Bino mount project

peter_4059 (Peter) · #1 03-03-2012, 01:44 PM

I've been wanting to make a bino mount for a while and finally got around to it earlier this year. This one is made from 20mm square aluminium tubing (3mm wt), 4mm thick aluminium plates and a piece of aluminium bar turned down to the right diameter for the counterweight shaft.

I wanted it to go on my Slik tripod and quickly realised I was going to need a main azimuth bearing to attach the parallelogram to the tripod. This is probably one of the more complicated machining jobs I've attempted so I planned it in visio before getting stuck in. I also realised the short threads on the Slik camera attachment were going to be no match for a heavy pair of binocs so I made up my own attachment with a longer bolt.

I've used plastic milk bottle discs as bearings between the plates and the square sections to ensure it's movement is nice and smooth.

Here's how it looks at the moment - I need to round off the corners on the plates to finish it off.

peter_4059 (Peter) · #2 03-03-2012, 01:46 PM

more photos and the drawings...

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #3 03-03-2012, 02:17 PM

That's really neat Peter .... very professional looking.

Might get you to make me one ....

Flash

peter_4059 (Peter) · #4 03-03-2012, 02:23 PM

There's quite a few hours work in it - not sure if I'll be making another one any time soon

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #5 03-03-2012, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter_4059

There's quite a few hours work in it - not sure if I'll be making another one any time soon

Fair Enough ... nice try Flash

Shark Bait (Stu) · #6 03-03-2012, 02:35 PM

Nice design - very compact.

I will need to get a new camera mount for my bino rig. How does the silk perform?

peter_4059 (Peter) · #7 03-03-2012, 02:40 PM

The Slik is fine - quite sturdy.

RickS (Rick) · #8 03-03-2012, 02:45 PM

Very nice work, Peter! All you need now is some clear sky.

Cheers,
Rick.

Shark Bait (Stu) · #9 03-03-2012, 02:45 PM

Does the handle of the silk camera mount get in the way when you are observing?

peter_4059 (Peter) · #10 03-03-2012, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickS

Very nice work, Peter! All you need now is some clear sky.

Cheers,
Rick.

Thanks Rick - not sure what I was thinking last night when I set the mount up - need a break in the rain to pull the tarp off and bring it back inside.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shark Bait

Does the handle of the silk camera mount get in the way when you are observing?

I think I rotated it 180 deg so the handle was pointing forward to get it out of the way.

mikerr (Michael) · #11 03-03-2012, 04:52 PM

Peter that is a raelly nice job. Well thought out and executed.

If the counterweight shaft was made thicker and of steel, could it form part of the counterweight and allow for a shorter shaft with smaller weights?

Did you take any photos of the Azimuth Bearing before it was assembled?

Michael.

peter_4059 (Peter) · #12 03-03-2012, 05:14 PM

Thanks Mike. I already had the skywatcher counterweights so had decided to go with that type of system although it changes over quite easily (remove the locking bolt and it slides out).

Unfortuantely I didn't take any pics of the bearing before I put it all together although the details of its construction are in the pfd's. I covered the internal part with Supalube before putting it together.