Pier Advice Please

[Kai]

I am looking at putting a pier in the garden.

I have a Heq5 Pro.

Can you help me with sizing please.I would like to know what diameter pipe i should be looking at (5-6 inch ??) and what length i should allow to be sunk in the ground ie 1/3rd total length ??

I presume Iron gas and water pipe should be good to go

Cheers

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Mine is a bit of 3" gas pipe that was lying around doing nothing and it works very well. You only need enough stuck in the ground to anchor it into the concrete it you're using concrete. If you are just brying the end I'd go for around a metre in the ground and leave enough sticking up for your mount / 'scope combo.

I currently have a short pier for Newts and a longer pier for fracs as it makes a big difference to your pier height requirement which end you look up / down.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[Kai]

I have just had a quote from a local Steel Company of £50 for a 6ft x 4 inch length of Steel pipe 3mm wall section.

The plan is to sink the steel 18 inches into a concrete plug and fill the pipe with more concrete.

My concern is if it will be solid enought to image from it ??

[geppetto]

Just a thought Kai but if your going to fill the pipe with concrete, it

doesn't need to be a steel pipe.

Some plastic pipe used as a former for filling with concrete or some

of that cardboard tube that builders use as a former or even a square

former made of timber that you could take off after the concrete's set.

Just trying to save you £50

[GordonCopestake]

The rule of thumb is the pier should be the same diameter as the OTA it supports. But that leads to over engineering in my mind. Anything over 4" will work well for small 'scopes with the larger diameter piers having less dampening time. Theres an article here: http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1275

If you are imaging though over engineering isn't a bad thing as you never know when that C14 is coming

[GordonCopestake]

Oh, and look here for some reference:

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php?topic=12594.0

Gaz asked the same question a bit ago

[Kai]

Cheers all

[Kai]

Well i have just managed to find a 10ft section of yellow gas pipe of around 8 inches diameter.

Do you think this will work

[centroid]

Well i have just managed to find a 10ft section of yellow gas pipe of around 8 inches diameter.

Do you think this will work

I assume that means the 'plastic' variety, in which case, unless to intend to fll it with concrete, its unlikley to make a suitable pier IMO.

My own pier, is 6" dia steel tube, with a 1/4" wall thickness, and supports a Meade Superwedege (much modified), a 10" LX200GPS, an ED80 'piggy-backed', and 7kg of balance weights.

Vibration has never been a problem.

BTW, my pier isn't sunk into the concrete base, but is bolted to it, with four 'Rag Bolts', set into the concrete base.

You can see a piccy on my web-site: http://uk.geocities.com/daves.astronomy@btinternet.com

Dave

[Kai]

Dave

I am planning on sinking the pipe into the ground by around 3ft.This will be into a concrete "plug" around 3ft x 3ft by 4ft deep.I will then fill the tube with more concrete level to the top.

With any luck then i will then set some 10mm studding into the wet concrete ready for the pier adaptor.

I recon this should be solid enought.

[centroid]

With any luck then i will then set some 10mm studding into the wet concrete ready for the pier adaptor.

I recon this should be solid enought.

Sounds pretty good to me Kai.

P.S. don't forget to use a 'template' of the pier adapter, when setting the 'studding into the wet concrete

Dave

[geppetto]

Do you think this will work

Perfect for the job mate...

If you can get some from a builders merchant, stick some lengths

of rebar (the rusty iron rod they reinforce concrete with) into the concrete for added strength..

OK, which small town now has no gas supply :whip2:

[Kai]

OK, which small town now has no gas supply :whip2:

:laughing3: I am saying nothing

[canuck]

Try here:

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1275

I found it very useful in designing my pier and the concrete base. I aligned the pier last night, and will hopefully drill the bolts in this week. The plan is to begin building around it next weekend.

[Kai]

Cheers for that