Anyone modding the EQ6 tripod?

[rthorntn (Richard)]

Hi All,

I really don't want to spend a grand on a Berlebach Planet.

I was thinking I could attach some custom (wooden?) legs to the tripod mount adapter, anyone done this, or seen it done?

Thanks.

Richard

[Wavytone]

Unfortunately there really is a reason why Berlebach can sell Planet tripods, also Oberwerk or Ries.

Next best alternative is a surveyors tripod, you can buy these from Bunnings for circa $200 but some tinkering is required to work out how to mate mount to tripod, as these are different.

Or perhaps make a frankenpod - cannibalise the legs from a surveyors tripod and use the Skywatcher head.

You'd have to be pretty handy at DIY to make a good job of it. The crucial part is where the mechanical stresses are maximum- where the legs join the head of the tripod. I tried once before using silver ash and hand tools without a CNC mill, and failed, and concluded it was much simpler to make a rigid three-sided pyramid (ie didn't fold) using hardwood floorboards, glued and screwed. This was a success, solid as a tree stump, though as it didn't fold it was not portable. It's feasible with access to a CNC mill and the skill to cut the pieces repeatedly to high precision, but otherwise forget it.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Richard,
What's wrong with the EQ6 tripod you have???

[Wavytone]

Ken they vibrate, ie ring like a bell - when the scope on top is tapped. No damping, whereas wood damps very quickly.

I have an AZEQ6 and admittedly my scope focal length is 3100mm so any vibration is very noticeable. The first attempt was to swap it with a Wild-Heerbrugge tripod I bought some time ago (better) and the Losmandy tripod that came with my AZ-8 mount (not so good as the EQ6 tripod). Finally tested a Planet which someone else had, and was sold (I now have one).

[rthorntn (Richard)]

Thanks Wavytone!

Strange you should mention CNC, I have a "6040" sitting in the shed gathering spider poo.

So maybe I CNC three solid aluminium "mount adapter to wooden leg" brackets, thoughts?

Anyone have any sketches or even better g-code for such a thing?

Ken, to add to Nicks detailed post, my tripod legs slip the leg locks, it's really not a great design, oh and it's quite heavy and awkward.

Thanks.

Richard

[Wavytone]

Er... the 6040 is only a toy compared to what I had in mind...

BTW if you do want to DIY, Berlebach sell some of the parts such as the "spread stopper", their eyepiece tray (screws onto the spread stopper) and pointy steel tips
https://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=pr...prache=english

[rthorntn (Richard)]

Thanks Nick.

But say I machined an aluminium part...

Say the part is 40mm wide where it attaches to EQ6 head but then you widen it out to like 130mm and have the 130mm section machined like an "m" so the first aluminium leg of the "m" is say 5mm the second leg is 60mm and the third leg 5mm, so like the Berlebach Planet you have two parts to the top part of the leg each of them are 30mm wide and then the bottom part of the leg is 60mm.

Hope that makes sense, just oversize the interface.

[Wavytone]

Mm would have to see a sketch. The most important dimension is the width between the sides of each leg - the stiffness increases substantially as this increases. It also means a larger flat head as well, obviously.

FWIW I have seen the metal head for the Berlebach Planet somewhere, possibly Teleskop Service. If I was going to make DIY legs, I would start with this not the head from a Skywatcher tripod.

In addition I recall a while back Kunama (Matt) here on IIS tried to sell a spare Planet head, maybe ask if he still has it.

[rthorntn (Richard)]

Thanks, got a quote for the Planet... $1516, so definitely not happening.

[Wavytone]

That’s a ripoff - you do know you can buy direct from Berlebach ?

[rthorntn (Richard)]

I'm off to the UK in three weeks, I will have a few free days and a 60kg baggage allowance, I'm wondering if there's a "cheaper way to get a wooden tripod" angle