Viewing Chair - Any Recommendations?

[Groove]

I am after a comfortable chair for viewing on 10" dob, and would like to be compact and and easily transportable - but without breaking the bank!

If anyone has any suggestions or even advise what to avoid, I would appreciate any assistance here.

Cheers!

[Sarge]

I bought an adjustable "ironing" chair from Aldi. Painted steel, padded seat and folds for transport. Cost $25. ;)

Works great with my 12" dob. :2thumbs:

Can't get any cheaper for an adjustable chair
.
Rod
:D:D

[AG Hybrid]

Can't find these in stock any more.

[M54]

This is on ebay at the moment, but it's in NSW.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Folding-Adjustable-Chair-ironing-craft-observing-/280702387166?pt=AU_Chairs&hash=item415b2a83de

[Liz]

Grant, people use a variety of chairs/stools that make it more comfy.
I bought an adjustable stool from Officeworks and love. Up and down with ease, without having to get off and alter it. :thumbsup:
did cost about $90 but a look around may get one cheaper.

[andrew2008]

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Images/Stock/7201X.jpg

This one from Bintel is very good. Bit more expensive but will last for ever, much more comfortable than you'd think and will make observing an absolute pleasure for your back.

[Tiotion]

Hi Grant,
I also use an Aldi ironing chair and while it is cheap as chips, i do find it some what uncomfortable. Theres no back support, no foot rest, very thin bum padding and very limited height adjustment. I find it most uncomfortable when I want to take a break from the eye piece and chat with oberserving buddies.
My recommedation is therefore to go for proper observing chair. Its obviously something you use everytime you go out and so it would definately be worthwhile investing in. It makes the whole night much more pleasurable and relieve the strain on your back!

As for options, i have sat on the bintel obs chair and my bum liked it, so i would probably go for one of those. Otherwise, you can look for plans online and build one yourself. The makers of Catseye auto collimators also make Catsperch, in kit form or as plans: http://www.catseyecollimation.com/
(Look on the left hand bar for Catsperch, scroll down for plans...the built chairs are quite expensive)


Cheers
Jack

[Visionoz]

You can try to see if this is suitable: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=71442

HTH
Cheers
Bill

[AstralTraveller]

I also recommend the Bintel chair. Yes, it is a bit (and perhaps too much for the work involved??) but I wasn't about to make one so I bit the bullet. It's like a major eyepiece upgrade. You will stay at the eyepiece longer, be more comfortable, see deeper and notice detail you would otherwise miss.

[Groove]

Thank you to everyone for all the replies! A wealth of information here indeed!




Hey Rod - This sound like a nice cheap (interim) option but no longer available





Andrew - I think you are right. I may just have to bit the bullet and purchase a decent chair. I called Bintel today and they quoted $25 delivery - making total price of chair $204.





Thank you for this link. Plans always come in handy if I feel a project coming on!





Thanks Bill - I gave Geoff a call this afternoon & he confirmed that they have all been sold. Shame as I would have purchased it! He also stated that a local shop was selling the exact same items for $259 each. At this price I would prefer the Bintel chair.

Cheers
Grant :thumbsup:

[jamespierce]

The Catsperch chairs are not the cheapest, but they have a few size options and they break down pretty well for travel while being very solid. I use mine seated to look through my DOB with an EP heigh of almost 6 feet. Highly recommended, we get so many questions about ours when we turn up to star parties etc.

[casstony]

The Bintel chair looks best for dobs - they go quite high with a footrest and so might be useful even with bigger dobs.

The Starbound chair sold by Andrews looks better for SCT's and can go very low with easy adjustment, but they're charging too much for it ($100 more than Bintel's chair).

[barx1963]

Heartily recommend the Bintel chair, had mine nearl;y a year and gets used every session

Malcolm

[Visionoz]

Oh no! That's too bad - I personally have the Bintel chair, very strong and utilitarian in all regards to astro-viewing but I would have bought the one that Chris & Geoff built easily as it looks good value for money asked and it's very comfy

Good luck with your search

Cheers
Bill

[Suzy]

I love my Bintel chair.

