Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
Good start, you won't regret it, you will get far more use out of your gear, clouds excepting of course. 
Don't worry about keeping your enthusiasm for the project up, we'll all keep on your back to make sure you finish it.  |
Thanks Brent, I will hold you to that,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rod771
Exciting!!!
Geez you've been busy Chris! Look's good.
Looking forward to more progress piccies
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It's been over 4 months that this has taken place Rod, so I have been a bit slack, but I am hoping to keep the momentum up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alan meehan
Looks good Chris looking forward to the build
AL
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Thanks Al!
Quote:
Originally Posted by strongmanmike
Great stuff Chris, looks like you are well protected from the wind there so you can even just leave the aligned mount out under a covers until you get the Taj Mahal built over it, even that will cut down setup time. The pier does look slightly thin though  I'm sure it will be ok unless you put a 16" RC on it 
Mike |
It does get a bit windy here Mike, but that is a good idea about leaving the mount out. I was going to bodgy up a shelf to which an upside down plastic garbage bin could sit on, then clamp it on with the handles, but I may just go with the cover idea instead. Although, having a pier there with nothing covering it may just give me the motivation to build that Taj Mahal after all, simply so I can have the luggssury of leaving everything set up and connected. Then the NB mono camera will be on the cards, but first things first.
Yeah, the PVC pipe looks a bit thin, but it is pretty solid with all the concrete in it (3 x 20kg bags inside the pipe) and the reo down the middle, plus, it is sitting in about 50cm x 50 cm x 50cm of concrete and extends another 40 cm below the concrete in its own little round hole, so it is pretty stable.
I am only going to be imaging with my HEQ5 and not planning on anything bigger than the 8" so at F5-F7 (if I get a refractor later), I think she should hold up OK. If the pier has any loading issues I can always simply cut off the PVC somewhere near the bottom and bolt on a proper steel pier if I think this may help. I will probably find out soon enough, but I am not too worried based on how quickly it is damping down with ring tests so far.....
Time will tell,
Chris