Yet another pier build....

[Bigdaddyjeff]

My brand spanking new NEQ6 is sitting in the shed waiting for some outside air. Due to snow,wind,rain and any other type of inconvenient UK weather i'm finding it very difficult to get out with it,coupled together with hard days graft at work and putting young ones to bed i'm too tired to even think about setting up,polar aligning then waiting for the clouds to disperse!!

so....

If i take the main set up out of the equation then 'all' i have to do is mount the tube and off we go

So here my DIY concrete pier escapade begins!

Permission off the boss was granted(new fencing one side of the garden to open negotiation) so what can i do with a few extra shovels of sand and cement....

Managed to get some gas mains ...yes thats right guys....Gas Mains pipe from a site i'm working on. 310mm diameter and 20mm thick so i think its going to be sturdy enough!! Been loitering around many threads in relation to pier adapters and plates and have decided to go the same way as Earth Titan went and to keep it as simple as possible.....use what i have already,so will be obtaining myself some threaded bar and a top plate for mounting the tripod head onto but also keeping it as low as possible to the pier top.

As soon as the weather baits(probably June if we're lucky) i will post some pics and updates.

Many thanks for taking the time to read and if anyone has any other advice or criticism then i'm more than happy to listen as i regard the wealth of knowledge offered by members on SGL as invaluable and imeasurable.

Wishing you all clear skies

Gaz

[Bizibilder]

Sounds good - that tube shoud be big enough!

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Hopefully Roger...it may well be slight 'over kill' with the tube but it was going to waste and i thought i could use it so why not

[earth titan]

Hi Gaz.

Sounds good.

When I made mine, I made it with the top section on the HEQ5, rather than the 6. I'm sure you can do the same with it though!

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Hi Tom

Didnt realise it was the HEQ5 but im sure the NEQ6 will come apart in the same way....i'll have to check when i get chance

Gaz

[Astro_Gaz]

This is also my project for the summer, planning permition from the boss is the hardest task lol

[Bigdaddyjeff]

The new fence was my trump card

[earth titan]

This is also my project for the summer, planning permition from the boss is the hardest task lol

Agreed. I have so many 'honey do' jobs now, I need a list extension!

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Some development on the build today,was outside concreting the fence posts so thought i could use a few 'spare' barrows of concrete to get the pier in. Dug the hole out (800mmx800mmx300mm) then dug another hole within that (450mmx450mmx300xx) to form the base for the pier. Cut the pipe to size,well oversized it so i can cut it again when i'm happy with the height i want. Drilled 4 holes to pass some re-bar through so the concrete could hold tight with the reinforcement,i also scored the bottom of the pipe with the grinder to allow the concrete to bind to the pipe a little too. I cut 4 old golf clubs up to put into tthe ground within the smaller hole to act as some vertical reinforcement too(well they certainly weren't helping me out on the course!!!) With all the re-bar in place i placed the pipe into tthe hole then started cementing it all in. The base is all done and the pipe has cement within it but only just to above the height as the base, i will fill it to the top once i know where the top will be.

hole dug out with upright reinforcement

pipe cut to size (still plenty for another pier if anyone would like it?????)

reinforcement passed through the bottom of the pipe

pipe in situe and ready for concrete to be poured

attachment=84687:DSCF0156.JPG]

pier concreted in and levelled,timber to hold it level whilst the concrete sets

[Ludd]

Hmm, looking good. That's a fantastic bit of gas mains there. If i was nearer to the W Mids I'd be interested in picking up the offcuts, but then I'm not very far advanced with negotiations over a pier, so it's probably just as well that I'm too far away.

[keithatrochdale]

There are other designs too, this rests on a 3' x 2' paving slab;

And another one, they damp vibration well

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Hmm, looking good. That's a fantastic bit of gas mains there. If i was nearer to the W Mids I'd be interested in picking up the offcuts, but then I'm not very far advanced with negotiations over a pier, so it's probably just as well that I'm too far away.

There wouldn't need to be any negotiations Ludd,as long as you can get it back safely it's all yours

There are other designs too, this rests on a 3' x 2' paving slab;

And another one, they damp vibration well

Nice one Keith,i'm a firm believer in making use of the things that you have to hand or you can obtain for as cheap as chips......and if it works then stick with it

[Pitbull]

Great job, is that spare piece of pipe still available?

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Great job, is that spare piece of pipe still available?

As long as Ludd doesn't want it it's all yours pitbull

[Pitbull]

As long as Ludd doesn't want it it's all yours pitbull

Great give me a shout if it is, I work in West Brom so can call through and collect.

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Great give me a shout if it is, I work in West Brom so can call through and collect.

Ok mate will do,the cut off is between 2.6 and 3m long...i can measure to get it precise for you.

[Ludd]

Thanks very much for bearing me in mind, but the likelihood of me getting a green light to plonk this in the garden is sadly so remote that you can count me out. And it makes more sense for something like this to make the short trip from Wednesbury to W Brom than for it to get lugged down to London.

[Pitbull]

Thanks for responding Ludd

PM sent Gaz.

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Thanks very much for bearing me in mind, but the likelihood of me getting a green light to plonk this in the garden is sadly so remote that you can count me out. And it makes more sense for something like this to make the short trip from Wednesbury to W Brom than for it to get lugged down to London.

No problem at all Ludd,was only fair as you'd shown initial interest...good luck with getting the permission though....i have plenty ideas and tips to help if you need them

Thanks for responding Ludd

PM sent Gaz.

Ok pitbull,will reply as soon as this is posted

[Ludd]

No problem at all Ludd,was only fair as you'd shown initial interest...good luck with getting the permission though....i have plenty ideas and tips to help if you need them

Hmm, I've already put up a whole new fence and a pergola and have planted out a mini orchard, so I can't use those as bargaining chips to get permission. Maybe if I offer to re-lay the garden path, that might involve a bit of leftover concrete as well...

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Hmm, I've already put up a whole new fence and a pergola and have planted out a mini orchard, so I can't use those as bargaining chips to get permission. Maybe if I offer to re-lay the garden path, that might involve a bit of leftover concrete as well...

I'd say all the work you've already done has acrued you enough 'brownie points' for a small personal project

[Ludd]

Yebbut... I've come to realise that, while brownie points are worth winning, they have a limited shelf life and if you don't cash them in quickly enough it is assumed that the backbreaking work of replacing a fence, building a pergola etc is something you'd always wanted to do.

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Yebbut... I've come to realise that, while brownie points are worth winning, they have a limited shelf life and if you don't cash them in quickly enough it is assumed that the backbreaking work of replacing a fence, building a pergola etc is something you'd always wanted to do.

This is where the 'shelf life' needs to be determined and agreed by both parties.....i think 10 years is an adequate shelf life for any task carried out against our 'true' will!!

[Ludd]

Ten years!!?? I reckon anything I haven't cashed in within 3 months is probably worthless. Maybe I should explore the concept a bit further and see if I can get my old brownie points recognised as legal tender.

[Bigdaddyjeff]

Citizens Advice is open until 5.30