Viewing Chair - Any Recommendations?

[Groove (Grant)]

I am after a comfortable chair for viewing on 10" dob, and would like to be compact and and easily transportable - but without breaking the bank!

If anyone has any suggestions or even advise what to avoid, I would appreciate any assistance here.

Cheers!

[Sarge (Rod)]

I bought an adjustable "ironing" chair from Aldi. Painted steel, padded seat and folds for transport. Cost $25.

Works great with my 12" dob.

Can't get any cheaper for an adjustable chair
.
Rod

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Originally Posted by Sarge

I bought an adjustable "ironing" chair from Aldi. Painted steel, padded seat and folds for transport. Cost $25.

Works great with my 12" dob.

Can't get any cheaper for an adjustable chair
.
Rod

Can't find these in stock any more.

[M54 (Molly)]

This is on ebay at the moment, but it's in NSW.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Folding-A...item415b2a83de

[Liz]

Grant, people use a variety of chairs/stools that make it more comfy.
I bought an adjustable stool from Officeworks and love. Up and down with ease, without having to get off and alter it.
did cost about $90 but a look around may get one cheaper.

[andrew2008]

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Images/Stock/7201X.jpg

This one from Bintel is very good. Bit more expensive but will last for ever, much more comfortable than you'd think and will make observing an absolute pleasure for your back.

[Tiotion (Jack)]

Hi Grant,
I also use an Aldi ironing chair and while it is cheap as chips, i do find it some what uncomfortable. Theres no back support, no foot rest, very thin bum padding and very limited height adjustment. I find it most uncomfortable when I want to take a break from the eye piece and chat with oberserving buddies.
My recommedation is therefore to go for proper observing chair. Its obviously something you use everytime you go out and so it would definately be worthwhile investing in. It makes the whole night much more pleasurable and relieve the strain on your back!

As for options, i have sat on the bintel obs chair and my bum liked it, so i would probably go for one of those. Otherwise, you can look for plans online and build one yourself. The makers of Catseye auto collimators also make Catsperch, in kit form or as plans: http://www.catseyecollimation.com/
(Look on the left hand bar for Catsperch, scroll down for plans...the built chairs are quite expensive)


Cheers
Jack

[Visionoz (Bill)]

You can try to see if this is suitable: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=71442

HTH
Cheers
Bill

[AstralTraveller (David)]

I also recommend the Bintel chair. Yes, it is a bit (and perhaps too much for the work involved??) but I wasn't about to make one so I bit the bullet. It's like a major eyepiece upgrade. You will stay at the eyepiece longer, be more comfortable, see deeper and notice detail you would otherwise miss.

[Groove (Grant)]

Thank you to everyone for all the replies! A wealth of information here indeed!

Originally Posted by Sarge

I bought an adjustable "ironing" chair from Aldi. Painted steel, padded seat and folds for transport. Cost $25.

Hey Rod - This sound like a nice cheap (interim) option but no longer available

Originally Posted by andrew2008

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Images/Stock/7201X.jpg

This one from Bintel is very good. Bit more expensive but will last for ever, much more comfortable than you'd think and will make observing an absolute pleasure for your back.

Andrew - I think you are right. I may just have to bit the bullet and purchase a decent chair. I called Bintel today and they quoted $25 delivery - making total price of chair $204.

Originally Posted by Tiotion

Otherwise, you can look for plans online and build one yourself. The makers of Catseye auto collimators also make Catsperch, in kit form or as plans: http://www.catseyecollimation.com/

Thank you for this link. Plans always come in handy if I feel a project coming on!

Originally Posted by Visionoz

You can try to see if this is suitable: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=71442

Thanks Bill - I gave Geoff a call this afternoon & he confirmed that they have all been sold. Shame as I would have purchased it! He also stated that a local shop was selling the exact same items for $259 each. At this price I would prefer the Bintel chair.

