What piers would you recommend?

[gregbradley]

I have now started building my new observatory and I decided
to get a professionally made pier instead of buying some steel tube.

Pier tech have a nice setup although they look a bit skinny.

I plan to mount a Paramount ME on a pier about 1 metre high.
I wanted something I could bolt to a concrete pier with bolts
set into the concrete.

Do you know of any other companies that make piers?

Pier tech have not answered my enquiries yet.

Greg.

[TrevorW]

Astro-Physics do piers check out their website

Cheers

[Moon]

Here you go. 122cm
http://www.bisque.com/sc/shops/store/Hardware/permanent-pier-48_2D00_in.aspx

In my case I asked the local powder coating company to recommend someone who could weld it for me. Worked out well in the end. If you make it a 300x300mm square section it will look good under the mount.
James

[PeterM]

A friend of mine has just mounted his Paramount on a very substantial made to order Pier from Pegasus Piers (Qld). Sirius Optics sell them.

PeterM.

[bmitchell82]

Im currently constructing one for a g11+10"RC, and used 5mm thick walled 150 tube + 2 x 300mm Square plate. the losmandy adaptor ring was milled out of 25mm thick 140mm ID tube (argh that wasn't easy).

All up its 920mm tall and about 45kgs worth of steel.... if you pushed that to a 200mm 5-7mm walled square section, you wouldn't have to worry about the thing moving.

Go down to your local fab shop, give them the specs and youll pay HEAPS LESS. not to mention you can oversee the job so to speak and it will be exactly what you want/need. Then you can get it Powder coated what ever colour you want!

[gregbradley]

Thanks for the tips.

I sent an email to Sirius Optics to see what they can do.

Also Software Bisque sell a heavy duty pier.

If still no joy I'll contact those people who can make them to your specifications.

Thanks guys.

Greg.

[Paul Haese]

Greg,

it is going to be better if you go to an engineering firm. My pier weighs in at a massive 150kgs and I bet if you kicked or punched it two things are certain. First you are going to brake bones and second it would not move a pixel.

Not to shift this thread to a pier strength one but I got 12mm wall at 200mm pipe with gussets and a huge flange plate at the bottom. It cost $700 and came with primer on it too.

Go with the local stuff.

[gregbradley]

Thanks for all the tips.

I ended up going with Sirius Optics and Pegasus Piers. Aussie made, looks very professional, has slotted holes in the adapter plate, 6 holes in the base, gussets and is 275mm diameter (diameter of the pipe is the key to rigid piers per an engineering paper) with 7mm walls. Powder coated satin black. 1 metre tall.

I am going to anchor bolt it into a concrete pier which will be around 1 cubic metre. Then a 2nd flat pad for a portable pier I have that I am using now with an NJP mount on it.

Greg.

[rally]

Greg,

Diameter is the key - but it is both the outside diameter and inside diameter (and the tensile strength of the material used of course - modulus of elasticity to be precise)
Its proportional to (OD^4 - ID^4) so the two are inseparable (meaning wall thickness is almost equally important)
Length is a squared function

I calculate that out as between 0.30 to 0.36 arc secs deflection using a standard lateral load. Using some assumptions.
The dimensions you have given fall in between two different sizes of standard Nominal Bore pipe - not sure which, if any, it is.

Is this intended for the CDK17 ?

[gregbradley]

Hi Rally,

Yes it is for the CDK17.

Greg.

[ChrisM]

Greg,

I also used 275 OD x 6 (or 7?) mm wall thickness pipe (cost $5 scrap) and it's just over 1 metre tall with a 12 mm disk welded as a base - no gussets though. It is attached via 8 bolts to the top of my 2 metre tall concrete pier (457 mm dia). The whole job is very solid and I'm sure that you will find the same.

Cheers,
Chris

[gregbradley]

Thanks Chris.

Greg.