EQ-5 mount leg leveler screw

thingiverse

UPDATE 09.08.2019] Autodesk Fusion360 project link https://a360.co/2TslASy [UPDATE 05.04.2019] Field test with heavy equipment proven! MEADE Schmidt Newton 11 kg + guiding scope + DSLR 1 kg + 10 kg counterweights. No problem at all levelling. [UPDATE 24-3-2019] Added little handles to the legs shells, so that they can be removed out of the outer screw with ease. # What is it? Heavy duty levelling screws for EQ-5 equatorial mount to make leveling easy. You can use these with all your equipment mounted. I recommend using my EQ-5 platform spirit level (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3466601) too. I built this because leveling is always a pain. You only need to print two sets of screws. One for the north celestial leg and one for another leg. The screws have 80mm length and can level at ~50° incline, so a distance of ~40mm. In the middle of the inner screw is a marker that shows the middle distance. There are two distance rings you have to put at the bottom of the screw around the metal inner EQ-5 leg. The half shells fit tight together. They have a flat end that should point upwards. There are two versions: one small one that fits right into the screw (30mm) and one, that is about 50mm. Probably you need additional ones in the field if the ground is very rough. ### Mounting **Important**: The inner screw has an excavation for the little screw of the EQ-5 leg. Just gently turn the part around the leg until you can push it over the leg. Don't try to press or push with force. You don't need to! I recommend the following procedure: ***Do this, BEFORE you put your equipment onto the mount. The mount could fall to the side!!!*** 1. Pull out all 3 EQ-5 legs about 30 cm out and fix them all. 2. Put both parts, the upper and the middle screw together until you can barely see the middle marker (ring) 4. Impose the screw on the EQ-5 leg that points to the north (or south) celestial pole 5. Put the distance shells over the thinner leg at the bottom - the flat end pointing up 6. Push the distance shells into the leg screw 7. Unfix the EQ-5 leg with the imposed levelling screw and gently let everything down. 8. Do the same for a second leg. **Important** 9. The third tripod leg (without screw) must be fixed in length, the legs with screws stay unfixed until leveling is ended. ***Now you can put your equipment onto the mount.*** 10. Level your mount 11. When done, don't forget to fix all 2 EQ-5 legs.