2" shaft mounting Pt.37: Joining the axes I

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 The Tollok clamping bush screwed fast to the declination axis plate. Access for tightening and removal of the bush requires the removal of one of the declination housing plates. Most easily achieved by removing one of the narrower plates. This saves having to remove the 6 screws which clamp the housing together. Merely slackening off the furniture nuts and the nuts on the large studs will allow one of the narrow plates to be slipped free.





The 7" cylinder fits snugly over the Tollok bush. This leaves the grub screws on the flange bearing just accessible. Removing the heavy shafts seriously reduces the weight of the bearing housings but takes time and requires loose studs.

[Left] Note the "spy" hole to confirm the shaft is fully home in the Tollok bush. Once the bearing housing is fitted together it is impossible to see the end of the shaft.

This image [Right] shows the inside of the bearing housing plate after I have fitted six 8mm [5/16"] studs to help to hold the bearing housing together. I have yet to fit any through studs to hold the cylinder firmly to the opposite plate of the bearing housing.

The mounting all but assembled except for the wormwheels, worms and supporting base. 

The weight is now well beyond my capacity to lift the entire mount.

The mounting broken down into fairly manageable parts.

The long declination shaft is quite a lift in itself.

I shall have to weigh all the components to see how heavy the mounting is at this stage.

                                    Lbs   

Dec Hse + PA shaft.....62.3   
Bare dec shaft.............28.2
PA hse.........................28.2
Saddle...........................3.5

RA wm-wheel...............8.6
Worms + bush..............6.0
Dec wm-wheel.............5.2

2 x worm plates............5.0
                                   ___      
Total.........................147.0

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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