Pier and Preview

[ollypenrice]

It's too hot for doing concrete!!!  But fortunately there wasn't much to do - just fill the preformed concrete pillar segments which were glued together and to the floor.

Using its foam case allowed me to estimate the 14 inch Meade's size and snug fit within an existing roll off. It will ride on a plate supported by five short lengths of threaded bar to be epoxy resined into the concrete pier when hard. This will mean the scope will be at almost exactly this height, leaving a couple of centimetres clearance for the roof.

You can use PVC or cardboard tube to cast a concrete pier but this proved to be a nice easy method, if a bit more costly, because the formed cylinders just stayed put without support once I'd used epoxy to set them together. Four lengths of rebar go up from the ground into the concrete.

Using the foam box at this stage is rather easier than using the scope itself... 

Olly 

 

[Peter Drew]

Looking good Olly, the big Meades are certainly more stable on a pier and in the alt-az mode. 

[ollypenrice]

33 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Looking good Olly, the big Meades are certainly more stable on a pier and in the alt-az mode. 

Thanks Peter. I may be back to draw on your considerable SCT expertise when it comes to getting this beast working!

Olly

[steppenwolf]

Looks good and solid, Olly - using the foam casing was a neat idea!