SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Oh, don't you just hate waiting for the concrete to cure? At least with paint you have something to watch, but concrete, in a hole?

When I was waiting for 4 months to get my new mount, it was painfull! The winter Nebulae Season evaporated as the months ticked by.(Avx died in November, Losmandy GM811G HD came home February 4th)
But I now have what I dubbed a "Portable Pier". It's massive and heavy and I have to carry it out in "Chunks".
Very recently I added an RA EXT to it that allows me to separate the RA and Dec axisies into different "Chunks".
It's made the transporting and erecting the mount much nicer. (That is a Wyoming term. The mining shovels were erected on site. You don't just put huge things together. You erect them.)

But the CFO declared my new mount is to be stored in the house. (God Bless her!)
So I mule it out, and mule it back in every night I can.
Making it into 4 chunks is a lot less apt to mess up my fragile, old, worn out, and arthritic spine.
I did have two nights in a row of good skies, so I muled in the upper 3 chunks, and bedded the tripod under my canvas cover and 32 gallon dome.
One less piece to mule around, and the tripod stayed Polar Aligned. (As much as any pier-less mount can).
I still check everything as I go back, but adjustments are very minimal. For example: The telescope has stayed in excellent balance because the weight does not need to be removed. So I'm streamlining my set up.

No where near as nice as a pier and a ROR shed. But works for me.

Busbum Loc: 85367

Hi Sonny,
Thanks for the reply and link...
I do have stellarium... I was just thought if you had them handy, that's all, I am waiting for the skies to clear so I can get my mount aligned, as I am having a hard time with seeing Polaris, as it is due to clouds and light pollution...
Clear Skies
Larry

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

From Open Stellarium, I'm getting RA/Dec (J2000.0) 6H08M15.20s/ +64°51'02.3"

But I almost never look at the RA/Dec because it is a function of time, and constantly changing.
So Stellarium will give you the currant position. (The above coordinates are past.)

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi Sonny
For me it is not actually in the ground it is a base that I will move around with a pallet jack. Below are a couple of views of the mold and what it looks like at this point. With the pillar on it weights almost 400lbs. I just finished the mounting plate and working on some heavy feet that bolt on to the bottom of the concrete base. I'm still keeping the concrete damp through tomorrow since I want to cure well for 7 days. The large ABS and larger PVC will run up into the central pipe for where I plan to put the power supply and a 12 volt 3 inch fan to keep the supply cool. The smaller PVC pipes will be for cabling up to the scope that will run through unused bolt holes and 1 inch PVC on the side of the pipe.

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stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

That's pretty cool sonny , I'm getting my legs under me again finally . Hoping to collect enough on m81 to add to my existing file. Keep'em coming !

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I had to laugh at myself.
I didn't realize I was looking at your form [i]upside down. [i]
Looks very substantial!
And with the steel and re bar buried in it, I bet it around far beyond us.
Very nicely done!

I asked Scott Losmandy if it was possible to get longer DIN connector cables for the motors on the mount. I was offered some connectors to make my own, but declined them. I could easily make some, but decided to stay stock for now.
I have a Semi-circlular block wall that is a sound barrier for my pools equipment. Sound and aesthetics.
My long thought plan was to mount a pier to that wall, and to be able to have a solid mount that is always Polar Aligned. Just keep it covered.
It's still a possibility. But not a probability.

When you get a round toit, I love to see your finished mount ready to Rock and Roll. Your welded flange base is quite impressive to me. What size flange is that? Are you a welder-fabricator by trade?

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Hi Ronnie!
Good to see you again, Bud!
I can't believe the string of absolutely crappy weather we've had here this Spring. The weather talking heads we're whining we were still behind in rainfall. Now they are saying we're over an inch ahead. Dang overpaid guessers!
This is a great time to be Messiering around. Bode's is right up there.
All we need is some Clear Skies.

I've been in a frantic search for something to further automate my collecting. You got me running remotely, now I want SGP (Sequence Generator Pro), but not fit files. So I have SGP up and working, after a friend helped me tune it with Team viewer. And got everything working ASCOM.
ASCOM is Awe-sum. But I think I am just to lazy for fits files unless I find a fast track. I'm going to dig into Jim123's post and if I can crack fit's files I might still go that way. But my Infinity camera seems to be taking noisy files.
So I downloaded N.I.N.A. Which I think is a neener-neener at SGP.
And last night I downloaded Sharpcap for a look-see.

All I want is my Cheesecake, and to eat it too. Is that so much to ask?
SGP is capable of full automation. Build the Sequence, click run, and go to bed.
Wake up the next day to a full nights imaging with your cup of coffee. Fully rested.
But I don't want to spend days on end manufacturing my picturds. Tiff files work for me. (Thanks Jim123!)
Like I was texting with a friend last night. I probably offended him when I said fits file is an antiquated format.
He got a little huffed. So I pointed out it was developed in the 1970's as a way for Observatories to share files. So to me, that is rather antiquated.
So I'm looking. And if I do get where I'd like to be, I'm going to try and get you on the boat with me so we can both count sheep and wake up to a pile-O-files.

