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Instructions for re-installing ServoCAT altitude cable

 

I have the Obsession 15" f4.2 UC and the altitude bearing cable has come off its altitude bearing.

Anyone have good directions on how this can get reinstalled? I have some poor directions about using painters tape but it has no pictures and I'm a bit lost.

thanks

--
Jim Lawler
Obsession 15" UC f 4.2
 

Jim,?
My apologies for missing this.?

Write to me direct using rxdesign at ssvecnet dot com and I'll send you instructions. There is a nice way to install the cable on UC's, especially the 15 and 18.?

Gary?
RXDesign
 

Jim

I too, have had many problems with the altitude cable coming off. I would have to disassemble my 18" UC and then reassemble and realign it. That took me 40 minutes. ?

I developed a very quick solution. I reattached the wheelbarrow handles, attached the straps holding the mirror and rocker boxes together, placed a 2" x 4" board in front of the wheels, rolled the scope on top of the 2" x 4" board, removed the mirror and rocker box straps, using the wheelbarrow handles - lifted the scope off of the rocker box an inch or two. A second person could then reinstall the cable. If you are alone, you could prop up the wheelbarrow handles at the raised position with a object (tool box, small step stool,etc) with another 2" x 4" board placed between the wheelbarrow handles.

Once the cable is in place, lower the mirror box back down onto the rocker box, replace the straps, move the scope off of the wheelbarrow wheels. And you are done. Approximately 5 minutes. ?

Practice this technic during the daylight?

I hope this helps.

Leary
 

Jim

I too, have had many problems with the altitude cable coming off. I would have to disassemble my 18" UC and then reassemble and realign it. That took me 40 minutes. ?

I developed a very quick solution. I reattached the wheelbarrow handles, attached the straps holding the mirror and rocker boxes together, placed a 2" x 4" board in front of the wheels, rolled the scope on top of the 2" x 4" board, removed the mirror and rocker box straps, using the wheelbarrow handles - lifted the scope off of the rocker box an inch or two. A second person could then reinstall the cable. If you are alone, you could prop up the wheelbarrow handles at the raised position with a object (tool box, small step stool,etc) with another 2" x 4" board placed between the wheelbarrow handles.

Once the cable is in place, lower the mirror box back down onto the rocker box, replace the straps, move the scope off of the wheelbarrow wheels. And you are done. Approximately 5 minutes. ?

Practice this technic during the daylight?

I hope this helps.

Leary
 

The method I came up with only requires a couple small 2X4 blocks and takes less than a minute or so to do. Just an FYI. Its a doc on the provided CD under "Other installations Instructions" ... I don't remember the title preciously but it talks about ALT cable for transportation.?

Gary Myers
StellarCAT
 

Yeah, whatever's clever. If it works and it's fast, all is good.

You have probably read all about Jeff Gortatowski's loud and constant complaints on the Obsession Beach) for first light in LBV with me. The think was a nightmare regarding that cable. It turned out that the pulley was not properly aligned on its axis and therefore pulled to the side too much, making the cable jump right out of its track... but that did not fully resolve the issue. We had to put it back 3 or 4 times, using 3 people and brute force to lift, etc. He finally abandoned the drive so that he could at least push it around and do some observing!
Anyhow, Jeff is not at all mechanical, and from then on he just bitched and moaned pretty much constantly. I told Dave Kriege that he should find a customer in the LA area who really understood the drive system and pay that guy to go and teach Jeff what he needed to know in order to successfully operate the thing, but that never happened.?He eventually sold it because he was so frustrated about not ever being able to solve the problem... and his wife just died from a heart attack 2 weeks ago...

At one point Jeff wanted to trade Debbie straight across for her 20" Classic, but that was a non-starter for us.

Regarding the "pin" thing, I cannot imagine how a tiny drilled hole in the Teflon would ever lead to a failure, the overall psi would be very low at any single point... but I thought it was a great idea...

