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Amateur Astronomy - General Topic Forums -> Mount Setup and Alignment	Message format

mark irvine

Posted 5/16/2010 9:54 PM (#31009)
Subject: Portable Pier

New Junky

Posts: 2

Location: Winnipeg Canada

I'm having a lot of trouble finding a portable Pier for using in my yard with an EQG/ EQ6.
Does anyone know where to get these from?

Appreciate any help that can be offered.

Clear skies,

Mark

mosheriffic

Posted 5/16/2010 10:42 PM (#31015 - in reply to #31009)
Subject: RE: Portable Pier

Expert Junky

Posts: 2686
2000

Location: Marysville,Wa 48.07N-122.21W

Heres some sites that sell piers. hang on to your hat, they are not cheap!!

:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=portable+astro+piers...

As an alternative, several members here have made their own.

Edited by mosheriffic 5/16/2010 10:45 PM

David Pavlich

Posted 5/16/2010 11:13 PM (#31019 - in reply to #31015)
Subject: RE: Portable Pier

Forum Support Admin

Posts: 3568
2000

Location: Mandeville, LA USA 30.38 X 90.07

If you've got a local machine shop, go in there and show them what you need. I'll be you can get it done for a good price. I have a local guy that's done a couple of things for me. The shop looks like it was hit with an artillery shell, but he does very good work and the price is always reasonable.

David

Bob327

Posted 5/17/2010 8:01 AM (#31026 - in reply to #31009)
Subject: RE: Portable Pier

Member Junky

Posts: 44

Location: Frederick Maryland

mark irvine - 5/16/2010 9:54 PM

I'm having a lot of trouble finding a portable Pier for using in my yard with an EQG/ EQ6.
Does anyone know where to get these from?

Appreciate any help that can be offered.

Clear skies,

Mark

Scope and stuff sells the Antares Portable piers between 30 and 60 inches tall....I own one and it works fine with an Fork Mounted 8" Sct... as for portability...well yes on concrete or blacktop it can be rolled out BUT on grass you had better carry it out...

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.scopestuff.com/ss...

well baby that link looks a little strange...
www.scopestuff.com and search for pier..

Bob G

mark irvine

Posted 5/19/2010 2:49 PM (#31114 - in reply to #31009)
Subject: RE: Portable Pier

New Junky

Posts: 2

Location: Winnipeg Canada

Thanks everyone for the tips, the Antares Pier I was told would not hold the EQG or EQ6 mount.
its the right size for what I'm looking for.
The custom approach may be what I have to look at. I have an old telepost I could alway cut up and fashion into a pier.

Clear skies,

Mark

Bob327

Posted 5/20/2010 7:47 AM (#31127 - in reply to #31009)
Subject: Re: Portable Pier

Member Junky

Posts: 44

Location: Frederick Maryland

Making your own Pier plate is pretty darn cheap and easy.... While I do not have a Gem mount I do have a CPC1100 sitting on top of my Antares Pier... Made mine for under 10 bucks and a few hours of work measuring measuring then measuring once more and finally drilling and taping the holes...

Bob G

rwdiehl

Posted 7/29/2010 6:03 PM (#33204 - in reply to #31009)
Subject: Re: Portable Pier

Regular Junky

Posts: 76

Location: Clovis, CA

I just made my own pier with the help of a friend that has a mill and lathe in his shop.

I will post pics tonight or tomorrow...

I bought an aluminum tube on ebay 5 inch od, 4 inch id, 1/2" wall. It was so cheap (after shipping charges) that I could have recylced the tube and come out ahead.
I bought some 1 1/4" square tubing, medium wall.
He had a scrap piece of aluminum to machine the head where the mount would attach. That will attach permanently to the bottom of the EQ-G mount. Then I should be able to take the mount back out and put it on the pier and be very close on my alignment.

We machined flat spots at 120 degree intervals for the three legs. The legs go up the tubing approx 3 feet and out approx 2 feet with a diagonal support that is a couple inches from each end. It is very sturdy and I could use it without any attachment to the earth. I even tried a sample 'trip on the leg' test and it didnt move. it is pretty heavy and I would not recommend taking it to a star party.

My intention is to be able to put the pier up and leave it out for a week and then take it down. That will give me 2 weekends of imaging plus weeknights. Initial setup should be close to polar aligned with only a drift necessary. When I take the head off and replace it the next night/week/etc It should be very close since the pier never moved and there should only be a few thousandths of rotational movement on the head due to screw slop.

I am going to put some sort of anchors in the existing concrete on my patio. Either female drop ins for bolt down or hole and spike method for easier but less accurate setup. Not sure which.

Pictures will help more than my rambling...

Rob

mosheriffic

Posted 7/29/2010 9:34 PM (#33209 - in reply to #33204)
Subject: Re: Portable Pier

Expert Junky

Posts: 2686
2000

Location: Marysville,Wa 48.07N-122.21W

Thats a cool project Rob!!

I'm sure it will make your imaging life a lot easier!!
Can't wait to see the pics!!

rwdiehl

Posted 7/30/2010 10:13 PM (#33248 - in reply to #33209)
Subject: Re: Portable Pier

Regular Junky

Posts: 76

Location: Clovis, CA

Here are some pics of what I did. There are numerous customizations you could add to the design. (i.e. hinge and bolt the braces for 'fold up', make pier head adjustable, etc)

I have never measured it, I just have an approximation of where to cut the pipe. ("about this high"). I believe it is about 4 feet tall. Pretty much limited to SCT and refractors. As you can see, it is still on the dolly.

On the top mount plate, there are bolts that secure the plate to the pipe through the side of the pipe. It is about 2 inches thick, so it goes pretty far down into the pipe. I got the idea from the mount extension made by Orion. That plate will stay bolted to the EQ-G mount. I almost bough the Orion unit to cannibalize/modify but it was too thin for my taste.

The alignment peg is a stainless screw with the head machined down. The holes in the side were necessary to fasten such a large tube to the mill deck. I may use them for accessory mounts.

So, in theory, I will get it aligned while the bottom center bolt is only snug. Once I have it drift aligned, I will remove it from the pier and tighten down further. With everything locked down and never having to loosen the 'adjustment' screws I am hoping to stay within a few thousandths of an inch. Alignment will be more work but once aligned it should be less work each time I set up.

Perhaps things won't work that way in reality, but I am hoping... I may have to cut a hole in the side of the tube so I can lock down the center bolt without removing the head.

You could do something similar to this on a smaller or lighter scale. Mine is only meant for my house. I will use the tripod for mobility.

Sorry for jacking your thread. Should I start a new one?

Rob

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pier2small.jpg (47KB - 1 downloads)
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piertop3small.jpg (33KB - 1 downloads)

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