Surveyors Wooden Tripods - Advice Please

[Muddy Rutter]

Good Morning Campers,

I have a Celestron Omni XL120 5" refractor and am looking to upgrade the supplied tripod that I knew would be a wee bit wobbly. I could build a wooden one but time is precious at the moment.

Does anyone have experience of surveyors tripods and most

importantly how they can be adapted to take a CG-4 / EQ-5(?)mount?

The surveyors tripods seem to be very robust and are available in a fetching yellow or yellow.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Best wishes,

Nick

[yeti monster]

A bright yellow tripod is perhaps less likely to get kicked as you work around it. I was considering one for the 10" SNT before deciding on the Dob mount.

I'm sure that one could be adapted to take an EQ mount, it it requires any adaptation at all.

[Merlin66]

It's funny you mention surveyors tripods...

I've just used one to mount a EQ2 for solar/ spectro work. It's visible in the pictures (holding a ST80 and spectroscope) from the Imaging day.

I'd say it's definately solid enough to support a mounting up to an HEQ5 size. Lightweight but functional.

There are a couple of issues ( besides the safety yellow finish!)

1. There are no spreader bars - the legs can be opened to any angle, so a chain/ strap will be required.

2. The top section ( which allows independent adjustment in Altitude and azimuth) needs to be changed/ modified to the bsae of the mount.

My tripod had a 1/2" brass threaded connector ( I assume for the theodelite) which I drilled and tapped to 10mm inserted a short length of M10 rod which is then used to mount the EQ2 head.

Definately works 110% for me!

If you need detailed images of the conversion, drop me a PM.

Ken

[yeti monster]

I noticed that tripod Merlin, looks handy.

[brianb]

Surveyors' tripods tend to be very solid & well engineered, they're built up to a specification rather than down to a price. They'll stand abuse, too.

Personally I'd rather have wood - because wood helps absorb vibration - self build is definitely possible if you're even marginally handy with tools, Berlebach make excellent wooden tripods but they're a long way from cheap. As usual you get what you pay for.

A good way of "triangulating" is to drill holes into a concrete patio to take the leg ends. Not only does this stop the legs spreading, it also pretty well ensures that the polar alignment is darned near right as soon as you erect the mount.

[John]

I bought a wooden surveyors tripod for next to nothing a few weeks ago. It's pretty tatty so I'm planning to strip it down and refurbish it. I've tried it with my giro-type alt-az mount head and it provides a solid and tall platform for my 6" F/8 refractor. With the legs fully extended the flat tripod top is nearly 6 feet tall !. It will need some spreader bars or chains but that can be sorted in due course. The tripod is currently painted bright yellow and blue so with my orange tubed 6" refractor on top it's a colourful combination !.

[Muddy Rutter]

Hi All,

Thank you all for the helpful advice and especially Ken (Merlin66) who kindly PM'd me his solution in detail.

I have ordered a surveyor's tripod today and will keep you abreast of developments.

Best wishes,

Nick

PS: In the end I decided on the yellow one

[lexxone]

Good Morning Campers,

I have a Celestron Omni XL120 5" refractor and am looking to upgrade the supplied tripod that I knew would be a wee bit wobbly. I could build a wooden one but time is precious at the moment.

Does anyone have experience of surveyors tripods and most

importantly how they can be adapted to take a CG-4 / EQ-5(?)mount?

The surveyors tripods seem to be very robust and are available in a fetching yellow or yellow.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Best wishes,

Nick

Hi Nick, nice job on the donut,,,,,but,,,,,,,you should use the original tripod,,,,its incredibly strong and very stable,,,,,,,its probaly to short for you. thats why you did what you did,,,,heres what I did. maybe you can too ,its easy,

I am dissabled and can not sit or bend over as i have no balance,so I removed the original legs from the bottom of the tripod, then I went to METAL SUPERMARKET and bought 3pcs. 1 1/4" aluminum tubing @30" long....the orig. legs are 18"........then use electrical tape and wind around the new legs end to take up the "play" in the main leg.

now the tripod stands at 5 1/2' from ground,,,, with the cg4 it is quite a site to see the scope up there so high,,,,,,,but I can stand straight up and is quite comfortable,,,i can see zenith with out bending,,,,,,,others with a standard tri have to either bend very low or sit on the ground.not for me thank you, so hope this helpes,,,,,,,,

give it a try it only cost me $20.00 $ca. should be similiar is U.S.

and you will have a show stopper, and you will be more comfortable and you can actually see more as you dont have the hassle of a low scope at zenith.

happy stars....