DIY project#2-Perm Pier

Wanna make a scope? Or better still, grind a mirror yourself. Or, you have some good tips in making a really useful accessory? This is the place to show what your hands can do...
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timatworksg
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DIY project#2-Perm Pier

Post by timatworksg »

Rain and clouds leaves the mind to think of Astro Improvements! Though I live on a low floor, my balcony gives me a FOV of the East to Southern skies with some of the best DSO's and clusters throughout the year. So having a permanent set-up makes quick Obs/AP on a sudden clear night (hard to come by in SG standards) easier as it'll be already aligned and set up! I could use the tripod for a perm set up but the tripod legs take up space in the balcony! And the risk of knocking and shifting it out of alignment is a possibility with kids and a dog! Furthermore, the top of the window sill restricts my scope from pointing up further leaving me with shorter obs and AP sessions!

Solution? To be able to poke the scope out of the window sill giving me more upward views and a perm set up for ease!

As my Balcony has a planter box, a small pier system would work anchored into it! Having 2 holes already in the planter box from the previous owner (why I dunno), but it allowed me to set and anchor a base plate with 2 more anchor bolts. The base plate is 10mm thick mild steel which is scrap from around my workplace (Loyang Offshore Supply Base...lots of HUGE metal junk!!!). So all that is needed is a pipe, base plate and top plate in correct measurements to fit my planter box.

As of now, the Anchor bolts are in place and the base plate has been sent to my contractor for welding of a short pipe. The pipe will have another plate welded with 4 holes for bolts. These bolts will be inserted and hold another top plate which will be leveled and hold the Mount Head.
Come Monday I should have the whole thing done and primed. Then it's home to add the bolts, anchor to planter box and attach the Mount head. Finally level and align. Acid test will come with some AP trials. Visual Obs are no probs. The pipe is 4" Steel with 10mm plates for base, mid and top. Bolts are 5/8" SS with another M10 SS bolt to hold the Mount head. I didn't go over the calculations that most pier makers go through for a perfect set up. I just made something that can sit in my planter box, short and strong and can hold my stuff!

The scope wouldn't completely stick outta my premises so no fear of it falling down on someones head...lol! If anything does drop it falls into my planter box! All such calculated risk have been addressed for falling objects. The only thing that will stick out is the front end of my 80ED!

Sorry no pics yet, but putting a heads up here. Once I get the pier fabricated come Monday, I will take pics and post them up with test results following. If it all works, I can leave my mount set and aligned covered with Mylar and sleep in peace. Have not calculated cost yet but Metal isn't cheap even in small pieces!
So for now till updates, fingers crossed till Monday!!
My wife never complained about how much time, effort & money I spent on my Astronomy hobby!................suddenly I met her!!!
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andeelym
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Post by andeelym »

Look forward to the pictures!
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timatworksg
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Post by timatworksg »

Ok...some delays on the fabrication but all went pretty darn well! Impressive I must say on the whole job done by the contractor. It took a little longer but I didn't want to rush him as it was a personal project. And he was doing me a favor by sourcing the scrap metal for me as well as the drilling and welding.

The scraps found were 3 pieces of 10mm thick mild steel 15cmx15cm. One was drilled at four corners to accept the M10 Anchor bolts and the other 2pcs four 5/8" holes for the pier bolts. The top plate also has a M10 hole in the center for the Mount head. The pipe is a 3" diameter 10mm thick Mild Steel pipe! Yepz....Heavy Duty in overall weight!! Bolts used were x4 M10 anchor bolts, x4 5/8" diameter SS bolts with x16 washers and x12 nuts.

I will add that I was impressed on the fabrication. Though these contractors work on shipbuilding stuff, for him to set the time to do this made me utterly grateful at the results. He even went to the length of grinding everything down,priming and spray painting it with epoxy based black paint!!

Here is what it looks like affixed into my balcony planter box all tightened up! It is very very sturdy and tapping it doesn't give any vibrations from the 10mm thick steel! (sorry for quality...just got back from work and night was around the corner)

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Next would be to align and affix the mount 'puck' as a base (the top part of my tripod half pier) and then the mount head itself. The 'puck' gives me a little added height as well as an Azimuth wedge. Then it's some silicone around the anchor bolts and silicone grease on the bolts and nuts for protection against the elements. Then it's to source for a suitable cover for the whole fixture!

