Pier Progress

[RobertM]

Fay, having looked back through this post I think it's the photos, probably down to too much vino collapso. Either that or you need one of these http://www.redferret.net/?p=11678

[Mike]

How far does that go down? Looks rather small to me.

[Ian]

I can't believe no-one has posted this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq5pzufCZuY

[Fay]

I put the ED80 on it tonight & had a look around. Had to be a bit careful as not bolted down.

Mac, I must say your x4 Televue was great on the Moon!! It would be even better on the Orion.

Mike, 2' 2"

[Mac]

I will get a proper cover, they are very expensive, but wonder if any will prevent dew going up the bottom staying on the inside.

Go to your garden center and get a large water butt.  £25


and then cover it with  a tarp, or in my case a £5 Bar-B-Q cover.



The water butt is completly water proof. and the cover should stop birds. if you tie it tight.

All i do is to leave the filter on and the scope is sealed. in water ingress, if it does the the hot summers days all 3  of them will dry it out.
Failing that use the desiccant packs.

[Rocket Pooch]

You pier is definately not level....

[MarkS]

Looks like the garden is on a steep incline.

Mark

[Fay]

Well, Mark, been fine tuning today, & it is level, top & bottom. I am going out tonight but will come back & polar align again take a picture of Moon hopefully. I only have ed80 on there as pier not bolted down yet.


Mac, that is a good idea for your cover, very man like(water butt)but it is not a woman's idea!!!! It would be like wearing yellow shoes & a red frock!   

[mickw]

John, yep sorry you're right, for some reason alignment didn't occur to me.
Plonker 

Mmmmmm yellow shoes and red frock       
Oi Fay, wot you got against Minnie Mouse   

[Fay]

 

[Mike]

Seriously, for such a small base is 2 foot depth enough? Surely that is going to move around with all that weight on top?

[Fay]

will soon see Mike!  Hope I don't hear a thud & look around to see it all on it's side   

Will have to be done again then!

[Fay]

Bolt holes drilled & hoovered out




Holes drilled then made sure lined up with base



a resin stuff is squirted into the holes & then the bolts are screws down into it. Problem was, the paste sets rock hard in about a minute. John noticed the colour of the resin in two of the holes, was a different colour to the othertwo & thaought that the hardener was probably not the right mix, so had to get it out quickly & clean 2 bolts off. When he finally had done all four he put the pier on quickley as one of the bolts did not look straight, so got it on while going was good!

Tape made sure it was in correct position. Difficult to manouvre something resembling a torpedo.




Finally finished, test setup, still loads of cables to figure out, but all seems really firm.



Handy shelf, I bought as well. Pleased with final result.

[Mac]

so how easy is it to align your pier north?
does the whole of the top swivel?

[Fay]

well I aligned it before bolts went in, & we got the base in the best position, the steel top has three positions where the, can't think of name, bit of metal that you move the head around against via the two black knobs can go. When you loosen the bolt that goes into the bottom of the head, then you can move position.