scaffold pole pier?

[Stinky_Pete]

Having had fun recently lugging out the scope and getting set up for about 20 secs of clear sky when im ready, i have been thinking of putting a pier in the back garden (with the wifes support! yay me!).

ive been looking at various designs and trying to find one that i can both afford and would be effective for imaging. ive looked at the concrete filled tube approach and think its probably going to be the most cost effective option. However, the purchase of a pier head has been annoying me. I look at the tripod and it has a nice, well made head already attached to the legs.

There must be some way of modifying pier to accept it.

Took a good long look at the legs as well and on the CG-5 i have they seem to be 50mm at the top, with 4 little Allen key bolts holding them on.

What about setting 3 scaffold poles in concrete, filling them with sand/concrete to dull any vibrations as well and then just popping the tripod head on top? i would have a small amount of adjustment capability to level it as well by using the Allen keys.

could even tack weld some cross supports and paint it a nice garden friendly colour

anyone got any thoughts on this? as i live next to a building site getting the poles will not be much of a problem

[yesyes]

If you are thinking of putting the scaffolding poles vertically, then the problem will be accessing and fastening the bolt that holds the mount on the tripod head. On the tripod you can only turn the bolt when the tripod legs are spread.

But... you could unscrew the bits that hold the legs to the tripod head. Then make an adapter between the pier and the 3 points on the tripod head where the legs were attached.

[malc-c]

Personally I would stick to the tried and tested concrete filled tube with a pier head at the top. The pier head can be as complicated as you want to make it, machined aluminum disks like mine, or simply three 1/4" plates with suitable holes drilled / cut into them all supported by suitable sized studs or bolts and nuts.

I opted to have mine machined - cost was £80 inc anodizing. The pipe cost around £17 for a 3m length and probably around £10 for the rebar and concrete, add in a few quid for nuts and bolts / studding and paint - £125 all in. - the thing is it's solid and I don't have any reservations about it not supporting the scope. - when you've invested a lot of cash in your equipment you shouldn't think about skimping on the expense of the pier, even if they are on the warm side, you would be better off getting a length of 160mm diameter drain pipe a bag of cement and a barrow load of ballast rather than three scaffold poles - but I didn't say that

[Gina]

I have to agree - a concrete pier is rock solid.

[JKB]

Again agree on the concrete

[Stinky_Pete]

cheers for the adivce, im having a play with a tempory wooden pier at the moment, mainly so my wife can get used to having it there in the corner. When that happens im gonna start pouring concrete

[yesyes]

You may already have seem my attempt of a temporary pier... ;-)

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-observatories/152012-finally-my-first-pier.html

I'm imaging on it as we speak...

[Stinky_Pete]

unfortunatly it turns out that mine has a load of spring in it, if you tap the mount/OTA at all it takes about 15 sec for the vibrations to die down