poor man's plywood half-pier

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 5:37 pm

I made a half-pier for my Vixen Polaris out of plywood. It's basically a plywood box, whose walls are 2 laminated pieces of 9mm plywood. Everything is put together with epoxy and it's very strong (much stronger than PVC pipe).

Used a length of 10mm stainless threaded rod to pull everything together.

A bit ugly though.. but I'll paint it Vixen orange to match the legs.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:54 pm

Nice!!

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:38 am

Fantastic piece of DIY!! Looks like it solved the pier prob!! Great job! As long as it's functional for you and keeps cost down...then it's a great piece of DIY!!

Is there some framing/ribbing on the insides? If you could get some ribbing(thinner pieces) for the inside four joins, it would make it stiffer overall! If you can get your hands on some Epoxy based paint (those that mix with an epoxy hardener) it coats the whole pier with an epoxy layer finish giving it a nice wall of protection and waterproof! Putty the sides and round off the corners for cosmetic looks. Just some suggestions!

With plywood, you can make several and never worry about one failing cos there are lotsa replacements!! In diff colors maybe...haha!

Hmmm, maybe I should also post my DIY controller holder..(once I get the pics done)

Good job Orly!!

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 11:05 am

Thanks Tim!

There is no ribbing. The sides aren't flat slabs but are stepped, which increases the epoxy contact area. I can't imagine it getting any stiffer... I stood on the thing for a few minutes with my 155-lb overweight bulk.. I think the 10mm threaded rod is the weakest point.

I'm also thinking of routing a slot into the plywood so I can mount the Meade patch panel (for the Autostar 497) when I robotize the Polaris.

The real downside is that it's ugly. But I spent $180 USD (plus shipping) for the whole mount, and waiting for Vpost to deliver my Great Polaris (which cost $200 USD)... so given the prices I've paid for the mounts, a $200 SX half pier is almost.. immoral. :-D

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:06 pm

$200 for the half pier...would be immoral considering there are alternatives but with some elbow grease. Great thing about Telescope accessories are that the actual costly manufactured part can be home made. As long as it works for the maker,...It's always a GREAT DIY project no matter how small or the cost. Its the gratification!

Good planning on your part for the strength and test...standing on it like an IKEA Furniture test...HAHA!!
You could consider a long threaded rod to match the mount and tripod head threads so you have a straight through rod to hold both. That way the rod takes the load as well...perhaps another pier??...hehe!

I made my controller holder out of some 'L' brackets, craft wood leftovers from my daughters DIY Dollhouse (a place to keep her 'Barbie's) and a small angle bracket. Guess I could post some pics on this make shift thingie soon!

Till then Keep up the improvements...A size like a half pier, you could also source nearby woodworker shops for scraps of one piece ply or harder wood. Sometimes one can get lucky! Even bound together 1/2" ply planks can be laid side by side to make a pier with planks to match on the top and bottom! Good Luck! and keep us posted!

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:30 pm

@Tim, actually it is a single long M10 threaded rod that "pulls" the EQ head and tripod hub together. I bought an entire 6-foot length last time I was in King George Ave. for the alu tubes for my dob. I also bought an M16 threaded rod (now that's heavy...) in case I need to extend the counterweight shaft of the Polaris, which is an M16 threaded shaft.

Ideally yes some wood scraps would do. But I had a lot of plywood left over from my dob construction, so I used that...

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:58 pm

Ah! I stand corrected then! Well, perhaps a future model? Which reminds me, I need to visit King George's and a shop in Eunos for a flange and some bolts. Wanna make a permanent home balcony pier.

Overall, it's still a good job with the half pier! I like the plywood saddle too!

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 12:41 am

On the topic of hardware stores... I am wondering where I can get aluminum bar stock in short quantities.. I want to try my hand at making a Vixen dovetail.

Once again it's necessary... my C9.25 currently has a 17" Losmandy/CGEM dovetail but the GP has a Vixen saddle. The conversions all cost north of $100 USD and shipping too... Astrobargains doesn't have a 17" Vixen dovetail either.

If I go to the alu shop in King George, I'll have to buy 20 feet of alu bar stock.. which is like years' worth of DIY... so any place i can buy smaller quantities?

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:05 pm

WOW! 20'!! eeek! Dovetail heaven!! How much would that stock cost? I wouldn't mind chipping in for a DIY dovetail or two! I need something on my C8 to piggyback a guidescope/Finder scope. Or maybe Fork mount?...hehe!

Whats the size and any aluminium grade in particular? Lemme know and I can check with the metal guys near my workplace.

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 1:13 am

I think the standard aluminum grade is fine. AFAIK vixen dovetails are 15mm thick or can be as little as 1/2" (12mm) and 1.78 inches wide (or 44mm) at the bottom.

the sides are slanted at 75 degrees from the horizontal (e.g. 15 degrees from the vertical) narrowing to the top.

dunno how much it would cost.. but can ask. another idea i think of is to use 7mm bar stock and epoxy two bars together to get the necessary thickness (don't laugh... airplane aluminum parts are fastened together with epoxy).