DIY Vibration damping

[Hugechris]

Hi has anyone taken a look at using Washing Machine Tumble Dryer Anti-Vibration dampers as a cost effective means (typical cost ~£5 for a set of 4) for cutting those vibrations. These are not the layered dampers one gets tuned to absorb the typical oscilation modes of your tripod etc, but for 10% of the cost could well be worth a look.

[wrinkly]

Possibly worth a try but finding difficulties in locating a four legged tripod.

On the other hand, if the oscillation emanates from the OTA, then would it have any effect?

[Stephen]

Washing machine vibration suppression pads are not really suitable for this purpose.

They are designed to suppress large heavy motion (which they do well!)

The more expensive tripod suppression pads are designed to filter out small vibrations (such as you walking around the mount.)

[Hugechris]

Washing machine vibration suppression pads are not really suitable for this purpose.

They are designed to suppress large heavy motion (which they do well!)

The more expensive tripod suppression pads are designed to filter out small vibrations (such as you walking around the mount.)

This was my suspicion about the frequency range that might be damped. For £5 am willing to put it to the test and post back with the empirical study.

[Hugechris]

Possibly worth a try but finding difficulties in locating a four legged tripod.

On the other hand, if the oscillation emanates from the OTA, then would it have any effect?

If the oscillation come from the OTA then even the expensive ones would have some issue damping those, would need to spend a good bit of money to get rid if them. Noit too concerned with my 6SE though.

Hope we get some good view in our neck of the woods - next week is looking promising.

[Ohmless]

I just made my own that were cheaper than what you were pondering. I filled 3 peanut butter lids about 1cm deep with silicon sealer. After a week, I put in another layer and in another week another layer. then I put 1" pvc end caps for the tripod tips to go into. I then glued pencil eraser onto the top and bottom of them. Works very well for my 4" refractor.

[Hugechris]

I just made my own that were cheaper than what you were pondering. I filled 3 peanut butter lids about 1cm deep with silicon sealer. After a week, I put in another layer and in another week another layer. then I put 1" pvc end caps for the tripod tips to go into. I then glued pencil eraser onto the top and bottom of them. Works very well for my 4" refractor.

Thanks, sounds interesting, getting the number of layers right is crucial to get the optimum damping, though anything when on a stone base anything is better than nothing.

I think it would be great to have a sticky thread with some of good DIY designs for this site.

[billhinge]

Vibration is an issue for golden eared audiophiles who believe it induces noise in capacitors. You can buy blocks of sorbathane for putting under audio equipment from high end audio places or ebay

I bought 4 blocks and put them between my losmandy dovetail plate and my C11 OTA to damp tube vibrations. Works for me

(using C11 on CG5-ASGT)

(keep meaning to put blutak in my CG5's unused cavities - another hifi trick)

[John]

I use the "expensive" (£15 used) Meade anti-vibration pads. They don't eliminate vibrations entirely but any vibrations that do start, whether from the scope or the surrounding area, die down much more quickly - around 3x faster by my measurements. Thats well worth £5 a tripod leg to me

[Nibor]

Vibration is an issue for golden eared audiophiles who believe it induces noise in capacitors. You can buy blocks of sorbathane for putting under audio equipment from high end audio places or ebay

I bought 4 blocks and put them between my losmandy dovetail plate and my C11 OTA to damp tube vibrations. Works for me

(using C11 on CG5-ASGT)

(keep meaning to put blutak in my CG5's unused cavities - another hifi trick)

A "google" on Sorbathane brings up heel cushions - any mileage here??

I observe from a balcony and have to move around very gently - I could do with some anti vibration system.