I am wanting to build a roll away observatory and want a permanent pier so I can have the scope ready to use after I push the shed away from the scope. Unfortunately my budget cannot even entertain the idea of a commercially made observatory. I have a Meade 10inch LXD55 SN. I was wondering is there a guideline to the diameter of the pier and the depth of the pier needed to support the telescope? From many hours of looking, I know there are manufactured steel piers or you can pour your own pier. As you can tell, I am a complete noob, but am finally biting the bullet. Any advice is appreciated, redirections to sites, links etc or suppliers of ready made piers.
Thanks for your time.
I poured my footing and pier, using wet on wet concrete with reo through the pier and footing, and its not going anywhere - would survive a nuclear strike. If your working to a budget a concrete pier is very cost effective. The mass of the footing is fairly important, mine is 750mm x 750mm x 650mm deep with the pier concrete held by a tube form set on the footing last pour. You can do all of this using concrete you mix on site if you have the gear to mix it completely and to a standard consistency. In bed three stainless J bolts in the top of the pier to bolt your gear on. Its physically hard work but sometumes digging that hole can be the hardest part. I dug mine by hand but a backhoe would save you alot of time but costs money.
A bit of a late response, but I am wondering how you are going with this.
I wouldn't give up on the steel pier. It looks like you live in or near Roma. I assume Queensland, if so, there should be a fabrication business there that you could approach with some sketches.
From my experience, most manufactured/commercial options will be quite expensive. I have also looked into the concrete pier option, and by the time I added all the materials (reo bar, mould for the pier etc, concrete), it was also quite expensive. The form tube for the concrete pier was difficult to source in Qld.
I have made my own. For the last 7 or so years, I have run my EQ6 on a 100mm diameter pipe, 860mm high, with a 200mm square base plate 10mm thick, with 4 bolts. The top plate is a circular one and is 15mm thick. Absolutely no movement. I am not sure about the details of your mount.
This week, I have started to work on another pier for a new mount I am looking to buy. I have approached a local steel yard and have purchased a 1 metre length of 165mm diameter pipe 5mm wall, a 300mm square base plate 15mm thick and a circular top plate 215mm in diameter that is 20mm thick. $100. I have a friend who is going to do the welding. I don't think you would need this size material, but it gives an idea on what might be available.
So if you hunt around, you can find reasonably priced steel.
The adapter between the Pier and the mount may be the issue with a manufactured steel option. I am not familiar with Meade.
I have a family friend who lives in Roma and owns a property out on the Carnarvon Highway past the Roma Taroom Rd. I might be able to provide some help if you want to PM.
They're relatively quick to install and moveable if you move house, so might work for renters as well.
One member here posted a Youtube video of a temporary pier setup in the bush using one of these just to show how quickly it could be done - I'll post the link if I can find it.
I went round to a new estate and begged a piece of mains water pupe once embedded in the ground with some reo and concrete, I went round to a metal manufacturer and begged two 15mm thick by 200 diameter discs cut from a sheet. They became the top and bottom of the ratcage.
Total cost was a few bags of reddy mix.
I went round to a new estate and begged a piece of mains water pupe once embedded in the ground with some reo and concrete, I went round to a metal manufacturer and begged two 15mm thick by 200 diameter discs cut from a sheet.
This is very similar to what I did (except the begging) . Keeps the cost down and they scrub up well once painted.
As you are in Roma, there is a large amount of gas exploration and processing around you. If you ask in the right places, ( and tell em you are playing with telescopes, people love that ), you may find there is a tip with lots of nice pipe that is either damaged or no longer of use.
If you can score a short length with a prefitted flange on one end, you only need to set it in a bit of concrete.
Andrew
Thanks Darrel for the offer of help. I have talked to a friend and they have suggested Westland Engineering and a farmer friend of mine said we can give it a crack if something doesn't work out. I am beginning to realise the concrete pier option is not as cheap as you would think. I have given myself one indulgence and ordered a pier plate and adapter for my exact scope from pierplates.com. I also have plans from Skyshed for piers, but I need to work out what would suit my scope. I have a Mede LXD55 SN 10 inch on german eq. mount. I will see how I go.
Thanks for your help everyone. Much appreciated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by darrellx
Gnata
A bit of a late response, but I am wondering how you are going with this.
I wouldn't give up on the steel pier. It looks like you live in or near Roma. I assume Queensland, if so, there should be a fabrication business there that you could approach with some sketches.
From my experience, most manufactured/commercial options will be quite expensive. I have also looked into the concrete pier option, and by the time I added all the materials (reo bar, mould for the pier etc, concrete), it was also quite expensive. The form tube for the concrete pier was difficult to source in Qld.
I have made my own. For the last 7 or so years, I have run my EQ6 on a 100mm diameter pipe, 860mm high, with a 200mm square base plate 10mm thick, with 4 bolts. The top plate is a circular one and is 15mm thick. Absolutely no movement. I am not sure about the details of your mount.
This week, I have started to work on another pier for a new mount I am looking to buy. I have approached a local steel yard and have purchased a 1 metre length of 165mm diameter pipe 5mm wall, a 300mm square base plate 15mm thick and a circular top plate 215mm in diameter that is 20mm thick. $100. I have a friend who is going to do the welding. I don't think you would need this size material, but it gives an idea on what might be available.
So if you hunt around, you can find reasonably priced steel.
The adapter between the Pier and the mount may be the issue with a manufactured steel option. I am not familiar with Meade.
I have a family friend who lives in Roma and owns a property out on the Carnarvon Highway past the Roma Taroom Rd. I might be able to provide some help if you want to PM.
They're relatively quick to install and moveable if you move house, so might work for renters as well.
One member here posted a Youtube video of a temporary pier setup in the bush using one of these just to show how quickly it could be done - I'll post the link if I can find it.
Would appreciate some advice. I think this is the best position for my pier in the backyard. I have the house in the east, the water tank in the south-east, a carport in the north and a garden in the west. Even though my yard is pretty much hemmed-in, I do have a view to the south. Is this position suitable for alignment? Can you foresee any problems?
Thanks for your time.
Nat