A Fullerscopes MkIV with GOTO! Chapter 2.

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Xavier has kindly sent me some more images of his Fullerscopes MkIV mounting after further restoration and powder coating.

Xavier's Fullerscopes MkIV in all its glory on a new and higher 1.5m (5') pier. Fitted here with a Polarex refractor. The old pier is sitting at bottom left.

It is difficult to imagine a more attractive mounting than the MkIV with its conical castings and nicely balanced proportions.

Mounted on a suitable pier and carrying a classical refractor it may seem to shrink in size but still offers massive instrumental support.

Thanks to the new drives the venerable MkIV has stepped straight into the 21st century.

Details of the stepper motor drives are better seen here. They use belt drive for speed reduction and increased torque. The large disk in the foreground is the declination setting circle. A wheel casting carries a finely engraved scale on its rim. The pointer is just visible overhanging the circle. The RA setting circle is engraved on the polar slow motion wormwheel rim. The pointer can be seen just above the polar axis (RA) drive stepper motor. 

The old original screws have all been replaced with socket head metric. Making the task of replacing screws so much easier. The coarse threaded screws are probably unobtainable these days except from specialist suppliers. The originals were also rust prone when exposed to dew and condensation over the years. 

This is another clever feature of Xavier's MkIV mounting. A polar altitude adjusting device. This removes the need for high torque settings on the polar altitude bearing screws and smaller altitude locking screws. This device allows safe and fine adjustment of the polar angle of the mounting to match the local latitude. 

A closer view showing more detail of the much modified MkIV. The stepper motors and drive system are nicely compact and look the part. Avoiding any conflicts as the telescope is moved about to point to different parts of the sky. The combination of gloss black and bronze is most attractive. Offering the classical, timeless  look of a great mounting. One capable of carrying a considerable instrumental burden. The Fullerscopes MkIV has been known to carry some large and heavy telescopes in its time. A task it manages far better than the popular Chinese mountings of today. Few of which are remotely happy carrying a classical refractor. The MkIV can manage a 6" F:15 refractor quite effortlessly.

Another view showing the smart new counterweight and telescope carrying platform. Xavier tells me he has now mounted two telescopes side by side on a double width plate.

The conical castings, sturdy steel shafts and 6" bronze wormwheels make a complete mockery of many modern mountings. The MkIV's axes are ~32mm or 1.25" in diameter of solid steel. The bronze sleeve bearings are mounted at each end of the conical castings. Providing widely spaced support to avoid any rocking. While damping any vibration very rapidly. The MkIV provides silky smooth pointing when properly balanced.

An early shot of Xavier's MkIV before restoration and modification to stepper motor drive and GOTO. I think you will agree that the images above show a remarkable transformation of such a decades-old mounting. I wonder how long the many Chinese mountings will continue enjoy their present popularity? Will they still be so revered in 50 years time? Or are they merely poæpular because they are cheap and cheerful? And, the only mountings available in their price range?

The stepper motors and belt drives were supplied by AWR Technology. A company with long experience of driving all sorts of telescopes both very large and quite small:

 AWR Technology (Astronomy - Electronics, Motors, GOTO drives, Sidereal Clocks, Display Units)



Modifications and improvements to Xavier's MkIV were carried out by:
http://www.astrosystems.nl/

A highly competent and well equipped, specialist Dutch company.

Photo :: fullerscopes mkiv04

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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