favorites at AOL Food.

(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]