+Graham Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 (edited) Well its taken some time but the Parallel Mount is under way. If folks want I will post up the progress from the design through the prototype testing up to the finished article. 1 :- The design. I Spent many hours on the cad designing this. Trying to get the balance between strength and portability was the main concern. Although my original intention was (and still is) to manufacture this from Aluminium I decided to make the prototype from Steel. This will also give people a cheaper option if they want one. 2 :- The prototype. Today I finally managed to get out in the garden and set this up once the rain had stopped. I mounted the main frame temporarily on an old EQ2 tripod that I have kicking about. The first indications are quite good and all works as it was designed to. Full movement is achieved with the use of a single finger although this can be adjusted to any tension your require. From those of you who are 8 feet tall to those who prefer to do their observing laying down. I now have the weight carriage to fabricate and the Bino's attachment plate and boss to fit. This is only the first of many tests I have to do but its a promising start. I think I may end up shortening the whole thing a bit to make it a little more portable but I will see. Edited September 14, 2013 by Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Looking good Graham! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Looks excellent Graham. Just had the following thought to run by you... Would it reduce stability too much to have single long horizontal sections and double short vertical sections? This would substantially reduce the overall weight. Maybe it could still be more economical even if the single long sections had to be slightly beefed up in size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 Looks excellent Graham. Just had the following thought to run by you... Would it reduce stability too much to have single long horizontal sections and double short vertical sections? This would substantially reduce the overall weight. Maybe it could still be more economical even if the single long sections had to be slightly beefed up in size. Hi Pete. You could do that but it would mean a total redesign of the weight carriage. Interesting idea though. I will look into it. Thanks Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Looking good graham Am looking forward to purchasing one when they are ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 Looking good graham Am looking forward to purchasing one when they are ready I promise you can have the first one Felix. Got to make sure its right first. Going to try Pete's suggestion tomorrow to see how much flex it puts into a single frame spar. The more I think about his idea the more I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Cool, thanks Graham it's looking good whichever design you go for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 I promise you can have the first one Felix. Got to make sure its right first. Going to try Pete's suggestion tomorrow to see how much flex it puts into a single frame spar. The more I think about his idea the more I like it. Thanks for considering that Graham. Sorry for causing you more work by throwing that one at you, but I suppose building it is the only way to find out if there's any advantage using that method. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Graham, What is the CAD package you use for creating these brilliant coloured 3D mock ups with perspective and bolts and washers exploded etc? It really allows me to clearly visualise these ideas. I'd love to get that software to play around with instead of doing crappy pencil drawings that don't quite show all the relevant information. The comparison between your CAD drawings and the photos of your actual construction, is a bit like comparing Stellarium to an image of the actual sky, and I love using Stellarium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Graham, What is the CAD package you use for creating these brilliant coloured 3D mock ups with perspective and bolts and washers exploded etc? It really allows me to clearly visualise these ideas. I'd love to get that software to play around with instead of doing crappy pencil drawings that don't quite show all the relevant information. The comparison between your CAD drawings and the photos of your actual construction, is a bit like comparing Stellarium to an image of the actual sky, and I love using Stellarium Hi Pete. The exchange of ideas is what design is all about. Only by exchanging and combining ideas can we develop a better product. The software is totally free. It is called Google sketch up. The free version only allows you to save the drawings in 2D but whilst it is on screen you can move/rotate it to where ever you like. It even has the facility to let you walk through the drawing at eye level. So if you designed a complete house say you can 'walk through' the front door and then walk around the entire interior as if it was in real life. Try it it is brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Thanks Graham, I will get that software, it sounds great and we'll keep exchanging ideas . My son has previously mentioned Sketch Up, and uses it at school. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tweedledum Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi Graham, That looks excellent and very robust & sturdy. Pete, if you don't get on with Google sketchup, your local tech store must have at least half a dozen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Cheers Damian, I will have a go at Sketch Up first, thanks. If I come up with something for Graham to make, I can send my ideas to him in Sketch Up, and let him modify my file into a proper working drawing as necessary. That could work well . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tweedledum Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi Pete, No worries, some of the stuf I have you would need to borrow some computing time off Matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Parallel Mount take two. Well here is Pete's idea in action. The double uprights I find actually adds to the stability. The amount of flex in the single spar is negligible and raises no concerns. The other benefit as Pete suggested is it weighs only half as much as my original version. The new weight carriage was straight forward enough to fabricate and still allows for full movement of the balance weights over the entire half span. I am going to shorten the front section by a couple of hundred mm to assist with balancing heavier Binos. In fact thinking about it whilst I am typing this there is no need as I can add several pivot holes to the main spar. The user can then set it up as required to suit their own equipment. Edited September 15, 2013 by Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 You don't waste any time, do you Graham . Lovely job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi Graham, That looks excellent and very robust & sturdy. Pete, if you don't get on with Google sketchup, your local tech store must have at least half a dozen Thanks Damian its getting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 You don't waste any time, do you Graham . Lovely job. I can not be doing with sitting around have to keep busy. :frantic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Graham, cracking build but what happens if you don't all ready have a tripod, could the P mount be attached to something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Graham, cracking build but what happens if you don't all ready have a tripod, could the P mount be attached to something else? Hi Darren. I am making the base of this to be a universal fitting for all mounts. There will be a collar the base passes through (and pivots on) these collars will then fit the differing mounts. EQ 2/3, EQ5, EQ6, CG5, CG6 ect ect. With out the need to remove the AZI pin. The collar can also be adapted to fit any type of mounting required. Well thats the theory behind my thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tweedledum Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi Graham, You might like to add your two pennies worth on this thread on SGL. http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/194976-diy-parallelogram-mount/#entry2043852 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DaveJW Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Very nice Graham & much speedier work than I am capable of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wookie1965 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi Graham, You might like to add your two pennies worth on this thread on SGL. http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/194976-diy-parallelogram-mount/#entry2043852 Hi im the one who started this thread and i would be very interested in one of your parallel mounts to fit on my brothers Velbon DF61 tripod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Hi Graham, You might like to add your two pennies worth on this thread on SGL. http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/194976-diy-parallelogram-mount/#entry2043852 Hi Damian, not possible i am afraid I was banned from SGL a while ago but thanks for the heads up. Very nice Graham & much speedier work than I am capable of! Thanks Dave. Hi im the one who started this thread and i would be very interested in one of your parallel mounts to fit on my brothers Velbon DF61 tripod. Hi Paul. I will be more than happy to make one for your brother as soon as I get it completed. I will be taking this one to Kelling as a demo model for people to look at and have a play with. If you are going come an give me a look. Edited September 15, 2013 by Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Parallel Mount take two. I am going to shorten the front section by a couple of hundred mm to assist with balancing heavier Binos. In fact thinking about it whilst I am typing this there is no need as I can add several pivot holes to the main spar. The user can then set it up as required to suit their own equipment. I like that idea, in case I upgrade to some slightly heavier 150mm bins at some future time . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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