ETX/DS TECHNICAL TIPS Last updated: 8 March 2002

Homemade Piggyback Camera Mount and Flexible Focus Cable

Sent:	Thursday, March 7, 2002 16:35:05
From:	trans-am@austin.rr.com (Ralph Encarnacion)
I just want to tell you about my latest creation. I was looking into
getting a piggyback camera mount for my new Nikon 5000 digital camera,
but I thought the prices where a little high. I think they sell for
about $50.00. So I decided to build one myself. I bought a 4" water hose
clamp for $1.00. I wrapped the clamp with electrical tape to keep from
scratching my scope. I then took a piece of aluminum 1" wide by 1/8"
thick by 4" long and bent it to the proper shape. I cut 2 slots with a
dremmel tool in the aluminum piece big enough for the hose clamp to fit
through. I then drilled a 1/4" hole for the tripod screw that holds the
camera on. I wrapped part of the aluminum bracket with electrical tape
so as not to scratch the scope. You can buy a 3' piece of aluminum for
about $5.00. The bracket is easy to build and it holds the camera on the
ETX rock solid. The next project was a flexible focus extender. I
believe those sell for about $30.00. I bought one foot of thin steel
braided cable at the hardware store for 15 cents. I also bought a chrome
kitchen cabinet knob for $2.00. I took off the original focus knob on
the ETX and drilled a small hole all the way through the back side of
the focus knob. Then I epoxyed the steel braided cable to the focus knob
and the kitchen cabinet knob. That was it. Piece of cake. Total cost was
$3.00. You can see my latest creations here:
http://www.pbase.com/panotaker/etx-90ec For those that are wondering
what kind of lens is on the Nikon CP-5000, it is a Crystalvue
Sharpshooter 8x32 monoscope from http://www.ckcpower.com
Ralph
http://www.pbase.com/panotaker/poormans_lx200
http://www.pbase.com/panotaker/root

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