Today was a good day..

[Terryl]

Very nice metal work, one question, are you going to weld it up?

 

[Vipersan]

Very nice metal work, one question, are you going to weld it up?

No Terry ..
No welding for me ..
Even if I had the facilities I wouldn't..
preferring my constructions totally dismantleable (is that even a word ?) and removeable ..such that it could in theory be taken apart ..stored and if neccessary fitted to a different dish/pole.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Still waiting for a longer piece of 10mm SS studding ordered a few days ago ..
In the meantime ..stripped down and painted with Hamerite ..
A few touch ups to do cos a ran out ..but these can be done in situe.
Slight inacuracies introduced when reassembled ..which means a partial strip down again to correct ...
But this is where I'm at atm ..
currently the lnb boom is in line for support at about 3E ..not zero as I'd prefer..
rgds
VS

 

[Captain Jack]

I see shadows. Did the local star finally make an appearance over there?

 

[Vipersan]

Indeed it did ..
All hail the mighty Amun Ra...

 

[Vipersan]

...Just in time too I think ..
Literally 29 minutes ago ..my 15cm SS studding dropped through the letterbox..
Quickly fitted my pole hinge ..
and although not made the boom fixing yet ..
It already feels more secure ..

For now a large cable tie at the pole top will suffice ..
Damned those Fffffing Westerlies..
Grrrrrr

 

[Archived-1]

Its great what you've done VS, but if the dish does move its going to bend the dish arms and through everything out of line, I would have used two supports and locked the dish up if I was concerned about the wind moving anything. anyhow great job .

 

[Vipersan]

Its great what you've done VS, but if the dish does move its going to bend the dish arms and through everything out of line, I would have used two supports and locked the dish up if I was concerned about the wind moving anything. anyhow great job .

View attachment 79198

Id agree if the wind could direcly affect the dish face with the lnd arms locked solid ..but the exoskeleton takes most of the downward force ..and the dish and arms can move slightly indepenently of the exoskeleton ..which is what is actually locked down hard ..
The motor taking most of the lateral impact.
So ..should be ok ..assuming sustained winds of over 70 MPH arent encountered

 

[Archived-1]

Your holding the weakest part of the setup any dish movement will bend the arms, but like I say great job pal and not hard to alter if you do run into problems in the future . we all work in different ways and have different ideas well done

 

[Vipersan]

Your holding the weakest part of the setup any dish movement will bend the arms, but like I say great job pal and not hard to alter if you do run into problems in the future . we all work in different ways and have different ideas well done

Whilst I agree .this area is the weakest point of he setup ..
I'm not actually holding the lnb arm or indeed the dish arms ..
They are still free to move a few cm ..only the weight being supported ..
The restraint actually being applied to the exoskelleton...and indirectly ..the motor..#

A seriously strong gust or sustained Westerly ..I guess could distort the dish ..
I'll pray I never get such a wind..
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Almost done ..
just a few tweaks to the pole top locking system to do ..
To facilitate this I needed to tidy up the lnb wiring a bit ..
cant have switches floating around ..so fitted a plastic panel to the exoskeleton arm on which to mount em ..
room for one more should I need it..
rgds
VS

 

[Analoguesat]

Superb

 

[Vipersan]

So ..
I think I am about done ..
Here are some close ups of the support/locking arangement inside that galvanized metal box at the top of the pole ..
basically the exoskeleton boom arm can now be trapped between 2 blocks of hard polythene ..
I chose this method because I wanted vertical support ..yet allow some lateral movement ..
trapped between 2 layers of polythene allows for little friction and less chance of snagging and damage to the exo boom arm ..
rgds
VS
time to go open my shop ..though I rather play out in the sunshine..
;)

 

[Archived-1]

Great job Evan, piece of mind for the winter .

 

[Vipersan]

Great job Evan, piece of mind for the winter .

Not sure its just confined to winter these days ..
Climate Change ??

 

[Archived-1]

Not sure its just confined to winter these days ..
Climate Change ??

Well yes pal, only two weeks ago the winds was reaching 50 mph , a lovely day here today though

 

[scopus]

Well yes pal, only two weeks ago the winds was reaching 50 mph , a lovely day here today though

Been on nights, got home to frost on the cars a couple of nights ago!