Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

Finally getting around to putting a pier in


Starflyer

Recommended Posts

I thought I'd share a few pics of my pier installation.  It's just a concrete slab at the moment but the pier should be finished and ready to be bolted down in a couple of weeks.

Does anyone have a cheap source of chemical anchors?  I found this kit on eBay, does this look okay, or are their cheaper / better options out there?

post-1103-0-03207100-1440071144_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-90033600-1440071151_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-92579200-1440071164_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-87228700-1440071181_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-78826700-1440071191_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-74871500-1440071199_thumb.jp

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

While its a bit late since you have poured the concrete, 4 pieces of studding attached to a piece of plywood then inserted in the concrete would save the chemical anchors, the studding spaced to fit the base of your pier, nuts and washers would them allow adjustment to get the pier upright....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Will be starting my pier excations when I get back from New Zealand.

What pier are you going to use?

Sorry I don't know the source of other chemical anchors but have you tried any 'Scre Fix' shops?

Sorry for the late reply, I came back here to post an update and saw your question.  The pier was made up by a friend of mine who's a steel fabricator and I'm really really pleased with it.  It's six inch tube with a wall thickness of 5mm with the plates made from laser cut 10mm steel and M16 stainless threaded bars.  All of the steel work was galvanised and then powder coated so it should outlast me.

While its a bit late since you have poured the concrete, 4 pieces of studding attached to a piece of plywood then inserted in the concrete would save the chemical anchors, the studding spaced to fit the base of your pier, nuts and washers would them allow adjustment to get the pier upright....

I'd thought of doing this but didn't have the pier to make a template for the bolts and I wanted to get the concrete in so it had a couple of weeks to cure and dry out a bit before I started drilling into it.  If I did it again I'd get the laser cutters to make me a template :)

Cheers,

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a few pics of the pier.  I've got a few jobs to finish; cut the excess of the bolts off, fit the pier adapter, fill the remains of the hole with topsoil and re-lay the turf I removed originally.  The plan is to to have a twelve inch circle of pea gravel around it and the rest back as it was.

post-1103-0-32275900-1443797749_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-86225400-1443797762_thumb.jp

post-1103-0-38682200-1443797774_thumb.jp

Cheers,

Ian

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Another month and another progress report; the turf was re-laid and is recovering well, and the mount was fixed to the pier using a lovely anodised adapter from ebay.

I managed to get first light last week, I spent an hour drift aligning and the benefits of using a pier were evident immediately.  This thing is rock solid, I had the best guiding I've ever seen at 1200mm focal length :)

post-1103-0-75758600-1446744856_thumb.jp

This is the Crescent Nebula, 50 minutes in Ha under an almost full moon.

post-1103-0-13335900-1446744869_thumb.pn

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like this! So you just wind in the bolts and cut to size?

Regards,

Chris

Hi Chris,

You drill the holes, blow out all the dust with a bicycle pump, half fill with the supplied epoxy resin, wind the bolts into the resin to the bottom of the hole and smooth out any extra that comes out of the top of the hole.  It set rock hard within about 15 minutes, but I left it 24 hours before bolting the whole thing down.

I had too much bolt sticking out after it was finished so had to cut some off, if I did it again I'd drill down another 20mm.

Glad you like it.  I'm so happy with the design I may well get a few more made for sale on ABS.

Cheers,

Ian

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
On 06/11/2015 at 12:11, Starflyer said:

Hi Chris,

You drill the holes, blow out all the dust with a bicycle pump, half fill with the supplied epoxy resin, wind the bolts into the resin to the bottom of the hole and smooth out any extra that comes out of the top of the hole.  It set rock hard within about 15 minutes, but I left it 24 hours before bolting the whole thing down.

I had too much bolt sticking out after it was finished so had to cut some off, if I did it again I'd drill down another 20mm.

Glad you like it.  I'm so happy with the design I may well get a few more made for sale on ABS.

Cheers,

Ian

Hi Ian, sorry to drag up an old post, your pier is exactly what I am looking for, have you got a drawing or plans that you would be willing to share? Would you by chance have a link to the pier adapter on eBay if they are still making them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 24/06/2017 at 23:50, Jkulin said:

Hi Ian, sorry to drag up an old post, your pier is exactly what I am looking for, have you got a drawing or plans that you would be willing to share? Would you by chance have a link to the pier adapter on eBay if they are still making them?

You have a PM sir.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...
  • 1 month later...

Sorry to resurrect this thread again... but I had a question about fixing a flanged pier down:

How do you ensure the pier sits plumb when bolting it down? In my limited experience with concrete, it is never particularly level nor flat.

Or do you not worry to much about it and rely on the top plate to get a level surface for the mount?

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, wvrfish said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread again... but I had a question about fixing a flanged pier down:

How do you ensure the pier sits plumb when bolting it down? In my limited experience with concrete, it is never particularly level nor flat.

Or do you not worry to much about it and rely on the top plate to get a level surface for the mount?

Thanks

I think I just tamped my concrete down and it was reasonably level, I did set the wooden former level when I built it too.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/10/2022 at 15:05, wvrfish said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread again... but I had a question about fixing a flanged pier down:

How do you ensure the pier sits plumb when bolting it down? In my limited experience with concrete, it is never particularly level nor flat.

Or do you not worry to much about it and rely on the top plate to get a level surface for the mount?

Thanks

It wouldn't need to be perfectly level, 'close enough' is close enough.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.