Having got this pier recently (as part of a package with my Vixen scope) I thought it could do with some restoration, being corroded and a bit worse for wear. I did take a pic before but for some reason deleted it so you just get to see the finished product:
A 123cm high steel tube 112mm diameter with top plate adapter modified for EQ6 type mounts. Instead of the original loose bolts I have modified it and the adapter plate is now affixed using 3 inverted dynabolts with double nuts to lock it into level. The Dynabolts are drilled through the plate and welded above and below.
The base plate is a cast iron fitting threaded onto the pole and locked in place with 4 ss allen bolts and some iron oxide (rust).
This got me thinking about piers in general and the shiny one is going to be sold and replaced with Kunama Pier V.2.1 which is a 230mm diameter 140cm high steel discarded CO2 weighing in at a healthy 50Kgs empty.
I will be fabricating a 16mm thick steel base plate for it as well as a top plate to take my mount (when I eventually choose one !!!).
The plan is to place the mount into my future observatory and then fill the bottle with used engine oil to absorb all the ringing/vibrating etc. These bottles came from the local Rubbish Tip for $ 0.00
I also won a steel bollard on ebay yesterday (920H x 140Dia with base plate) for $25. That is in Sydney and I probably will not need it so if anyone in Sydney wants it for the said $25 get in touch with me quickly.
Here are the candidates for my Pier:
The tall one for the observatory (2014 build date?)
The black one for the back yard for northern horizon use