Winter in Melbourne means clouds and rain, but at least it gives you sometime to sort out some to do projects. I started this project a few weeks ago
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=135718 , but it was put on hold during the school holidays
Anyway, this is my approach to a rat cage free pier set up. The key is an adapter plate milled out of a 150 mm diameter 25mm thick piece of aluminium, which I anodised and spray painted (the dye bath didn't work).
I first bolted the adapter plate to the top plate of the pier (4xM12 bolts), the bottom of the extension pillar is then separated from the pillar and bolted to the top. Then I connected the extension pillar to the mount itself. The entire structure is finally positioned over the holes of the extension pillar bottom plate and secured.
And of course, the clouds and rain arrive on cue
Hope this projects can give others similar ideas.
Cheers
Bo