Hubby doesn't get impressed easily- he gets a bit critical on build quality of things, and he was definitely impressed with this chair. It's heavy and solid, which is good because when I'm looking up at Zenith for example, I am doing all sorts of gymnastics looking thru the finder, and the chair stays put.
The high back allows me to take a break and just lean back on it and look up at the sky. And I love the foot rest.
It folds flat, and being narrow takes up little room to store.

Another great thing is that you will find multiple uses around the house with this chair as it's height adjustable to practically floor level.
I spotted hubby using it the other day, sitting on the floor using the chair as a table top for his lap top.:computer: I told him it was a very expensive lap top table. :rolleyes: :lol: We won't talk about him wanting to use it in the garage where he works with steel, let's not go there...:rolleyes: ;)
Worth every penny in my opinion.

[Groove]

Thanks again to all for the suggestions. :thumbsup:

It would appear that most people here agree that the Bintel chair is comfy, strong, light, and transportable. (while allowing for crazy gymnastics while looking through the finder!:D)

Will take it on advisement and now get myself a Bintel Chair in the coming weeks!

Cheers
Grant :thumbsup:

[hikerbob]

I like my telescopic bar stool. Great with a 12", I've not tried one with a 10"

Bob

[rathalian]

Great, timely thread.

Telescopic bar stools / chairs were mentioned a couple of times, with an officeworks stool metioned.

Is anyone able to post a link to the particular officeworks chair used as $90 rather than $200+ sounds good.

[Suzy]

I'm curious to know how people fit office chairs in the car, esp. with dobs, bases and other equipment already taking up a lot of room. :shrug:
The tube usually goes in the boot, so the base (as it generally doesn't fit in the boot) is usually on the back seat taking up half of the back seat alone.

And also, when looking up at Zenith, does the chair actually raise that high:question: If you're say, 5"5 like I am, I'm thinking that's a lot of height for the chair to accommodate.

Then there's the wide legs, doesn't that get in the way of a large dob base.:question:

Just curious... always wondered.:)

[Waxing_Gibbous]

As a "traditionally built" gentleman of a certain age, I second the Bintel chair.
We have the Aldi model, but it doesn't really support my great, fat arse!:D

[GTB_an_Owl]

if you use an office chair like i do Suzy - you take the back off it

push it right down to transport in the back seat

geoff

[Suzy]

I see... Thanks Geoff. :thumbsup:

[Liz]

I have a Mazda Tribute Suzy, and can squeeze my collapsible Dob, and stool into the back easily. Put stool in upside down. :D :thumbsup:

[Suzy]

Thanks Liz.
Yes I knew you were pretty happy with yours. ;)

How does the chair go height wise for viewing at Zenith?
Me at 5"5 the chair has to go pretty high. :lol:

[wavelandscott]

I have a strong preference and bias to the Bintel Chair...I helped introduce them into Australia (the chairs not Bintel)...

As a "portly" gentlemen (gentlemen is a matter of opinion the portly is fact), I find it supports my bulk comfortably with no difficulties. I am actually using it on vacation as a step to load/unload the luggage carrier on top of the car...

Cheers All!

[gmbfilter]

I'm definitely "portly" and occasionally a gentleman

I love my Bintel so much chair I got two.

Not because I need two for me

I have found that a extra chair helps support the logs when I'm cutting firewood...you can't be too carefull!

[ColHut]

How about your own variation of a Denver observing chair? They fold flat and work fine.

Here are a few links. I used a variant of the last one shown but
I hinged mine at the top rather than the middle but pretty much the same. I also attached an elastic cord at the front underside of the seat and back to keep tension on it at all times.

regards

http://www.tulsawalk.com/projects/denverobserverchair/index.html

http://www.schlatter.org/Dad/Astronomy/chair.htm

http://www.umce.ca/astroclubnb/chairjim.htm

[GraemeT]

I have a Denver chair for my dob. It was easy to make and doesn't foul my EQ platform, it's comfortable and easy to transport. (and cheap)

[rathalian]

+1 for the Bintel chair.

After reading this thread and others, and checking out the offerings in places like OfficeWorks I took the plunge and ordered one.