Regarding a lunch date, this weekend, the 13th, is Mother's Day weekend and Deb's 2 sons are coming down from LA for the weekend, and the following Saturday, the 20th, is new-moon weekend and weather permitting we will be in LBV perhaps 2 or 3 nights, most likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday... but maybe the weather will not be agreeable or maybe we just do it on a following weekend... and we like the Hamburger Factory, too!

\Paul



------ Original Message ------
From "K9RX - Gary" <amateurK9RX@...>
Date 5/8/2023 11:35:09 AM
Subject Re: [ServoCAT] Instructions for re-installing ServoCAT altitude cable

The method I came up with only requires a couple small 2X4 blocks and takes less than a minute or so to do. Just an FYI. Its a doc on the provided CD under "Other installations Instructions" ... I don't remember the title preciously but it talks about ALT cable for transportation.?

Gary Myers
StellarCAT

 

I'm very sorry to hear of the death of his wife - and for that matter the issues.?

Unfortunately I can't control the installation - I ship the components and have specific installation instructions but its not unusual for some one to not read them or ignore them (and worse when its because "they know better").?

I've always been here - I'm sure he wrote initially, or at least hope he did - but if it continued to be an issue I would have wanted him to continue to report back until we completely resolved it. Now that stated the UC's ARE "compromise scopes" - Dave's description... and it was probably unknown to the vast majority of buyers and users that my mandate when designing a system for it was that it had to fit TWO "builds". Builds that were literally orthogonal to each other - one the normal one for use - the other where someone can pick up the VMB, rotate it 90 degrees and put it back down on the rocker, not interfering with anything that is already there (i.e. everything) AND it all had to fit in to a pelican travel case that was TIGHT to begin with. The solution I came up with works quite well - but it assumes things are installed and used correctly.?

Gary Myers



------ Original Message ------
From "Paul N. Alsing" <pnalsing@...>
Date 5/8/2023 3:03:46 PM
Subject Re: [ServoCAT] Instructions for re-installing ServoCAT altitude cable

Yeah, whatever's clever. If it works and it's fast, all is good.

You have probably read all about Jeff Gortatowski's loud and constant complaints on the Obsession Beach) for first light in LBV with me. The think was a nightmare regarding that cable. It turned out that the pulley was not properly aligned on its axis and therefore pulled to the side too much, making the cable jump right out of its track... but that did not fully resolve the issue. We had to put it back 3 or 4 times, using 3 people and brute force to lift, etc. He finally abandoned the drive so that he could at least push it around and do some observing!
Anyhow, Jeff is not at all mechanical, and from then on he just bitched and moaned pretty much constantly. I told Dave Kriege that he should find a customer in the LA area who really understood the drive system and pay that guy to go and teach Jeff what he needed to know in order to successfully operate the thing, but that never happened.?He eventually sold it because he was so frustrated about not ever being able to solve the problem... and his wife just died from a heart attack 2 weeks ago...

At one point Jeff wanted to trade Debbie straight across for her 20" Classic, but that was a non-starter for us.

Regarding the "pin" thing, I cannot imagine how a tiny drilled hole in the Teflon would ever lead to a failure, the overall psi would be very low at any single point... but I thought it was a great idea...

Regarding a lunch date, this weekend, the 13th, is Mother's Day weekend and Deb's 2 sons are coming down from LA for the weekend, and the following Saturday, the 20th, is new-moon weekend and weather permitting we will be in LBV perhaps 2 or 3 nights, most likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday... but maybe the weather will not be agreeable or maybe we just do it on a following weekend... and we like the Hamburger Factory, too!

\Paul



------ Original Message ------
From "K9RX - Gary" <amateurK9RX@...>
Date 5/8/2023 11:35:09 AM
Subject Re: [ServoCAT] Instructions for re-installing ServoCAT altitude cable

The method I came up with only requires a couple small 2X4 blocks and takes less than a minute or so to do. Just an FYI. Its a doc on the provided CD under "Other installations Instructions" ... I don't remember the title preciously but it talks about ALT cable for transportation.?

Gary Myers
StellarCAT

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