EQ6 Pier Head????

[wysiwyg]

Hi Guys,

I am looking at building an observatory or should I say cubby house:D and I am struggling to find out how you go about mounting the eq6 mount head onto a pier.

Is there a pier head tha can be purchased specifically for the eq6 or is it a custom job?

Any help or links would be appreciated.

Cheers
Mark

[Astroman]

You pretty much would need to get a machine shop to help you out with this. I was lucky enough to have a friend do mine for me. You can get the measurements from the EQ6 yahoo groups, where I got mine from. If you want some images I can give you a couple.

http://www.theastroweb.com/astronomy/observatory/pier/280406%20001.jpg - My top plate prior to drilling the 4 holes to attach to the pier head.

http://southcelestialpole.org.au/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=420 1.0;attach=6417;image - The pier with the EQ6 and ED80.

[peter_4059]

I'm pretty sure Star Optics used to sell one. Sirius Optics also has piers.

[Astroman]

Mark you should have a look at Peters or Pauls, or mine here in Adelaide so you get a better idea in person, seeing for yourself gives you many ideas.

[wysiwyg]

Thanks Andrew!

Is that a steal plate or an aluminium plate?
I'm not a member of the yahoo eq6 forum, you would'nt have those measurements lying around somewhere would you?

Thanks again:thumbsup:
Mark

[Astroman]

thats a piece of 250mm x 250mm x 40mm Aluminium plate, cost me about $83 from Smart Aluminium. Although I think 25 - 30mm would have been ample. I will get the measurements of the holes for you.

[Astroman]

Here you go http://www.spacealberta.com/product/product.htm pretty much copied the dimensions on the TIF file. If you want my modified picture I will have to go find it. It may be a little clearer.

[wysiwyg]

Thanks mate!

You are a legend.:thumbsup:

[Astroman]

you may find that the little azimuth bar is M10 not M8 as shown on the diagram.

[timelord]

Gooday, if you take your tripod head to a machine / engineering shop they can easily duplicate one for you in steel or aluminium, thats how I got mine made

[h0ughy]

you can also try Steve Bain, from QLd his piers are really good quality

[ozstockman]

Hi Mark,

I haven't tried this yet but can't see why it won't work as a head.

Look at pillar extention tube (http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-170) for Skywatcher EQ6. It's cheap and is designed for this mount.

cheers,

Michael

[rumples riot]

Mark come up to my place and you can get a look at how I did mine.

I used a steel plate system, which you have seen before and then drill a 22mm hole through it got a bolt from coventry fasteners on South Road at Edwardstown with a washer. For the azimuth adjustment we used the bolt in the top of the tripod and drilled an taps a new thread in the right place. It worked an absolute treat. I am sure if you get the plate Pete and I can help you out. Bit surprised you did not ask me this anyway.

[qld]

hi there is a pier head you get when you buy a short pier from skywatcher you then simply weld a pipe onto a plate that has the same diameter as the outside of the eq head the pipe needs only to be about 3cm proud of the plate .you then drill three holes into the pipe side to accommodate the screws that hold the head in place in the pipe .the head comes complete with a bolt from underneath to hold the eq6. the plate is held in place by four 3/4' bolts to another plate below the aforesaid plate which helps you adjust for level.i have made two of these piers and they work well for a 10' newt and a c8,the short you can buy from myastroshop for n$70 and have a look at the bintel site pier for the design of the top two plates .it is the top plate on that type of pier that you weld the pipe and cut a hole in the plate as large as the diamiter of the head. good luck qld

[wysiwyg]

Sorry Paul, i honestly cannot rememember that plate. If I knew I would have definitely asked you.
I think Michael's idea has some merit (Pillar Extension), but I will take a peak at your plate when I am welding your mount supports.:)