Keeping gear within reach

[westmarch]

Every time I need something - eyepiece, star map, etc. - it's either just out of reach or swinging the dob around knocks over the gear table.

I've just cannibalised a folding chair to make a table that moves with the mount. It clips to the turntable with some pipe saddles. 

John

 

Edited May 23, 2017 by westmarch

[JOC]

That's neat, as a possible adaptation I might be tempted to put a anti-slip mat on the suface, and maybe a couple of rubber door stops to stop your box of expensive EP's from falling off if you accidentally nudge them

 

Edit:  just spotted little ledge in the second and third pictures

Edited May 23, 2017 by JOC

[Rollageyder]

That looks very neat. Having just purchased my first telescope I’ve been pondering how to organise myself when observing the night sky. Especially during the more blustery sessions.

[westmarch]

6 hours ago, JOC said:

That's neat, as a possible adaptation I might be tempted to put a anti-slip mat on the suface, and maybe a couple of rubber door stops to stop your box of expensive EP's from falling off if you accidentally nudge them

 

Edit:  just spotted little ledge in the second and third pictures

It's a fair point though!  I think I have some anti-slip mat - belt and braces, eh! 

John

Quote

 

 

[JOC]

22 minutes ago, westmarch said:

belt and braces, eh!

If you are into belt and braces have you checked that the weight of the box lid won't pull the box over backwards if you take out some of the heavy EP's?  I've noticed that mine gets a little backwardly heavy when I take the weight out of the box.

Edited May 23, 2017 by JOC

[westmarch]

Thanks for that.   I've tried pushing it to simulate wind and it seems stable even when all the eyepieces are removed.

John

[JOC]

Excellent, seems like you have all the bases covered.  I like it a lot.

[Rollageyder]

15 hours ago, westmarch said:

Thanks for that.   I've tried pushing it to simulate wind and it seems stable even when all the eyepieces are removed.

John

That's good to know. I'm going to attemot to build something similar the weekend, if I can find something in the garage that I can use.

[westmarch]

59 minutes ago, Rollageyder said:

That's good to know. I'm going to attemot to build something similar the weekend, if I can find something in the garage that I can use.

Good Luck!  I'm off to the Yorkshire Moors tonight to try it out.

John

[Rollageyder]

1 hour ago, westmarch said:

Good Luck!  I'm off to the Yorkshire Moors tonight to try it out.

John

Thanks. I'd be interested to hear how it works in the field.

[westmarch]

22 hours ago, Rollageyder said:

Thanks. I'd be interested to hear how it works in the field.

Worked a dream!  I also added a removable lecturn to hold my iPad/Sky Atlas. My table is now just for my flask and biscuits. 

Edited May 25, 2017 by westmarch

[Rollageyder]

On 5/25/2017 at 12:02, westmarch said:

Worked a dream!  I also added a removable lecturn to hold my iPad/Sky Atlas. My table is now just for my flask and biscuits. 

That's brilliant! Thanks for sharing the results with me and I appreciate the photos. It gives me a good idea of what I need to achieve.

[N3ptune]

Nice custom setup (: I see you can put a paper atlas too over the Ipad too.  But wait, you have a flask there? I would fall asleep in no time.