Pier Building

[SurfingNeil]

Hi All,

I am looking at putting a patio in and well as I said to the wife I'd would be silly whilst doing this with help not to take advantage and build a pier! That would solve my mount problem I think.

Problem is anyone know of any good websites that show how to do it, the guy helping (more like providing the skills) is a very good engineer but not an astronomer. So if anyone knows of any good instructions or has built one themselves I'd love to learn from any mistakes.

Cheers

Neil

[LaVey]

gonna watch this thread with interest... will be going down this road myself later this year when the obsy project starts

[Capricorn]

Quick search:

Try these:

David's Astronomy - Observatory Design, Construction & Modifications

Astro Pier Construction

Mapug-Astronomy.net Member Products & Designs

Scroll down to permanent pier designs.

www.cloudynights.com/documents/pier.pdf

Cannot read the last as my pdf viewer is kind of dead.

[blinky]

I built one last year, it was reasonably straightforward.

I used a length of 12" Aircon ducting filled with concrete. It was sunk 3feet into the ground and surrounded by 2X2 foot of concrete. I got a pier from Gary1968 and mounted this on top. I have to say it's the best thing I have made/bought for the scope, what a diffrence it makes!

If you need any more help/advice give me a shout.

[ollypenrice]

Hi,

I taught myself to weld in order to build observatories and piers. The tricky bit is attaching the pier to the mount. I bolted flats of steel to the old tripod holes of the mount and then welded these to the central column. The EQ mounts have a height-raising semi-pier accessory and these would be a great idea. You could bolt them to a stone or concrete pier or to a welded one and the hard part (mating column to mount) would be done for you.

Some of my lousy welding can be mercilessly mocked on my website at

www.lesgrangesastro.talktalk.net

Oh - anything tubular in the mount department is best filled with sand as a damping agent.

[Jeff RV]

Should you wish to construct a steel pier.

The trick to constructing steel piers is to have everything plumb and level with accurate cuts before welding.

This is not as hard as one thinks using basic kit, as you can accurately cut a large diameter pipe for instance by using just a piece of paper as a guide along with a cheap 4" angle grinder.

The floor plate should be laid on a level and plumb surface, then the tube stood in position and checked for plumb, then just tacked all round with small welds and then fully welded, do not let to much heat work it's way through the plate though, as even 1/2" thick plate will distort and curl at corners etc.

Continuing the rest of the build in this manner will also ensure easy mounting in it's final position, and a pleasing result.

Just thought I'd add this bit of info, something to read after all.

Jeff.

[Ford Prefect]

I bought this (Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory: A Complete Guide for Design and Construction (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series): John Hicks: Amazon.co.uk: Books) to help me build my observatory ( hopefully this year if I can get the house purchase to go through:( )

It has plans on piers both in the book and on the accompanying CD

Jon

[SurfingNeil]

Thanks everyone, well the patio has been dug out and the wall foundation laid, were extending the path down the side of the house and I think that's where the pier will need to go. Well a few drawings and plans to print and look at.

I'll et you know when we move from planning, to construction. Or in plain speak when we stop talking and start doing!

Neil