DIY Big Binoculars mount

[Astrofriend]

Now when I have APT that control the camera it could be a bit boring when waiting. Maybe I could do some visual observations when the camera are doing automatic photographing?

I'm not a big fan of visual observation, but I recently bought a big 25x100mm binoculars and think it could be fun to have. It's very heavy and could not be handheld, I have to built a mount for it. This is something new to me so I reading forums and get ideas and figure out my own solution to it. As a first part I bought a caster wheel to have as a roller bearing. I will mount that on my second pier.

If you find it interesting you can see more details here and follow my project:
http://astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/project-big-binocular/project-big-binocular.html

/Lars

[xtreemchaos]

hi Lars, which binos did you get ?, ive a pair of fieldmasters 25x100, I have mine on a heavy duty camera tripod, but could do with something a bit more sturdy, there amazing , I find myself using them more and more for vis, there like 2 100mm fracs strapped together. charl.

[Astrofriend]

Hi,

It's the Helios, not very expensive but still it looks good when observing terestial objects daytime. Not dark enough here to test it on the sky, maybe moon. It will be exiting here too when  the dark comes in the fall again.

/Lars

[xtreemchaos]

thanks Lars, just had a look at your site, thay look to be very nice binos mate I'm sure thay will show you some fantastic sights once it gets dark enough in Sweden, that's a great idea you have for the diy mount, I might be having a go at it myself. thanks charl. ps the great orion nebula looks fantastic through large binos ,last winter I found it hard to look at anything else with mine, but the moon is like 3d the craters leap out at you.

[Peter Drew]

Hello Lars. A good plan to mount the binocular well, it makes all the difference. If you eventually go for the parallelogram mount consider reversing it as shown in your diagram. This places the counterweight at the top and the binocular at the bottom. This way you can sit behind/underneath the binocular without the pier getting in the way. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

One great advantage of a P-mount is that if you point it at something, and then want to show that object to someone smaller (or taller), just move the bins down (or up) and they still point at the same object. Very practical at outreach events

[Astrofriend]

Hello,

Thanks for all answeres and tips! Yes it will be very exiting when I for the first time can aim it to the stars.

 

This weekend I built a simple test rig to find out what dimensions I need on the arm that hold it up. It should fit tall and short people. It will only be used when standing up, it's to cold to lay down in the winter.

I think this could be very interesting when I invite people that are not too interested in astronomy. A beautiful look up there and they want to have more, or?

 

Here is the latest progress:

http://astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/project-big-binocular/project-big-binocular.html#part04

 

/Lars

[DeepSkyMan]

When it comes to mounting big bins, nothing beats a parallelogram mount, unfortunately no manufacturer that I am aware of  in the UK therefore unless you are comfortable making your own, its 'across the pond' we need to go.  I bought my TS Marine 15x85s in 2015 and immediatley invested in a parallelogram mount offering from Universal Astronomics; http://www.universalastronomics.com.  One of the best astronomy investments I have ever made, and well worth the hassle with import duties/VAT etc...

[Astrofriend]

Hi DeepSky Man,

Yes I have seen that one, looks to be very well made. I just have one arm and only using it when standing up, it's cold in Sweden at winter. It's a bit limited to 50 degree latitude, but even that will take me some years to investigate :-)

Thanks for the link!

/Lars

[BinocularSky]

Unfortunately, Larry Patriarca (the man who traded as Universal Astronomics) has retired, so no more UA stuff is being made.