Is this a stupid idea??

[jonnydreads]

[John]

No, it's a good idea. Adding weight to the centre of the tripod increases stability.

 

[domstar]

Probably best not to wear sandals or flip-flops if you decide to do a bit of visual, though.

[DaveS]

However, if the weight is hanging free then it could impart vibration to the rest of the system. I might be thinking of something like a bag of sand hanging from straps and just touching the ground.

[jonnydreads]

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

However, if the weight is hanging free then it could impart vibration to the rest of the system. I might be thinking of something like a bag of sand hanging from straps and just touching the ground.

Ye good point..... ?

[RT65CB-SWL]

I used to know someone that used one of these corkscrew 'thingies'  (that keep your pet dog, cat, alligator, crocodile, etc., close by when on a leash), with bungee cord or ratchet straps and wrapped around the tripod leg spreaders when on grass/lawn.

 

OK! so the 'pet' alligator and crocodile are a bit too extreme... 

   

[laser_jock99]

A bucket of water or wet sand is safer/heavier.

[Sunshine]

21st century technology made better by.....the garden stone!

[RT65CB-SWL]

1 minute ago, laser_jock99 said:

A bucket of water or wet sand is safer/heavier.

It's safer than a 'pet' alligator or crocodile! 

[vlaiv]

I don't get the potatoes on leg spreader. Is that a quick snack for observing session or?

[Starlight 1]

A church bell will work but you may not have to many friends on a windy night. LOL

[RT65CB-SWL]

37 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

I don't get the potatoes on leg spreader. Is that a quick snack for observing session or?

There for the BBQ! - yum! jacket potatoes... now there's an idea for supper!

[Phil Fargaze]

28 minutes ago, Philip R said:

I used to know someone that used one of these corkscrew 'thingies'  (that keep your pet dog, cat, alligator, crocodile, etc., close by when on a leash), with bungee cord or ratchet straps and wrapped around the tripod leg spreaders when on grass/lawn.

 

OK! so the 'pet' alligator and crocodile are a bit too extreme... 

   

Yep I do that myself when it's windy and I've got the scope and tripod at a star party.

[paraman]

34 minutes ago, Philip R said:

I used to know someone that used one of these corkscrew 'thingies'  (that keep your pet dog, cat, alligator, crocodile, etc., close by when on a leash), with bungee cord or ratchet straps and wrapped around the tripod leg spreaders when on grass/lawn.

 

OK! so the 'pet' alligator and crocodile are a bit too extreme... 

   

Crocodile sir? certainly sir. I'll make it snappy.

[Paz]

Weights are a good idea, I put a 5kg counter weight on the spreader  tray under my Porta 2 sometimes  and it helps. A couple of other things that may be beneficial vibration wise are dropping the tripod legs down as short as they will go and putting the tripod feet on grass (if your paving stones are anything like as wobbly as mine).

[Carbon Brush]

On holiday, I have been known to hoard water bottles.
Not to save the planet from plastic - my use predates this scheme.
Filled with sand, or sea water and hanging from the flimsy lightweight tripod made necessary by the luggage allowance.

[jonnydreads]

3 hours ago, Paz said:

Weights are a good idea, I put a 5kg counter weight on the spreader  tray under my Porta 2 sometimes  and it helps. A couple of other things that may be beneficial vibration wise are dropping the tripod legs down as short as they will go and putting the tripod feet on grass (if your paving stones are anything like as wobbly as mine).

I was considering this but wondered if it sank it would mess up my alignment??

[RT65CB-SWL]

1 minute ago, jonnydreads said:

I was considering this but wondered if it sank it would mess up my alignment??

Place some jar lids or syrup, custard powder tins, etc., furniture castor cups, underneath the feet and if they a spiked, drill a hole through them. Any of those items I mentioned should stop it sinking on soft ground. I use three lids from Jaffa Cakes tubes and I place one under each foot of my camera tripod when it is on grass, sand, shingle, etc. ?

Better still... mark three areas on your grass lawn and replace with a paving slab if it is a heavyweight.

[Buzzard75]

I did this on my lightweight camera tripod. I hung my gear bag, full of all the stuff I wasn't using, from a hook on the bottom so that it was just touching the ground. The tripod actually came with a hook just for that purpose.

[Paz]

1 hour ago, jonnydreads said:

I was considering this but wondered if it sank it would mess up my alignment??

I will need to leave that to astronomy photography colleagues to answer. Being visual only I just plonk my mount down roughly aligned to north and carry on!

[cletrac1922]

Perhaps a counter weight on top of the tray, instead of the rocks

The rod will go through the hole of the counterweight, and be more stable, and not introduce vibration, as mention in previous comments

[JamesF]

I always used to use a few stones in the tray with my EQ3-2.  I don't know why I've never thought of it before, but I have just remembered that I have a few weights from long-case clocks lying about somewhere.  They would probably work quite nicely too.  I think they're mostly lead.

James

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

Obviously a spudding ? astrophotographer in the making  If I could "chip in" and ask what is the box like structure on top of the scope looks like a deep fat fryer? Or guide scope? 

No on a serious note I also find using 2 weights and having the eyepiece facing up with camera on top better for guiding. Every time I have changed it and tried again it's got worse. 

Cheers 

Gerry

[Rick Spencer]

37 minutes ago, Gerry Casa Christiana said:

If I could "chip in" and ask what is the box like structure on top of the scope looks like a deep fat fryer? Or guide scope? 

Cheers 

Gerry

I think it's a Telrad