First impression - the box was much heavier than I expected. The chair is solid steel tubing all round and is incredibly rigid.

Setup time out of box - 5 seconds. I unfolded the base into position and slotted in the seat.

Seat padding is wide and comfortable and takes all of a second or two to move to another position.

The foot rest is also comfortable.

It packs up in a couple of seconds and lays flat, with the seat hanging on the main body.

Looks like a requirement, particulary for Dob mounted scopes.

[Steffen]

I'd like to ask those who use the Bintel chair: how easy is it to adjust the height of the seat while your sitting on it? For example when you're at the eyepiece and find that the seat could be notch higher or lower for better comfort. I imagine it's not as straightforward as with a friction-locked seat?

I'll eventually get around to driving all the way to Glebe (and finding a car park there somewhere) but if someone could answer this question I may be going there with a lot more motivation ;)

Cheers
Steffen.

[mikerr]

I purchased one of these http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail/products/Furniture/Chairs/Stools-and-Stacking-Chairs/OWZODBARBK last Saturday and really like it so far. Using a C8 SCT pier mounted with rotary multiple eyepiece holder I had a comfortable non wobbly viewing session for the first time.

If I needed to increase the maximum height it would be very easy to just insert a block of wood of the appropriate thickness between the seat and the stand. Longer screws would be all that would be needed.

Michael

[Liz]

Hope that works Ok Michael, I worry that it doesnt go low enough??

This is mine - nice and comfy and goes quite low, and high. :)
http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail/products/Furniture/Chairs/Stools-and-Stacking-Chairs/OWMESHSTOL

[mikerr]

97291

Liz, low will not be a problem as the pier is fairly tall and I am 6 feet.

The eyepiece Turret allows convenient positioning of the eyepiece.

I had a look at Saturn and the Moon last Saturday and it was the first time that I sat and stared into the Eyepiece without wobbling around due to standing. Very relaxing and finally able to enjoy/study detail.
A whole new experience:thumbsup:
Not sure if I should add castors or not. The far edge of the water tank is about a four meter drop onto rocks:eyepop:

Michael

[Liz]

Yep, gotcha now. :thumbsup:

[wavelandscott]

Best to see it in person...Once you see it in person you can form your opinion.

I can adjust one handed and backward in the dark with no problem...Having said that remember, I have had a lot of history with these chairs so it is second nature.

I have seen that some folks have a learning curve in connecting the chair the very first time but it should become second nature quickly.

Do note that this design is hook and ladder like and not friction based...it is not infinitely adjustable but adjusts in small ladder increments.

[Suzy]

Scott, when I first posted on this thread I was looking for the link for that chair and couldn't it (the review that you did), do you still have the link for it please?

Liz, that really is a nifty stool!!

Steffan, I haven't gotten the knack of adjusting it with one hand- I turn around and re-hook it. It is very easy & quick- I got it the first go. Just make sure it's hooked in well tho. The chair pad itself is too heavy for me to attempt one handed- like the frame, the chair pad itself is solid and heavy, which is a good thing.

In my opinion, the solid nature, height flexibility, storage convenience of this chair, far out weighs the inconvenience of having to get my butt off and turn around and adjust the chair. Okay, I know I'm a lightweight, but others have said it's solid enough to hold people that have got some weight on them- I can perform near gymnastics on this thing and it doesn't budge for me, so I'm secure that I don't fall a over t on top of the tube. :lol:

I did a measure of my chair and here it is:

Total height of complete frame: 3 feet.
Adjustable increments: lowest level to highest level is 2 feet.
Seat width: 34cm
Seat depth: 25cm
Seat depth in total from the frame/back rest: 32cm

The adjustable working level is huge. Great for a dob at Zenith. I'm only 5 5" and have not needed to use the highest level yet on my 10" dob (come close but :rolleyes: :lol:).

[Steffen]

Ah ok, thanks. It still seems a lot easier than with the Aldi ironing chair, where you actually have to undo two knobs in order to move the seat (not really suitable for on-the-fly adjustment).

Cheers
Steffen.