top of steel pier design

[Moon (James)]

Getting back to the original question:

I need a design that takes into account the three anchor bolts but also allows some movement for southern alignment.

We are talking about an EQ6 here. One thing I have seen which can help - if you run out of adjustment you can drill and tap a new hole for the 'peg' on the south side of the mount that the EQ6 uses to adjust Azimuth.
James

[Poita (Peter)]

Great idea.
That would be a good solution if you messed up aligning the pier in the first place. Much easier.

Really though, except for a mistake, you should be able to get the pier level and aligned enough to remove the need for an adjustable plate.

Oh, and Brendan, I've taken it outside before they throw us out

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...252#post855252

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

Settle lads!
the issue with me is the levelling to make it easier to align. I agree that having it level to start with makes life a whole lot easier.
My problem is the concrete footing is going under the deck on sloping ground, so I anticipate some movement and some difficulty establishing level to start with - even getting a level concrete top will be a headache as access is a crawl space under the deck or a 450mm square hole in the deck 1 metre above soil level.
And to be honest- any improvement in what I have now- a tripod on a bouncy deck, will be worth it. So I am not after nil resonance or vibration or torsion etc! I just want something that will not loose guiding stars or ruin lights if I sneeze or move my elbow 1 micron to the left!
Cheers
Graham

[Zaps]

What needs to be understood is that even if you get the pier wrong in the beginning, or if it goes bad after, you still do not need one of those pagodas. Not for an equatorial mount anyway.They contribute nothing useful at all.

Someone back in the mists of time decided it was something they needed and others have been blindly copying him (or her!) ever since because they think they won't have a "real" pier if they don't.

What I'm seeing are some guys who believe their reputations are now at stake because they've been telling folks for a long time that the pagoda is the way to go when in fact it is not.

In conclusion a rat trap-pagoda-mount leveling contraption (call it what you will) adds nothing, solves nothing, does nothing anyone really needs. In fact it does the opposite. EQ mounts do not need to be level. It does not matter if the pier is not At One With The Cosmos because the mount itself can be adjusted.

Don't mess with the rigidity and stability and integrity of your pier by topping it off with some worthless half baked kludge. That's right, I said it.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

Ok, the levelling thing has been put to bed. My other reason for the half baked cludge is that I can use both my mounts on it. It is ready made and ready for use. I don't have access to a machine shop or heavy duty tools. What I can't do is machine the top of the pier myself.
And as I said, any improvement over tripod on bouncy deck would be most welcome.
If I had the tools I would attach the gem directly to the pier, but I don't.
Graham

[Marke (Mark)]

Originally Posted by graham.hobart

Ok, the levelling thing has been put to bed. My other reason for the half baked cludge is that I can use both my mounts on it. It is ready made and ready for use. I don't have access to a machine shop or heavy duty tools. What I can't do is machine the top of the pier myself.
And as I said, any improvement over tripod on bouncy deck would be most welcome.
If I had the tools I would attach the gem directly to the pier, but I don't.
Graham

Exactly not everyone has a double top plate just for leveling and if they do so what ?
everyone is entitled to do it there own way for what ever reason . I have a removable
top plate and if and when I go with a bigger mount I only need to change that plate if necessary , certainly easier than replacing the whole pier.