Will update again when the mount is fully affixed and hopefully some test AP images. Till then...I'm happy thus far!! Will look really cool when I add more plants around it!!
My wife never complained about how much time, effort & money I spent on my Astronomy hobby!................suddenly I met her!!!
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andeelym
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Post by andeelym »

Very nice! Hope to see the mount and scope on it soon!
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Gary
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Post by Gary »

Good stuff! Keep it up!
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mch3898
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Post by mch3898 »

Wonderful setup. You have tempted me to do one in my garden. Can give pointers?
christopher
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cataclysm
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Post by cataclysm »

Wah! This is getting serious... lol.... :shock:
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timatworksg
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Post by timatworksg »

Thanks guys! This was long time coming really. Been meaning to try one out to make things easier for me and convenient.

@cataclysm
Yah man! All I need now is motorized sliding windows and my whole balcony becomes an observation center..haha!

Actually this DIY Pier is more to cut back on my grab and go AP and Ob sessions to the next door MSCP. With my work schedule and timing evenings are limited and several occasions, grab and gone only to spend time setting up, aligning and never shoot anything due to sudden clouds. Besides, even when there are clear nights, I need to get to bed early as I awake early!
Hence with the pier (if all goes well) I can Ob from my home and eliminate my set up time. In addition, the comfort of my home, I can use my heavy 17" laptop..lol and most of all still be with my daughters and watch TV!!
Wish I was on a higher floor but beggers can't be chooser's and have to make do with limited resources and yet get happy moments!
Most of the images I have done were from my balcony, light pollution and all! If this works I can consider more filters and maybe the gun to shoot the nearby light...haha!
But most of all, the benefits outweigh the cost of the fabrication! I get time with my family when it's clear on a work night while still doing AP or a quickie Ob. If I need to GRab and Go I can just use my Voyager AltAZ.

Well gonna mount the GP head tonight. Scope and all. Also test my PHD link with my IOptron..some USB prob...grrr! Then If I am still awake...maybe an early Orion or Pleiades. See how it goes!!
More pics to come 2moro when I can mount everything and show you how it looks! Till then....thanks again!
My wife never complained about how much time, effort & money I spent on my Astronomy hobby!................suddenly I met her!!!
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timatworksg
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Post by timatworksg »

Ok some updates on the pier!

Had an issue with the M10 center hole being a little too small. So had to do some filing as I didn't want bolt threads damaged! Below are the latest pics from this afternoon. The half-pier 'puck' isn't there yet as I still have to file down the threads on the half of the M10 Bolt nearest to the head. This is so for the bolt to pass through the 'puck' without threading itself, allowing me to anchor the mount head without pushing the 'puck' away as both 'puck' and mount head threads are not aligned. So if I were to screw a normal threaded bolt through it will tighten one way and loosen the other...lol! So elbow grease needed but minor.
In the images below you can see I used some hardwood shims below the mount head. This allows me to just thread the M10 bolt through the top plate and into the mount head. The wood is 'Hard!!' so a good pilot test for the set up as it is now. I may go with shims or fabricate a new 'puck to act as a spacer instead. This way I don't have to touch my Vixen half-pier stuff!

As with all DIY miscalculations always crop up!! ARRRGH! Forgot that my alignment from the balcony will point the scope diagonally against the top plate. Such is that the counterweight barely clears the top plate corner!!! BUGGER!! Solutions?....perhaps a smaller weight - increase scope area weight so I can put the counterweight lower allowing it to slew with no probs - park my scope at an angel (however I have to take note of what I wish to view as doing a meridian flip will require me to re-adjust the counterweight to the other side! Oh well....something always has to happen.

But overall, I am happy that it all worked out!! The above probs are minor and I would probably take the route of fabricating a spacer with enough thickness to allow the counterweight to clear the top plate without raising the scope too high! Probably made outta case alluminum (time to go scrap hunting) or proceed with filing smooth half a M10 bolt. For now...I wanna have fun!

So here are the pics. Scope from indoor view to the outdoor view from downstairs!! Looks like Terrorist Missile launcher ready to shoot a commercial airplane as it leaves Changi Airport!!! I will add, many passers by looked at it in awe!!! Lastly to play safe I may tie some small cords to things like the finder scope, guidescope and diagonal just in case...hehe!
But no wobbles, everything is sturdy and strong..phew!

So till first light test....hopefully with Orion come morning....wish me luck!! Now to go rectify my USB connection to IOptron handset!! But first a nap!

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My wife never complained about how much time, effort & money I spent on my Astronomy hobby!................suddenly I met her!!!
tungkian
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Post by tungkian »

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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