Base for a small dob

[Starhoparfa]

We have a Sky-watcher 130P Heritage Dob. It needs raising off the patio to get to the eyepiece (about 18" for the kids and 30" for the grown ups.) Currently using either a low sand pit which has a flat lid or a cafe style table with a centre leg (very wobbly- not ideal at all.)

Does anybody recommend anything cheap that I can purchase to use as a base, perhaps from a builders merchants or DIY store. I'm not in to building brick structures, BTW.

Thanks in advance

S

[Chris H]

I used to use a wooden picnic table for mine but there was only me using it.

The Heritage has a dovetail to clamp it onto the Alt/Az base this will fit with the necessary adaptor onto almost any tripod. The only drawback with this is that a decent tripod will probably cost you more than the scope.

[bombassa]

Hi

I mounted mine on a Skywatcher AZ3 mount which works reasonably ok and the tripod legs are adjustable.

Sometimes these mounts can be found cheaply.

Kind Regards,

[DOBBY]

waterbutt base/stand... or... a tripod

[bombassa]

Forgot to mention. If you get a mount where the scope is mounted on top of the mount (like eq3, 5, 6 AZ3 etc.) then the scope will be turned some 90 degrees and eyepieces end up on the righthand side instead of the lefthand side and the red dot finder ends up in a funny place as well. I have learned to live with this.

I think for instance an az4 mount wont give this problem because the dovetail sits in much the same position as on the original heritage mount.

Or look for a second hand table with strong legs. I dunno.

Hope some of that made sense. I wont read it again to check )

Kind Regards,