Quote:
Originally Posted by mill
Ok what are we doing here i will ask.
Do we want a pier for professional astronomy with a 100" scope or are we just amateur astronomers making pictures for ourselfs?
The bottom line is that when we make a pier strong enough to hold a car, what more do we want?
And who is stupid enough to hit a pier with a hammer when imaging?
Whether we make pictures at a star party on a say EQ6 with the tripod or at home with a pier made out of steel or concrete, there is no difference.
And i am personally sick and tired of people saying a steel pier is better than a concrete pier and vice versa, they are both good.
PS: i wouldnt image in 20Km/H winds even when i would have a pier that can withstand winds of 100Km/H.
Just my two cents worth  |
OK i will step in here - at starparties when you are imaging and you get people walking around it does cause vibration into your mount, and sometimes it can be horrendous. The pier at home should be very sturdy and stable as possible - and separate as much as possible from walking traffic - even if it is you walking around - and i am no tooth fairy with wings so i need all the help possible. that's why i went for a very large mass pour of concrete - but instead of a steel pipe 8-12" diam i have a square section pier. it does vibrate ( especially when extended) but this is shielded very much by the pier base i have. It really becomes an individual thing - and very much dictated by the terrain. We all have different ideas - some work some don't. for the record i did one night as an experiment to see what moved the image - a light tap, rap and bump and to see how long it took to settle
