thank you for this video. It inspired me to build a barn door myself. And it works! I have just uploaded a video on my channel and mentioned you in the video. Took me quite some time to build the barn door mostly because I had to wait weeks before I had all the parts necessary and because I could not bend the rod by hand properly (it is M8 size which I guess is equivalent to 5/16-18 inch size) and thus had to build a roll bender as well. It's really a lot of fun using the barn door and I hope to take more photos with it in the future
Very good topic. Congratulations! I have also built a barn door tracker, according to your calculations and indications in the topic and I went from the first, the barn door tracker works perfectly.
There are 1rpm motors, then use a 1:1 gear ratio is a optio. I found its easier to bend the rod around a tree, also gives a smoother curve, instead of the washer under the gear, use a thrust bearing.
If you apply pure bending moment to two ends of the rod, it should bend into a circular shape automatically. Just fix one end in a vise, and hold the other using a piece of strap with a clearance hole mid-length. Use two nuts to hold the rod. Don't bend, just twist around the centre of the strap.
I don't think it'll be quite that easy. Bending around a wood radius is probably the best way, you just need a bit shorter radius to allow for spring back. Even then it won't be perfect.
Hi Ed just came across your Video I have couple of questions Does it matter what thread is used ? as im in Spain it would have to be metric and going to be some time before i could get back to UK for imperial The Gears : you give the teeth numbers but whats the outside diameters ? I have built a manual tracker with 1/4 BSW thread 20 tpi but now looking at motorised fortunately our microwave broke so the motor was salvaged 👌 Great video has to be one of the best so far 👍👍
Why is it necessary to use a curved rod? I realize it has to do with accurately compensating for Earth's rotation. I want to know if there is an easier way.
You can use a straight rod, but (1) you have to make sure the rod is set to the correct length to track the sky, and (2) the setup rapidly gets out of line with the sky, so you have to stop, reset the gear on the rod, then start up again.
You just connect a line cord to the two leads on the motor and plug it into house current. To run off batteries you get a 150W inverter on Ebay ($15) for 12 volts.
Ed Jones songs thanks, I'll give a try, I asked you because near my house sky is too much polluted and I can't do anything as astrophotography so I need to carry the tracker and I need a source for the power.
