[ATM] Size of azimuth bearings

["Bruce MacDonald" <brumac@gmail.com>]

My 10" commercial dob has an azimuth "stiction" problem.

I've improved it a lot by replacing the 3 square stapled plastic
blocks with 3 "magic sliders" (commercial teflon pads meant for
furniture legs).  There is still a way to go, though.

I'm told that there is a calculation that one can do to determine the
optimum area of the bearing pads.  I'd like to do this calculation,
then make the pads oversize, then reduce the pad area incrementally
until I get it to where I want it.

Can someone please point me to this calculation?

I also was intrigued by Jan van Gastel's idea of replacing two of the
pads with multi-directional ball bearings.
(http://home.wanadoo.nl/jhm.vangastel/Astronomy/tips.htm)
Has anyone else tried this?  Any downside?

regards,
--BM

-- 
The past dense of 'dew' is 'done'.
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