DIY-Hand Controller holder

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 11:13 pm

So here I am all set to practice some drift alignment, equipment all set, CCD at the ready, and it's been nothing but clouds, clouds, clouds! Plus the Flu made me sit and pretty much do nothing on those quiet Friday/Sat nights. Well it's time to do something useful and decided to have a 'quickie' DIY for a needed add-on!

My GP mount, which is fitted with the IOptron EQ conversion motors, lacks a hand control holder of sorts and I didn't like the thought of hanging it by the string loop to one of the screws/knobs that are around the mount. It very much needed a holder. A quick visit to the storeroom 'Spares' box and my screw collection, brought about some useful stuff. Some 'L' brackets, wood tapping screws, Craft wood leftover from my daughter's DIY 'BARBIE' dollhouse cabinet and some bits of foam window sound proofing strips.

It ain't the prettiest sight, but it works and I can 'plop' the GotoNova handset at reach and in sight without fear of it dropping or twisting upon it's string. I didn't want to use any Velcro pasted on it or the mount due to residue. So here are some pics of what it looks like. I may improve on it, or just leave it at it's functional best. Not the Greatest of DIY's but hope it gives/creates some ideas for others.

1. The view of my mount with the handset cradled in the DIY holder.

2. Close up of the holder and handset

3. Here's the holder and what it looks like RAW! It's angled to keep away from the counterweight when I use my 80ED.

4. A frontal view. The grey foam is the stick-on window soundproofing strips.

Thats it.. Till then!

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 12:30 am

hey that's a great idea...!
those L-brackets can be got in DIY Shop quite cheaply... will be doing something like this for my autostar 497 :-)

thanks Tim!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:00 pm

I like the holder. Nice!

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:12 pm

Thanks guys! It was a 30min DIY really. In the midst of grabbing some wood to make a full wood holder instead...stained and all!! Once I have made the wood version I may line the 'L' holders with thin rubber.

@orly
Np and glad the DIY kick started more ideas for you. Yes those 'L' brackets come in different sizes/lengths. Sold at most DIY shops or better still those cheapo China stuff shops that sell everything under the roof! Get the longer ones and you can bend a smaller 'L' on one end to screw into the wood. I even considered cheap metal book ends as an alternative to hold the entire controller.

Now If I make a band that goes around the half-pier I could hang the controller holder and my SLA battery tupperware box too!...hmmmm!!! Also working on a plywood EP holder for my AT voyager mount. Something small to hold 2/3 EP's.

As long as there are clouds, there is always DIY!

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 1:18 am

i bought some of those metal shelving reinforcements from Daiso ($2 a pop) to attach my DS motors to the polaris (for robotizing). Was able to bend them into the right shape just using a pair of pieces of wood (to clamp the bar) and my hands

swat_pup6433 · Post by **swat_pup6433** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:19 pm

haah nice.. I usually just stick mine to the half pier with Velcro. for the pier side i used Velcro strip used for cable management which is double sided and can stick to itself. go around the pillar and secure it in a loop so i dont have to use the double sided tape on the mount

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:45 pm

@orly:

Yeah! Forgot about Daiso! Good place for bits and pieces including the brackets. They also carry small bits of craft wood which I brought to maybe try to fabricate a finderscope dovetail base.
I used to hold the bracket against an edge (eg:staircase railing) and hammer the other end down! Since then I bought a small vice that clamps onto my worktable....made my hands prettier...haha!

@swat pup6433:
Thanks! I contemplated on Velcro and the thought of looping it around. But ended up with the holder idea. With the velcro, I wanted to stick it where the bolts are, then making holes and screwing the bolts back thru the Velcro. But figured it didn't give me enough grab area to hold the controller. I do use them for cable management though...lol!

I just found some nice aluminium strips at work....may bend and shape them to form a holder. With some drilling...and elbow grease, it should work..!