Pier on wheels?

[Steve Clay]

Anybody built a pier on wheels?

If so any pics or ideas most welcome.

Steve

[CraigT82]

Skywatcher do one, needs a bit of fettling to work at its best (like most SW stuff) but not bad at all for the money.

I've cut mine down for use with newts, added stainless fixings and larger castors to roll better over rough tarmac Also filled the tube with expanding foam 

I've used it for DSO imaging, 20 min exposures at 1200mm with no vibrations and I'm only about 50m from a heavily trafficked main road. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/skywatcher-pillar-mount-support-for-heq5-eq6-series-mounts.html

 

[Steve Clay]

8 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Skywatcher do one, needs a bit of fettling to work at its best (like most SW stuff) but not bad at all for the money.

I've cut mine down for use with newts, added stainless fixings and larger castors to roll better over rough tarmac Also filled the tube with expanding foam 

I've used it for DSO imaging, 20 min exposures at 1200mm with no vibrations and I'm only about 50m from a heavily trafficked main road. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/skywatcher-pillar-mount-support-for-heq5-eq6-series-mounts.html

 

Yes seen those. I've been donated a 1.2m steel tube welded to a 1x1 m flat base. I was thinking of bolting it to a pallet on wheels then forming some sides about 30 cm high and making a concrete slab. Then fill the tube with concrete as well. Then weld a plate on top and fit an eq6 extension pillar.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Steve Clay

[CraigT82]

4 minutes ago, Steve Clay said:

Yes seen those. I've been donated a 1.2m steel tube welded to a 1x1 m flat base. I was thinking of bolting it to a pallet on wheels then forming some sides about 30 cm high and making a concrete slab. Then fill the tube with concrete as well. Then weld a plate on top and fit an eq6 extension pillar.

Ah ok,  how much would that all weigh? Would you be able to move it?! 

[Steve Clay]

4 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Ah ok,  how much would that all weigh? Would you be able to move it?! 

Would be pretty heavy. Would only need to roll around a 3x3m patio.

[Peter Drew]

I have 17", 20" and 30" Dobsonians on wheels so don't see why not a pier.  The wheels need to be a decent size and of course able to take the weight.  You will also need some form of adjustable stabilisers.     🙂

[CraigT82]

13 hours ago, Steve Clay said:

Would be pretty heavy. Would only need to roll around a 3x3m patio.

I think it would be extremely heavy... 1m x1m x 0.3m concrete slab would weigh 800kg, plus the concrete filled pier and all the kit on it you're looking at around 1000kg! 

[Tiny Clanger]

31 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

I think it would be extremely heavy... 1m x1m x 0.3m concrete slab would weigh 800kg, plus the concrete filled pier and all the kit on it you're looking at around 1000kg! 

Just to get an idea of what 800 kg plus might need by way of wheels (and the not so far mentioned strength of supporting patio slabs and base material below them ... ) I just searched 'Ford KA in kg' and plenty of results came up ranging  from 870kg to 120 kg.

[Steve Clay]

4 hours ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Just to get an idea of what 800 kg plus might need by way of wheels (and the not so far mentioned strength of supporting patio slabs and base material below them ... ) I just searched 'Ford KA in kg' and plenty of results came up ranging  from 870kg to 120 kg.

Probably not such a great idea then🤔

[Rusted]

Forget about concrete. My avatar shows my wheeled pier.

Far too heavy to lift even without the Fullerscopes MkIV on top.

 

[Peter Drew]

Do you need any concrete at all?.  A stout metal pipe with three legs and three wheels could be all you need.  An EQ6 doesn't suggest a particularly heavy telescope and "rolling around on a patio" doesn't suggest astrophotography.     🙂

[Rusted]

Here you go: It weighs a ton! Far too top heavy to move safely.
I needed mobility because of the trees, high hedges and shrubs.

Don't use pneumatic tires for a pier!
I bought replacement, puncture free wheels, for sack trucks. Hard, solid rubber.
The jacks are from standard, pilot wheels for car trailers.

That's my DIY, 7" f/12 R35, iStar refractor aboard the MkIV.

 

 

[Steve Clay]

2 hours ago, Rusted said:

Here you go: It weighs a ton! Far too top heavy to move safely.
I needed mobility because of the trees, high hedges and shrubs.

Don't use pneumatic tires for a pier!
I bought replacement, puncture free wheels, for sack trucks. Hard, solid rubber.
The jacks are from standard, pilot wheels for car trailers.

That's my DIY, 7" f/12 R35, iStar refractor aboard the MkIV.

 

 

Love it. It's given me some inspiration.

Thanks for sharing

Steve