Hi guys I'm new here, found this forum by google.
I've bought this telescope mount recently and have seen fellow astronomy enthusiasts successfully reduce the vibration settle down duration by bolting on steel plates or jamming in a wooden block.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthre...ge/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/all/vc/1
What I intend to do is to fill up the open gap in the cast aluminum entirely with knead-able epoxy putty to make it more robust.
I have calculated that the void would take about 105 cubic CM volume and the epoxy required would weigh 210 grams.
My preliminary test result from last night with the putty as follow
2minute 30 seconds , the putty start to mix well and gum together , a little heat is felt
3minute 30 seconds , the putty is near the end of working time
4minute+ , the putty start to get hard
1 hour 30minutes, the putty is really hard , I crushed the putty sphere with pliers and it only made surface bite marks.
Tried to mix another thumbnail size blob of epoxy to test it's grip on the putty sphere with original smooth surface, the result is inseparable by pulling with fingers for such small surface area, I'm quite satisfied.
Here's the questions...
The aluminum mount is powder-coated in white, do I need to sand it off with sandpaper before I epoxy it ? The epoxy does not carry any weight load so I hope this step can be avoided.
Do I need to install 2mm diameter reinforcement steel wire for the epoxy to cross the 48mm wide opening in the middle ? My concern is rust in the long term cracking the epoxy.
There is a remaining magnet which the superglue have not fail, how can I weaken the superglue ? with an ice cube ?
Thanks !
I've bought this telescope mount recently and have seen fellow astronomy enthusiasts successfully reduce the vibration settle down duration by bolting on steel plates or jamming in a wooden block.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthre...ge/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/all/vc/1
What I intend to do is to fill up the open gap in the cast aluminum entirely with knead-able epoxy putty to make it more robust.
I have calculated that the void would take about 105 cubic CM volume and the epoxy required would weigh 210 grams.
My preliminary test result from last night with the putty as follow
2minute 30 seconds , the putty start to mix well and gum together , a little heat is felt
3minute 30 seconds , the putty is near the end of working time
4minute+ , the putty start to get hard
1 hour 30minutes, the putty is really hard , I crushed the putty sphere with pliers and it only made surface bite marks.
Tried to mix another thumbnail size blob of epoxy to test it's grip on the putty sphere with original smooth surface, the result is inseparable by pulling with fingers for such small surface area, I'm quite satisfied.
Here's the questions...
The aluminum mount is powder-coated in white, do I need to sand it off with sandpaper before I epoxy it ? The epoxy does not carry any weight load so I hope this step can be avoided.
Do I need to install 2mm diameter reinforcement steel wire for the epoxy to cross the 48mm wide opening in the middle ? My concern is rust in the long term cracking the epoxy.
There is a remaining magnet which the superglue have not fail, how can I weaken the superglue ? with an ice cube ?
Thanks !