Information on AeroQuest Gear Drives

AeroQuest Drives have been thoroughly tested and found to be of exquisite quality.  These units have been used in temperatures as low as -40 Fahrenheit with no tracking problems.  Eyepiece projection photography at high f/ values is no problem due to the steady tracking. 

AeroQuest precision worm gear drives are made from high quality, high tensile aircraft 6061-T6 and/or 7075-T6 aluminum alloy for strength and corrosion resistance.  Our worms are manufactured from 303 stainless steel and lapped to perfectly mesh with the worm gear teeth.  All prices listed in this brochure are for 6061-T6 alloy only.  The 7075-T6 alloy would be at an additional cost.

 
AeroQuest does worm retrofits for mounts such as the EQ6 , Losmandy, Celestron , Meade and others to fix excessive periodic error problems. Many people have gotten results from such retrofits that make the mounts perform like a whole different system making ccd imaging possible and much more accurate. 

 
AeroQuest  offers fully computerized drive systems along with the manually operated drives. Computer systems from different manufacturers can be added on so you can have a fully functional go-to system. With the single digit periodic error accuracy of AeroQuest drives you will have the ultimate in drive systems able to do ccd imaging with ease.

All drives as priced, both stepper and synchronous versions, are complete with clutch and unitized worm/motor assembly ready to mount to your telescope.  The clutch allows for easy sluing from one object to another without having to disengage the worm.  Also included are three screws for clutch pressure adjustment to ensure no slippage, even with heavily loaded large telescopes. 

Drive clutch hubs are priced for boring up to and including 2".  Larger bore sizes can be made for an additional price of $20 per each 1/4" over 2 inches.  The added cost is due to the extra machining and material used for bore sizes beyond the 2" price quotes.

Both synchronous and stepper drives have forward and reverse capability.  Stepper drives have the greatest speed range. The new stepper drives use a quiet running stepper motor with high torque and speed control by potentiometer. Pushbuttons provide instant speed up and slow down for manual guiding. Switches provide on-off and direction. The new stepper motors are programmable and can be computerized to run with tracking software. Various operating parameters such as micro stepping, holding torque, running torque and speed ranges can be programmed off of a PC.  

The larger diameter gears provide the most accurate tracking due to the smaller effects of machining errors present in any machining process.  Because no machine is perfect, most commercially supplied 110 volt electricity have spikes and dips; and due to the effects of atmospheric refraction, it is necessary to provide some sort of manual guiding to ensure good results when using a worm gear drive for astrophotography.  AeroQuest synchronous drives can be used with any drive corrector designed to vary speeds of synchronous motors.

The basic package consists of a 359 or 360 tooth worm gear with a slip clutch as one unit, and a worm with motor assembly as another unit.  AeroQuest also makes gear configurations other than the basic 359 tooth sidereal rate such as a 180 tooth, 191 tooth, 288 tooth, and 240 tooth gear assembly for more specialized needs.  If you have other tooth number requirements, AeroQuest can work with you to meet those needs.  Contact us to see what can be worked out.

All drive units come complete with the worm/motor assembly as one unit and the worm gear/clutch assembly as one unit.  They are ready to mount to your telescope.  It is up to the customer to fit the worm/motor assembly on their mount in such a manner as to accurately engage the worm gear.

The dimensions of the worm assembly are 4" x 6" x 3.5".  The worm gear can be mounted either perpendicular to, or parallel to, the plate holding the worm/motor assembly. The assembly comes with two slotted holes to facilitate mounting using two 1/4" bolts.  This is by no means the only way to mount the worm/motor assembly to your telescope mount, but it may suit your needs just fine.  Don't be afraid to adapt your own ingenious ideas.

For the ultimate in accuracy the 1 piece worms are the way to go. They are machined from solid stock and are thus held in perfect concentricity. With no set screw pressure to distort the shaft, the worm maintains this concentricity when placed in its mounting.  

The gear/clutch assembly uses 3-1/4" of shaft length, but can be made with a shaft take-up of less than this.  Standard gear thickness is 3/8".

For those interested in more accuracy and ruggedness, AeroQuest now offers drives with

a 1-3/4" diameter worm.  These are supplied with a beefy worm mount and bearings, as are the 1" worm models, for extra smooth operation.

For drive units shipped to countries outside the USA and Canada which require motors for other than 110 volts and 60 Hz, we can supply motors to meet your requirements.  Commonly, most foreign countries use 220 volt 50 Hz currents.

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