dawson Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Does anyone have any experience of these sort of piers which are not fixed permanently to the ground: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-pillar-mount-support-for-heq5-eq6-series-mounts.html How does their stability compare to a bog standard tripod? Thanks. Jd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I've been looking at these-great minds think alike there's one on ABS for £95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Ssssshhh, don't tell everyone JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hmmm......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Does anyone have any experience of these sort of piers which are not fixed permanently to the ground: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-pillar-mount-support-for-heq5-eq6-series-mounts.html How does their stability compare to a bog standard tripod? Thanks. Jd Hi James If you want to know how stable they are here is a photo of one of the ones I designed and used to make. Oh and in case you were wondering that is a 10 inch Newt on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Do you still make them graham? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Do you still make them graham? Sadly not Felix. My little lathe cannot handle the amount of steel needed to be removed from the blanks for the mount ect. I mean it would do it but it would take so long it is not economically viable. It also does not have a large enough gap between the centers to machine the tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyboy1970 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I know Dion at Astronomyshed uses one and rates it highly. Good comprimise if you can't build a permenant Obsy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 I suspect this will be much lower than the tripod at full height; i need to find out both heights. Jd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 People on SGL are reporting them as very stable. It is just too low for me; it seems the pier is about 90cm above the ground, compared to the 125cm my tripod goes to. An 8" (20cm) extension tube would still mean it would be 15cm lower than at present and which is quite comfortable for my back. I think I'll leave it for now. There is an interesting sketch on SGL of the dimensions: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/102809-eq6-pillar-mount/?p=1016445 JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fondofchips Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 There is still the trip hazard of the legs sticking out like a tripod. Having said that I'm using my tripod in the obsy tonight as my pier isn't made yet. Clear skies, Harry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 It's too low for me so i've excluded that idea for now. Jd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toymaster Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 There is still the trip hazard of the legs sticking out like a tripod. Having said that I'm using my tripod in the obsy tonight as my pier isn't made yet. Clear skies, Harry. Not for me as I even trip over myself Not convinced.... Ade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al.Grant Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I can't really put a fixed obs in my back garden so was considering a pier where I could leave the HEQ5 set up for short periods once polar aligned Useful those times when we have a few consecutive days of clear skies (Yes those times so exist - or so I've been told) protected by my Green Witch scope cover. Far quicker to get set up in the evening if already aligned. Had only really looked at the fixed ones, but mobile/semi permanent ones could be an even easier option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tweedledum Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 will see what mine looks like when it arives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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