Pier Build

[dazza1639]

I have just spent last Friday Building a concrete pier in anticipation of building my observatory as cash allows and thought i'd share.

[dazza1639]

A few more pics and the drawing of my levelling plates and future observatory. I'm just waiting to get my leveling plates from the engineers the hopefully clear skies all the way.

PLATE.pdf

Observatory.pdf

[Bizibilder]

Very nice piear and an exellent Obsy drawing - I wish you well. May I make one suggestion? Your pier plate is drilled for 8mm studding - I think you will find that 12 or 16mm will be much more rigid.

[dazza1639]

Thanks for that! I did chance the size of the rods to M12 when I took it to be fabricated. I pick it up on Friday, but the observatory might have to wait till the spring.

Darren

[dazza1639]

The bad weather is my fault guys. I've just picked up the pier plates to finish off the pier. As soon as I bolted them down levelled them and mounted the Orbit wedge down came the rain. I don't suppose that having some ADM MDS Rings, Camera Bracket and Counter Weights delivered from FLO helped either. I'll post some finished setup pics if it ever stops raining.

Sorry about the clouds

Darren

[dazza1639]

Here are the setup pics as promised.

[blinky]

Darren,

What size of pipe diameter did you use? Also how did you decide how tall to make the Pier?

[dazza1639]

The pier pipe is a 160mm Ø pvc underground drainage pipe from Tool Station.

The pier is currently to tall as I oversized it so that when I build the observatory over it the floor level should give me a comfortable viewing height while still having a clear view of polaris over the house and warm room. To determin this I just drew it out in CAD. If it ends up still being to big its always easier to cut concrete down than add more to it if its too short. If I did it again I would probably go for a 225Ø pipe at this length as I can induce a bit of vibration if I strike it. If it beomes a problem I will just get some 300Ø or 450Ø pvc manhole rings place them over the pier & foundations and fill them with concrete.

Regards