Finally a Pier! - A wet soggy one!

davewaldo · #1 14-12-2010, 01:25 PM

Hi Everyone!

Finally I have finished my permanent pier in my back yard! Its taken several months to complete but I'm VERY happy with it. It is a steel pier so that I can take it with me when we move house, bolted on top of 1 tonne of concrete (650 x 650 x 900-deep). It is 150mm square section with 6mm wall thickness with 16mm thick top and bottom plates. 150mm gussets down the bottom, 16mm stainless steel bolts up top. IT is VERY rigid!

So... why so tall? I'm surrounded by houses and trees so I wanted to maximise the sky visible. Also I don't see flexure being an issue with such a light load (and this thing is seriously rigid). It ended up being 100mm taller than I planned as I got carried away with the concrete, however I can still reach the eyepiece for most of the sky and will require a small box for some other areas. However most of the time I'll be doing astrophotography.

In the photo of me standing next to it makes the pier look much taller than it is as I'm standing quite a way behind it.

The rain has plagued me all through the construction of this project and it doesn't look like I'll be able to get the scope out there any time soon.

I can tell already that this pier will help me use my scope far more often and make the process SO much easier.

For those interested this steel pier cost about $400 all up to have made for me (including SS hardware). Gateway steel in Yatala only charged $80 on top of material costs to cut all the pieces (including the circles), drill the holes and weld it all up with AWESOME big welds! I thought that was a bargain! Also mixing my own concrete brought the cost down to about $70 as apposed to over $200 for concrete taxi!

Fingers crossed for some clear skies!

Cheers,

David.

jenchris (Jennifer) · #2 14-12-2010, 01:51 PM

A pier with no peer!
su-pier-ier construction.
Now you can peer at the sky. Peerfect!

Ric · #3 14-12-2010, 02:56 PM

Hi David, that's one excellent looking setup.

I think your dog thinks it was built for his convenience.

jenchris (Jennifer) · #4 14-12-2010, 03:22 PM

More likely AS his convenience

Dennis · #5 14-12-2010, 06:37 PM

Nice work David – thanks for posting the photos, it looks a top job!

Cheers

Dennis

astroron (Ron) · #6 14-12-2010, 08:13 PM

Great Job there Dave

, Looking really good

I hope you get plenty of use out of it in the future

davewaldo · #7 15-12-2010, 05:41 PM

Thanks everyone!

I'm sure George my dog was the first to "use" the pier... although that wasn't the christening I was hoping for

Now I just need some clear skies that coincide with days off

Tandum (Robin) · #8 15-12-2010, 08:20 PM

That's one big hole Dave, looks like it's not moving anytime soon

I bet it's only a couple of months before you start thinking, 'roll away shed'.

davewaldo · #9 15-12-2010, 08:34 PM

I wish Robin, in the first photo you're looking at 80% of my backyard... so neither my dog nor SWMBO will allow shed that takes up half of it!

I dream of a 1 or 2 acre property

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #10 15-12-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenchris

More likely AS his convenience

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenchris

A pier with no peer!
su-pier-ier construction.
Now you can peer at the sky. Peerfect!

Jenny! You are on FIRE!

Don't strain yourself.....!

Looks epically good Dave, can't wait for some first light pics.

Bring EM ON!

Cheers

Chris

davewaldo · #11 18-12-2010, 11:48 AM

Thanks Chris, I can't wait for first light either! When will this rain and hail go away!?!?

duncan · #12 18-12-2010, 11:59 AM

Hi Dave,
Well Done. Looks an excellent setup. Have you done a vibration dampening test on it? Would like to know if you do bump it how much vibration shows through the eyepiece,IF ANY,LOL.
Looks great!!!!!!!
Cheers,
Duncan

davewaldo · #13 19-12-2010, 09:19 AM

Thanks Duncan, I haven't even been able to look through the scope yet while its on the new pier... however giving the pier a good wack only results in vibrations for less than a second as felt by my hand. I feel the weak point for vibration will be my cheap EQ head etc and not the pier.

ie: Even if my pier settles very quickly its possible other less rigid parts of my system will continue to wobble for a little longer. However this should be LOADS better than the tripod, and my main aim was faster, easier set up

Cheers,

Dave

davewaldo · #14 23-12-2010, 02:05 PM

I got to test and align my scope on the peir a couple on nights ago. It went really well! The height is great for visual use for 80% of the sky, for the lower altitudes I just need a small box

At high powers vibrations dampen very quickly, under 2 seconds when I give the pier a good whack! Also I can lean all my weight on the peir and I can't notice and deflection through the EP. NICE!

Over all I'm very happy!

RobF (Rob) · #15 24-12-2010, 09:33 AM

Congrats on such a great outcome Dave! It really looks the goods. Man, that looks like a serious hole you dug.

This should be a huge help in the future.
Looking forward to hearing about future adventures.

davewaldo · #16 26-12-2010, 03:34 PM

Thanks Rob! It was a big hole, possibly over kill but it is all clay and I don't want it moving around much over the seasons.

Now we just need this rain to go away, and I'll be finished Uni in 6 months. Than I should be really able to test everything out!

AstroJunk (Jonathan) · #17 26-12-2010, 09:25 PM

Great work Dave - Archeologists will be confused in centuries to come as to the motive behind such a perfectly cast monolith!

davewaldo · #18 31-12-2010, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AstroJunk

Great work Dave - Archeologists will be confused in centuries to come as to the motive behind such a perfectly cast monolith!

I was considering writing and explanation in the top of the wet concrete for those whom discover it after I'm gone. But what to write.....

I really do pity the future owner of our house if they ever decide they need to dig something there....