Incidentally, as the subject comes up, I try and help others learn to use the Bat Cave of astronomy operation.
Thank You, Again.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

[quote=SonnyE]I had to laugh at myself.
I didn't realize I was looking at your form [i]upside down. [i]
Looks very substantial!
And with the steel and re bar buried in it, I bet it around far beyond us.
Very nicely done!

I asked Scott Losmandy if it was possible to get longer DIN connector cables for the motors on the mount. I was offered some connectors to make my own, but declined them. I could easily make some, but decided to stay stock for now.
I have a Semi-circlular block wall that is a sound barrier for my pools equipment. Sound and aesthetics.
My long thought plan was to mount a pier to that wall, and to be able to have a solid mount that is always Polar Aligned. Just keep it covered.
It's still a possibility. But not a probability.

When you get a round toit, I love to see your finished mount ready to Rock and Roll. Your welded flange base is quite impressive to me. What size flange is that? Are you a welder-fabricator by trade?[/quote]

Hi Sonny
I expect this telescope base will out live me by a long time. The pipe with the flange is 1.25 inch thick steel and diameter of the flange is 16 inches. I got the hunk of pipe with the flange back in the mid 1980's for 1 dollar from a Hewlett Packard "garage sale". I worked for HP for many years and back then when they would have a bunch of stuff that was no longer used they would have great sales for employees. Everyone thought I was nuts to buy this "useless" piece of steel, but I saw its potential for a telescope base and have finally got around to using it. I'll send out pictures as I get it built.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Massive! Huge!
No wonder you are out there at 400 pounds. By the time you are done you might well be at 1/4 of a ton (500 pounds. Once it settles on a spot it should be very stable.
Don't let it land on your foot!
I've long thought a bolted flange would make a good foundation to build from. Just never thought of one with a "pre-assembled" riser on it.
Great base! And I like the "N"! I've always used a single North leg with my tripods. To me it's just putting my best foot forward.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Before I poured the concrete I made a backwards N out of wood and put it in the mold (Had to be backwards to look correct as the embossed image in the top of the base). I used the same type of wood slates along the edge to get the bevel along the top edge. After the concrete is fully cured (~28 days) I'll probably coat it with some concrete paint of an epoxy coating.

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Sonny , I was started out using Sharpcap software for planetary and lunar but, then I tried it on DSO's and it worked pretty well but, I'd have to use my non-ascom control for the AFer and that's just another thing I had to figure out. I'm sure glad your getting out there collecting those photons.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

[quote=SonnyE]I had to laugh at myself.
I didn't realize I was looking at your form [i]upside down. [i]
Looks very substantial!
And with the steel and re bar buried in it, I bet it around far beyond us.
Very nicely done!

I asked Scott Losmandy if it was possible to get longer DIN connector cables for the motors on the mount. I was offered some connectors to make my own, but declined them. I could easily make some, but decided to stay stock for now.
I have a Semi-circlular block wall that is a sound barrier for my pools equipment. Sound and aesthetics.
My long thought plan was to mount a pier to that wall, and to be able to have a solid mount that is always Polar Aligned. Just keep it covered.
It's still a possibility. But not a probability.

When you get a round toit, I love to see your finished mount ready to Rock and Roll. Your welded flange base is quite impressive to me. What size flange is that? Are you a welder-fabricator by trade?[/quote]

Hi SonnyE
Next step and the mount is almost useable. Here are a couple of photo's of the Astro-physics mount attached to the pier via the mounting plate that I just finished fabricating and cleaning up. I also have some heavy duty wood feet bolted to the underside of the concrete base. Moving the mount around on the pallet jack is fairly easy. Getting in on an off the pallet jack is a bit more work requiring a few pieces of scrap 2x6 wood to raise and lower it in stages.

Me in the picture for scale

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Coseup of the attached base plate and pier.

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alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ

Now I understand why you put so much effort in the concrete pad. I had the pleasure of working with my boss Chris Erickson and Roland Christen on one of Astro Physics mount with a 20" Planewave. After getting to spend time with him, I learned just why the Astro Physics mounts and scopes command the highest respect.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Now I can see why the 16" flange.
Lordy, that AP mount is huge!
Now I want to see what you put on it.
And the crane you use....

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi Alberio
A 20" Planewave would be a really nice scope, they are a bit pricey however. The Astro Physics mounts are very well made and the image of M81 I posted back at the end February was taken using it with my old C11. I had made a mounting plate for my 25+ year old Losmandy tripod to mount it and with the C11 it worked fine. However I just recently got a 16 inch Meade ACF SCT scope and I wanted a very substantial mount for it, hence all the work on the base and new mounting plate.