Mount EQ-6 to a concrete pier - How to?

[uhb1966]

Hi all,

i have read a lot about selfmade concrete piers here. Does anybody know a good how-to to mount my Atlas EQ-G (same as EQ-6) to the concrete pier? 

As i have 2 left hands, simplicity of the solution would be greatly desired 😕 

Thanks!!

 

[uhb1966]

Found!

well you just have to ask google the right way -> if you encounter the sampe prob, see here -> http://www.astronomyforum.net/telescope-mounts-forum/98231-orion-atlas-eq-g-pier.html

 

[pete_l]

11 minutes ago, uhb1966 said:

Hi all,

i have read a lot about selfmade concrete piers here. Does anybody know a good how-to to mount my Atlas EQ-G (same as EQ-6) to the concrete pier? 

As i have 2 left hands, simplicity of the solution would be greatly desired 😕 

Thanks!!

 

Sounds like you need one of these

Lacerta Concrete Pier Adapter for Skywatcher mount EQ6 and EQ8

The idea being that you insert it into your wet concrete as you are making the pier. There are home-made versions, but as far as simplicity goes, this is probably the easiest.
 

[uhb1966]

Thanks Pete!!

[malc-c]

Or you have a local machine shop make one from two aluminium disks three sets of short studs, and three sets of long studs that is sunk into the concrete filled tube

[uhb1966]

Hi Malcolm, looks super-sturdy!  Looks like you're building a real obsy around it ! 

[malc-c]

Yes it won't budge !! - the pipe is sunk into the "standard" 1m cube of concrete, reinforced with rebar.  The 18" long studs are then sunk into the concrete filled pipe.  This is indeed in my observatory, which was built around this time some nine years ago (build thread in my signature)

[uhb1966]

On 09/06/2020 at 12:37, malc-c said:

Yes it won't budge !! - the pipe is sunk into the "standard" 1m cube of concrete, reinforced with rebar.  The 18" long studs are then sunk into the concrete filled pipe.  This is indeed in my observatory, which was built around this time some nine years ago (build thread in my signature)

Very nice! Love the photo where you're rolling the shed. I thought a lot 'bout it and will probably settle for a concrete pier with a small warm shed beside it. 

[malc-c]

Seeing that I seldom do an imaging session in the observatory these days as I remote desktop into the observatory PC I would suggest that you may not even need a shed near the mount.  You could get away with a small form factor PC and house that with a mount power supply in a small box next to the mount.  You could have the extension cable stored in the box as well so there is no need to have a permanently installed  electrical feed.  When you want to observe, open the box, reel out the cable and plug it in to the nearest 13amp outlet and away you go.  If you want to image, have a wi-fi card in the PC and remote desktop into the PC from your main PC in the comfort of your living room.

The box could be as small as 18" x 18" x 24" depending on the PC you use.  A local shop was selling HP8200 SFF (i5, 4GB Ram, 500GB HDD) for £60 inc vat which is ample to drive a scope and run the software required... 

[Gina]

Limited only by the imaging rig if you use an RPi 😀

[uhb1966]

6 hours ago, malc-c said:

Seeing that I seldom do an imaging session in the observatory these days as I remote desktop into the observatory PC I would suggest that you may not even need a shed near the mount.  You could get away with a small form factor PC and house that with a mount power supply in a small box next to the mount.  You could have the extension cable stored in the box as well so there is no need to have a permanently installed  electrical feed.  When you want to observe, open the box, reel out the cable and plug it in to the nearest 13amp outlet and away you go.  If you want to image, have a wi-fi card in the PC and remote desktop into the PC from your main PC in the comfort of your living room.

The box could be as small as 18" x 18" x 24" depending on the PC you use.  A local shop was selling HP8200 SFF (i5, 4GB Ram, 500GB HDD) for £60 inc vat which is ample to drive a scope and run the software required... 

Absolutely correct and a great idea - but then i won't have a refuge from my better half and the 3 kids 😬

Lesson learned: even if you try to go thru life straight as an arrow, sometimes even a guy like me has a "hidden agenda"! 

Edited June 12, 2020 by uhb1966

[malc-c]

Ahh... that is the one real advantage of a warm room....... but then again, is the rest of your family up at 2am?

[uhb1966]

7 hours ago, malc-c said:

Ahh... that is the one real advantage of a warm room....... but then again, is the rest of your family up at 2am?

Yep, but only in those nights when i want to do AP ...