Pier plate for CG-5

[Tinners]

I'm intending to build a pier top plate to connect a CG-5 mount (Not yet bought) permanently to a 150mm steel pipe. Has anyone come across a dimensioned drawing on the web or can provide an idea of the sizes required to fit the bottom of the mount then i would be very much indebted.[/]

[Tinners]

This is similar to a commercial pier plate found on the web. The base size I'm guessing can be any size but 6" to 8" dia seems to be the norm. Still no closer to the elusive internal diameter but I guess the external diameter is not critical because the mount just sits on the ridge? Still no idea about the height...

[haitch]

Here's some photos of mine with a ruler across.

Base of mount

(click to enlarge)

Head of Tripod

(click to enlarge)

Essentially the head of the tripod where it meets the mount is pretty much flat with just a pin sticking up for the Az adjustment bolts to tighten against when polar aligning.

Hope that helps

[Tinners]

Very much so. I couldn't find even one picture of the base of the mount on the web yesterday.

Give that most, if not all, commercial pier plates have some sort of extrusion, one could be forgiven in thinking the base of the mount had some sort of socket that needed accommodating. I hadn't appreciated that the base was actually flat !

So your basically saying that I just need a plate with a 10mm hole in it.

[haitch]

I'll double check all that with the mount & Tripod together (they are stored separately at the moment).

[haitch]

Actually, see that central circle on the mount? That drops inside the indentation on the tripod then the outer circle rests on the flat part (where you can see scratches). The inner circle is 5.8cm diameter and need projects around 2cm (the indentation is deeper than that). You could achieve that with something as in your picture or by making the disc at least 2cm thick cutting the 5.8cm hole out and having a 2nd plate below for the mounting bolt to go through.

Sorry for my wrong assumption before - one too many glasses of wine last night.

NB all my measurements are approximate and taken using freebie rulers.

Here's a clearer picture showing it a little more 3D.

(click to enlarge)

[Tinners]

Excellent pictures. Thank you.

Now I know what to to get scrap metal wise - i'll let you know how i get on with it.

[Steve Kent]

There is a chap on this forum that already builds this kind of thing, try this link....

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,30262.0.html

[Tinners]

Aye I was the first thing I came across at the start of many hours searching.

But the truth of the matter is that I don't have £100+ to spend on such a fine bit of metal.(Sry gary)

I hope to get away with sub £10 - at least I can start looking for metal now I have the right

sort of sizes.

[haitch]

Aye I was the first thing I came across at the start of many hours searching.

But the truth of the matter is that I don't have £100+ to spend on such a fine bit of metal.(Sry gary)

I hope to get away with sub £10 - at least I can start looking for metal now I have the right

sort of sizes.

I don't suppose may of us would be here in DIY astronomy if we'd got the money to throw at it.

I'd love to go out and buy the biggest Takahashi I could find but at least with some DIY I won't end up with a Tasco!