Advice on Pier Adapter Build

[petejw]

Just building my pier adapter for my HEQ5 Mount. Ive see a lot of discussions about avoiding the "rat cage" and the need to keep any bolts between the top of the pier and the mount as short as possible. I've also seen discussions about whether it is necessary to ensure that the top of the pier is level.

I've attached a picture of my current pier head build which used a couple of brake discs. The top disc is bolted to the mount using a 10mm bolt and the bottom plate is bolted to pier. the two discs are then bolted together.

Is this design workable? I think I must be missing something as I cannot see any need for a rat cage in the first place if it is not necessary to level the top of the pier or the mount is not being removed from the pier regularly.

[Anthonyexmouth]

I built mine with 16mm stainless rod with every intention of placing a steel tube between the top and middle plate to stop any vibration. As it turns out there isn't and  as such i still have the tube sat on the bench. maybe it'll go in one day when i strip it down for servicing. plan is/was to make a steel box for the lower section for the usb/12v/240v/cat6 sockets but once again, its working and the thought of taking it all apart again is a job for another day. if you find there is movement you can always sleeve the threaded bar with steel pipe and clamp down on that to add stiffness

 

[petejw]

Hi Anthony

Interesting pictures, what height is your kit say from the bottom of the pier to the bottom of the mount?

I'm looking at about 1 meter for mine and was going to attach power, usb etc to the front of the pier. I wasn't planning on anything between the top of the pier and the bottom of the mount, just the brake discs. I am trying to understand why people use the threaded bolts. Is it just to gain the extra height? I am worried that if go with my planned design I will be missing something.

Cheers 

Pete

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

15 minutes ago, petejw said:

Hi Anthony

Interesting pictures, what height is your kit say from the bottom of the pier to the bottom of the mount?

I'm looking at about 1 meter for mine and was going to attach power, usb etc to the front of the pier. I wasn't planning on anything between the top of the pier and the bottom of the mount, just the brake discs. I am trying to understand why people use the threaded bolts. Is it just to gain the extra height? I am worried that if go with my planned design I will be missing something.

Cheers 

Pete

 

Well for me, it gives me flexibility. the middle plate can be changed to accommodate a different pattern adapter if i ever change mounts. 

pier has all the cable routed through the middle and back to my workshop. 12v/240v/usb/cat6

height, pier is 900 high and i think its about 1300 to the bottom of the heq5

[Kev M]

Another advantage is if you get the height wrong or need a different height later its a lot easier to adjust the rods than the pier itself !

[Anthonyexmouth]

the way i set my height up is when the scope is level with the horizon the eye piece is at eye level. that way if i ever wanted to do any visual it would be comfortable from a stool/chair. i doubt i ever will do any visual though, i mean, its 2019 not 1919? i could drop the adapter flush with the middle plate if i wanted or could be bothered. 

[petejw]

Thanks for info everyone, I had planned for future expansion by building a 300 mm diameter pier but hadn't given any thought of different pier adapter if I upgraded the scope. I can also see the advantage of being able to easily tweak the height of the pier if needed. I don't plan to do visuals directly from the scope either. The plan is to run by remote from the house. 

Anthony,

How far is your run from the workshop to the scope are you using usb or ethernet - my scope is going to be about 40 meters from the house which is too far for usb, I am ok for power but haven't decided whether to run a long ethernet cable or a wireless solution. Probably going to have a small laptop or PC at the scope end

[Anthonyexmouth]

8 hours ago, petejw said:

Thanks for info everyone, I had planned for future expansion by building a 300 mm diameter pier but hadn't given any thought of different pier adapter if I upgraded the scope. I can also see the advantage of being able to easily tweak the height of the pier if needed. I don't plan to do visuals directly from the scope either. The plan is to run by remote from the house. 

Anthony,

How far is your run from the workshop to the scope are you using usb or ethernet - my scope is going to be about 40 meters from the house which is too far for usb, I am ok for power but haven't decided whether to run a long ethernet cable or a wireless solution. Probably going to have a small laptop or PC at the scope end

the 12v and 240v and cat6 ( not being used yet but there just in case ) is only about 7 metres to the workshop, the usb at the moment comes the other direction towards the house and is 15m.

i would definitely lay cat6 if you can.