So as to help reduce the room inside I was thinking of how to attach the pier to a base that will be able to be levelled and flat. I was thinking about using 25mm structural ply, perhaps laminated in two levels to make a 50mm base in a rounded triangle style. then could drill and tap into the hole a threaded rod joiner and then use a threaded rod to adjust the base level and height (with a fixed block on the rod to not penetrate the liner of the tent) My question is would this be stable and not flex, would I be better off getting a steel or aluminium one made up?
The whole point is that I can drop the whole setup below the height of the tent surrounds or lift it to get an object lower or would normally be obstructed by the tent. the image is of a piertech sample showing what could be possible (some rich person already has this)
Mucking about i went to mr ply&wood. will be picking up later today two 1200x1200 25mm structural plywood sheets and glue them together with liquid nails. Then i will set out and cut the shape shown for the DL2 to sit on. will countersink nuts into the base underneath so that I can bolt from the top the DL2 to the base plate, and allowing for battery storage on the platform to help keep it stable (two 105 amp hour batteries - power the dew straps and the cameras) and one for the battery to power the mount (17ah battery). Still haven’t quite worked out the feet yet but it will be a works in progress I suppose. I will end up painting the thing white so I don’t trip over it (LOL add a fluorescence Paint)
Interested in how u go with this I did a similar thing but not so polished as yours, i used bits around the home and salvage yard It's still a work in progress as u can see.
Interested in how u go with this I did a similar thing but not so polished as yours, i used bits around the home and salvage yard It's still a work in progress as u can see.
i like the size of your adjusters, what are they and how much? I wouldnt say its polished - no by any means
The threaded rod ? 5/8ths i think from hardware shop, like $10 for 1m, nuts and washers to suit.
At the moment it's just holes drilled into the green al square tube, have to add those thread joiners to my design will make it easier for me.
Well what a day - bit the bullet and got stuck into it.
I take to woodwork like a lead weight floating on water - its not a natural LOL.
OK screwed and glued two sheets of 25mm structural ply together, did that last night as it was dry this morning.
first thing i did was mark it all out and position the pier for a look.
then realising the jigsaw blade was a bit challenged for the thickness of the ply i went to bunnings - got some more hardware and longer blades and some white spray paint for another project - repainting the black stella seat white so you can see it in the dark.
back to this - it was damn hard to keep a straight cut but i did my best. after cutting the shape out then fitted the pier for a look and was in awe..... simple amazes me that i was able to do this woodwork - i am woodwork challenged
Al came over late in the arvo and gave me a hand fitting the feet and "product testing with the mount and setting it up roughly. Al will be making me up some resin feet with 6 200mm bolts i bought that also fit the furniture feet i installed - for setting up on really uneven ground.
anyway I will do a little more tweaking and install two more feet to the left and right of the pier in the middle - so that it will be a fully supported platform whether i need it or not
A nice looking job there Dave – especially for a self-confessed woodwork novice!
To cut a straight line using a jigsaw, I usually clamp a strip of 42x19mm wood parallel to and suitably offset from the cut line, then let the edge of the jigsaw guide run along the batten, whilst very gently pushing the saw into the batten to follow the cut line.
Just a thought re the varnish. Although varnish does make any project look more craftsman like, my home made observing chair which was varnished with external varnish hasn’t really weather too well over the 10 years I have used it. It looks a little patchy, so maybe white paint might be the go?
I haven’t tried marine varnish, which may be the most suitable?
on levelling this beasty not sure if i will attach a bubble level to the base and one to the top plate, or just use a bar spirit level on site and have nothing attached?
To level the mount, I would place a leveling device on the mount, as close as you can get to the part of the mount that you want to be level, not on the feet of the platform, in case of flexure, etc.
To level the mount, I would place a leveling device on the mount, as close as you can get to the part of the mount that you want to be level, not on the feet of the platform, in case of flexure, etc.
Looks good Huff.
Didn't discover this thread until just now, maybe the hidden woodwork skills kept it from view, LOL.
Mine is "one height does it all", not adjustable but it sure would be handy.
Recently modified the screw down pointed piece, and swapped fromm "wide feet" that I had difficulty getting into the same spot each time, with a glued to the asphalt style.
Gary
the image is of a piertech sample showing what could be possible (some rich person already has this)
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
I did a similar thing but not so polished as yours, i used bits around the home and salvage yard 
but i did my best. after cutting the shape out then fitted the pier for a look and was in awe..... simple amazes me that i was able to do this woodwork - i am woodwork challenged
