When working with telescopes, mounts, cameras, laptops and supporting equipment for Video Astronomy, you may find you get into a "Do It Yourself" mode when configuring and optimizing your setups. We now have a new technology available to assist us with our DIY projects – 3D printing! A friend of mine got into 3D printing a couple of years ago and has often encouraged me to consider it for astronomy use. At first I was not sure how I could use it, but as prices continued to drop and the technology easier to work with, I decided to get a Monoprice 133012 Select Mini Pro 3D printer with Auto Leveling Heated bed from Amazon for $199.99 and a 1kg Spool of 1.75mm Hatchbox Black PLA 3D Printer Filament for $22.99. That was all I needed to get started.
It was easy to set up and print the sample “Cat” 3D object that came on the supplied SD card without even connecting it to a computer
The SD card also had tools for converting 3D objects to a 3D gcode print file through a method that “slices” the 3D object into thin data layers that can be ‘Printed” from the base up to produce your 3D object. I then found out that there is an even easier tool available in Windows 10 called 3D Builder you can use to build 3D objects and print them without worrying about gcode files, etc. You attach your 3D printer to your computer by a USB cable and it is just configured as another printer on your Windows system. There is a vast library of objects you can download from a site called Thingiverse.com and modify them as needed. If you download an object and open it with 3D Builder, you can simply select 3D Print, select the type of filament you have (e.g. PLA), make sure your 3D printer is selected and click on print. After a “period of time” you have your 3D object sitting on your print bed. The period of time is based on the size and complexity of the 3D object, and since it prints by building up a layer at time, your 3D object can take a couple of hours or so to print. The cat took about 3 hours to print.
You learn to start it printing, and then check back on it every once is awhile to make sure it is still printing OK. I also realized that this filament spool will last me awhile, which is good, because your printing will sometimes fail. Maybe your object doesn’t stick to the bed well enough because the plate temp is not high enough (or is too high) and your object moves part way through the print (turning on Raft Supports helps with this). Or maybe your nozzle temp is too low and the filament jams. Check the doc that comes with the filament you buy and make sure your nozzle (Extrusion temperature) and plate (Build Platform temperature) settings are in the recommended range (check Advanced/Temperature settings when getting ready to print). There are a lot of YouTube videos for hints on getting started with 3D printing.
So, I got a 3D printer, printed the Cat, found Thingiverse.com and searched on Astronomy. There are lots of mounting brackets available, which gave me an idea for something that would be very useful to me immediately. I did a search on Celestron and found a NexStar Hand Control Holder. Next week we leave for the GCSP where I will have my laptop and monitor on a table near my telescope. My “Remote Video Astronomy” location is only a few feet from the telescope, but the regular Hand Control Holder clips onto a leg of the telescope. It would be a lot more convenient if the hand control was right next to me for easy slewing to targets and making adjustments. I could use SkyFi with SkySafari on my phone to control the mount, but small adjustments are just easier to make with the hand controller. I have a coiled extension cable I can use with my hand controller. What if I could have a Holder for it that clipped onto something right next to me? Maybe onto my small 2 Step Ladder? Its legs are slanted like the tripod so the viewing angle would be perfect, but its legs are only 1” in diameter instead of the bigger size of the bulky tripod legs.
So I downloaded the NexStar Hand Control Holder from Thingiverse.com and clicked on it and it appeared in Windows 3D Builder.
You learn to start it printing, and then check back on it every once is awhile to make sure it is still printing OK. I also realized that this filament spool will last me awhile, which is good, because your printing will sometimes fail. Maybe your object doesn’t stick to the bed well enough because the plate temp is not high enough (or is too high) and your object moves part way through the print (turning on Raft Supports helps with this). Or maybe your nozzle temp is too low and the filament jams. Check the doc that comes with the filament you buy and make sure your nozzle (Extrusion temperature) and plate (Build Platform temperature) settings are in the recommended range (check Advanced/Temperature settings when getting ready to print). There are a lot of YouTube videos for hints on getting started with 3D printing.
So, I got a 3D printer, printed the Cat, found Thingiverse.com and searched on Astronomy. There are lots of mounting brackets available, which gave me an idea for something that would be very useful to me immediately. I did a search on Celestron and found a NexStar Hand Control Holder. Next week we leave for the GCSP where I will have my laptop and monitor on a table near my telescope. My “Remote Video Astronomy” location is only a few feet from the telescope, but the regular Hand Control Holder clips onto a leg of the telescope. It would be a lot more convenient if the hand control was right next to me for easy slewing to targets and making adjustments. I could use SkyFi with SkySafari on my phone to control the mount, but small adjustments are just easier to make with the hand controller. I have a coiled extension cable I can use with my hand controller. What if I could have a Holder for it that clipped onto something right next to me? Maybe onto my small 2 Step Ladder? Its legs are slanted like the tripod so the viewing angle would be perfect, but its legs are only 1” in diameter instead of the bigger size of the bulky tripod legs.
So I downloaded the NexStar Hand Control Holder from Thingiverse.com and clicked on it and it appeared in Windows 3D Builder.
Then I split the clip from the holder portion of the 3D object.
I reduced the size of the clip until its inside diameter was 1mm less than 1” so it would be a snug fit when clipped onto the step stool leg, and I stretched it upward to make it taller to hold well when clipped on.
I then “stuck” it back onto the holder part by moving it back to the holder and merging the two objects
This was fun! I felt like I was using virtual Play-Doh. I turned on my 3D printer, attached its USB cable to the computer and clicked on 3D Print. What was virtual now becomes real!
Four hours later I had my customized Hand Control Holder ready to clip onto my small 2 Step Ladder.
 |  |
That night I tried it out, and it worked great having my Hand Control “at hand” when needed. I could select and slew to objects without even removing it from the holder, yet still easily remove it to push buttons for minor adjustments while watching the monitor.
Here is a short video clip of a portion of the 3D printing process in action.
Click Here to view video.
Note: It does not actually print this fast – this is a time lapse video which is more entertaining to watch. 😊
RSS Feed