Cheers
Grant

[jamespierce (James)]

The Catsperch chairs are not the cheapest, but they have a few size options and they break down pretty well for travel while being very solid. I use mine seated to look through my DOB with an EP heigh of almost 6 feet. Highly recommended, we get so many questions about ours when we turn up to star parties etc.

[casstony]

The Bintel chair looks best for dobs - they go quite high with a footrest and so might be useful even with bigger dobs.

The Starbound chair sold by Andrews looks better for SCT's and can go very low with easy adjustment, but they're charging too much for it ($100 more than Bintel's chair).

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Heartily recommend the Bintel chair, had mine nearl;y a year and gets used every session

Malcolm

[Visionoz (Bill)]

Originally Posted by Groove

Thanks Bill - I gave Geoff a call this afternoon & he confirmed that they have all been sold. Shame as I would have purchased it! He also stated that a local shop was selling the exact same items for $259 each. At this price I would prefer the Bintel chair.

Cheers
Grant

Oh no! That's too bad - I personally have the Bintel chair, very strong and utilitarian in all regards to astro-viewing but I would have bought the one that Chris & Geoff built easily as it looks good value for money asked and it's very comfy

Good luck with your search

Cheers
Bill

[Suzy]

I love my Bintel chair.

Hubby doesn't get impressed easily- he gets a bit critical on build quality of things, and he was definitely impressed with this chair. It's heavy and solid, which is good because when I'm looking up at Zenith for example, I am doing all sorts of gymnastics looking thru the finder, and the chair stays put.
The high back allows me to take a break and just lean back on it and look up at the sky. And I love the foot rest.
It folds flat, and being narrow takes up little room to store.

Another great thing is that you will find multiple uses around the house with this chair as it's height adjustable to practically floor level.
I spotted hubby using it the other day, sitting on the floor using the chair as a table top for his lap top. I told him it was a very expensive lap top table. We won't talk about him wanting to use it in the garage where he works with steel, let's not go there...
Worth every penny in my opinion.

[Groove (Grant)]

Originally Posted by Suzy

I love my Bintel chair.

Hubby doesn't get impressed easily- he gets a bit critical on build quality of things, and he was definitely impressed with this chair. It's heavy and solid, which is good because when I'm looking up at Zenith for example, I am doing all sorts of gymnastics looking thru the finder, and the chair stays put.
The high back allows me to take a break and just lean back on it and look up at the sky. And I love the foot rest.
It folds flat, and being narrow takes up little room to store.

Thanks again to all for the suggestions.

It would appear that most people here agree that the Bintel chair is comfy, strong, light, and transportable. (while allowing for crazy gymnastics while looking through the finder!)

Will take it on advisement and now get myself a Bintel Chair in the coming weeks!

Cheers
Grant

[hikerbob (Bob)]

I like my telescopic bar stool. Great with a 12", I've not tried one with a 10"

Bob

[rathalian]

Great, timely thread.

Telescopic bar stools / chairs were mentioned a couple of times, with an officeworks stool metioned.

Is anyone able to post a link to the particular officeworks chair used as $90 rather than $200+ sounds good.

[Suzy]

I'm curious to know how people fit office chairs in the car, esp. with dobs, bases and other equipment already taking up a lot of room.
The tube usually goes in the boot, so the base (as it generally doesn't fit in the boot) is usually on the back seat taking up half of the back seat alone.

And also, when looking up at Zenith, does the chair actually raise that high If you're say, 5"5 like I am, I'm thinking that's a lot of height for the chair to accommodate.

Then there's the wide legs, doesn't that get in the way of a large dob base.

Just curious... always wondered.

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Originally Posted by andrew2008

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Images/Stock/7201X.jpg

This one from Bintel is very good. Bit more expensive but will last for ever, much more comfortable than you'd think and will make observing an absolute pleasure for your back.

As a "traditionally built" gentleman of a certain age, I second the Bintel chair.
We have the Aldi model, but it doesn't really support my great, fat arse!