Adjustable Pier Top Mount (OTT)

[pubquiz]

Got a new Mesu mount recently and needed to raise it about 12" on my concrete pier in my obs as my previous mount was on on a 12" pillar.

I posted a question re how hefty to make it and agreed with the consensus that the chunkier the better.

HOWEVER I think I may have gone a bit over the top!

It came out much more expensive than I thought but that's my own fault.

I made a paper template with a compass and compass cutter

I suppose that having 2 13" diameter 1/2" thick steel plates cut (looked on line but postage was a lot) and all the holes drilled (I had no way of drilling 30mm diameter holes at home) was more than I envisioned

It was £205 for the 2 discs ouch

It was £57 for 2x1 meter lengths of 30mm studding and 24 nuts so a total of £262 ...oh well should have priced it first but the guy who did it did some work for me years ago for our robot in Robot Wars and he was same price as anyone so maybe that's what it is.

Anyway I cut the 1 meter lengths of studding into 6 equal lengths with a hacksaw ...it was when I was assembling it that I thought that it would have been fine with just 3 lengths as it felt solid as a rock with just 3 ...this would have halved the cost of the studs and nuts and halved the 30mm holes required ...oh well too late now.

Just got to add the 12mm bolt for top plate and drill and tap the hole for the Mesu's polar alignment bolt once I get it up on pier and roughly North.

Will prob spray it all silver as well to stop rust spots due to condensation

I think I could put a car on it now prob!

It weighs 33kg!

Pics below with a AA battery for size

Thanks goodness I have just sold the G11 as the bank balance is now very low

Tom

[pubquiz]

PS The reason I went with 6 supports was that I was originally going to do 4 but to get the 12" height required I would have had to by 2x1m lengths of studding anyway so thought if I had 2 I might as well use them for 6 uprights than 4 .....like I say though 3 would have been ample.

Tom

[1parsec]

Hi Tom,

That looks to be a good job and I rockon the price is probably about right for a commercial rate.

Machining 30mm holes is 12mm steel isn't a 5 min job and the plate looks like it's plough ground so more

expensive than normal black rolled - it will be nice and flat though

You've got a nice mount so you've done the right thing and not compromised the bit it sits on.

Dave.

[Tinker1947]

Its very nice will be stable, maybe a bit over the top with the material spec, but its sorted....

[wxsatuser]

I thought I went over the top with 16mm.

[pubquiz]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes I know I went too far.

But it's done now.

If all in the future goes pear shaped I will at least have a mount for sale that can take ANY telescope ...well you know what I mean...anyway it will look impressive to visitors

Tom

[wxsatuser]

It is impressive, holes nicely machined, I was just at my limit drilling 16mm, so you did the right thing, money well spent.