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Tenuous 'planning permission' granted for a pier


Swoop1

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I was sat in the garden with Dearly Beloved yesterday afternoon, enjoying a beer after mowing the lawn and, during conversation about what we would get then Rich Brothers or Charlie Dimmock to do in our garden if we were that way inclined I mentioned that whatever we did, I would have to be careful about where to position my pier.

Dearly Beloved asked where it would need to go and I explained where the best position was likely to be an why.

She said that my chosen location wasn't a problem in a way that sounded like it wasn't just a pipe dream!

Now to work out what I want.....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tenuous planning permission has now progressed to requiring submission of plans for approval.

The planning guidlines are that it may not be sited in the middle of the garden (unless it can be disguised as something else when not in use- bird feed station etc.)

It may be sited at the garden boundary (I have a site selected as a possible at the Nort North West side of the lawn, relatively adjacent to a little patio with a small garden table and a pair of chairs).

Not breeze blocks (though she hasn't seen any examples of the Todmorden pier yet).

Anyone out there got some pictures they can add to this thread as examples of non intrusive looking piers I can show?

Thanks.

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That's amazing. I always planned for a roll off roof obsi, but putting a small desk in the existing shed and the bird house idea looks brilliant!..... until I upgrade to a 16" dobsonian 🤔😂

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The situation has progressed quite significantly. The Management spent some time on her laptop today searching for acceptable pre fabricated piers 😃

One that was acceptable and would have been ordered were it in stock was the Explore Scientific Pier for EQ5 mount.

I might have to look for plans and approach a local engineering firm for a quote.

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35 minutes ago, Swoop1 said:

Explore Scientific Pier for EQ5 mount.

Looks easy enough to replicate, could even add some wrought iron design to it. The main thing is getting the mount plate right.

 If I had the material I would start having silly ideas my Mrs would hate.

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Am I right in thinking that the elongated holes in a pier mounting plate need to have an arc that centres on the bolt centre diameter of the mouts adapter plate to allow for fine tuning the polar axis?

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It looks like I have sourced a pre loved Altair Astro (or similar) 8" observatory pier which is minus its top plate. I am sure I can get one of these knocked up at a local engineering works (or maybe go down the convert a brake disc route) so, just need to get my hands on it and acquire the rest of the materials (concrete, threaded rod, nuts, washers, hole in the ground) and I can make a start!

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Brilliant news, soon you'll be on your way to two observatories, one for solar and one for night time observations,  lol. I started with a pier several years ago, just finished the solar shed now planning the obsy for night time, lol.

IMG_20200416_150231.thumb.jpg.4b6a733699394863f0be5e3465c15943.jpg

IMG_20200416_150209.thumb.jpg.6542e247cf87739b76e105769ff6fdc4.jpg

Edited by Nigella Bryant
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I now need to decide the best place to position the pier.

The first image is from the bedroom window showing the two potential spots- A and B.

The following 4 images are the view North, East, South and West from A with the view west very elevated in comparison to N,E and S.

The final 4 images are N, S, E and W from location B.

Moving the clothes line isn't on the agenda.

What are your thoughts on the best spot. The range of obstruction to view from the locations is between 2 and 3 clenched fists.

One of the street lights that affect my observing is visible in the images. The other I have indicated above it

1097459742_DSC01478_LI(2).thumb.jpg.3e776027684095b128fd7d89b6b618dd.jpg

View from point A

DSC01470.thumb.JPG.05c73fb16282b269f17b99485a59653a.JPG

DSC01471.thumb.JPG.ee2fc9205b1deb98c6e517ec1b00bd7f.JPG

DSC01472.thumb.JPG.595deb7590c559a1e2a1fff6218300fd.JPG

                                                                                                                                                Street Light below v

DSC01473.thumb.JPG.30b35c945cf573b690a4a50dc590a104.JPG

See next post for view from point B

 

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I've found the best is to get the greatest South,South East or South, South West you can get. Mine is South East, South . Everything else is a bonus. Also view of the pole star is in my mind essential for polar alignment.

Edited by Nigella Bryant
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  • 3 weeks later...

Pier paid for (got to arrange collection). Once I have it, I'll try some dry placing to see how it looks then, once my back has recovered from another day of repointing patio slabs, I will dig a hole.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Planning how to fix the pier.

If I go for threaded bar set into the wet concrete, how deep should I go wit the rod?

If I decide to drill and use resin bonding, how deep should I drill?

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