BillFerris
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/17/04
Posts: 3587
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With all the talk about pencils, clipboards, mounts and other gear related to observing and sketching, I said to myself, "Self, what's the one accessory you couldn't do without?" Setting aside the obvious things (e.g. paper, pencils, etc.), the immediate answer was a comfortable chair; an observing throne, if you will. I need to be comfortably seated to make a decent sketch...even a lousy sketch, for that matter  If I'm not sitting down, it just doesn't feel right.
So, do you like to sketch while seated or standing? If seated, what do you use?
I'd built a Denver-style observing chair (used the plans in Philip Harrington's StarWare) for my 10-inch Starfinder. But this chair doesn't have enough height for the Obsession. So over the Christmas holiday, I ordered Jim Fly's plans & hardware for his "Frazier" Catsperch Pro adjustable height chair.
Everything arrived about a week into the new year and I built the chair over the MLK holiday weekend. The powered ground board on my Obsesssion adds a couple of inches to the scope's height. To compensate and to avoid being an inch short when pointed at the zenith, I added 6-inches to the length of the chair legs. This allows me to be seated even when the eyepiece is at its maximum height of about 80-inches.
That may be the best money I've spent in my short time with the Obsession. I have really enjoyed being able to observe and sketch while seated and heartily recommend this product to big Dob owners.
Regards,
Bill in Flagstaff
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Grand Canyon Adventure
Lowering the Threshold
18" Obsession
4.5" Meade 4500
10x50 Swift Audubon
Cosmic Voyage
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 41911
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Mostly I use a chair built for me by Ron Boe, with a particular technique. Most of the time when observing an object, I'm doing just that. And so I perch myself on the chair and peer through the ep. When the time comes to sketch I'm off the chair, feet firmly on the ground, with the clipboard on the seat, which has been adjusted to just the right height. It's nice and steady. A most versatile chair.
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Thomas Watson
Author of Mr. Olcott's Skies. Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
@desertstarsbks
Under Desert StarsEither Way, It's Reading
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6968
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Sitting is my preferred way of sketching. I bought an observing chair from Anacortes a few years ago which I use.. Denver style, iirc. The adjustable heights are ok but I really need to do some modifications to get totally comfortable.
Maybe a wide stabilizing bar on the front legs, a small backrest on the seat, some sort of adjustable footrest, and definitely some way to keep the doggone seat from sliding down and cracking into my anklebone every time I stand up. [Other than that it's a nice chair.  ]
I also have a drummer's stool which I prefer over the observing chair.. lighter in weight and easier to use.
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Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk WI
Writing Sky at Night magazine's astrosketch page since June 2009
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photonovore
Moonatic
Reged: 12/24/04
Posts: 2792
Loc: tacoma wa
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This is the chair that i made an afternoon & evening--time i consider well spent. an adjustable chair of some sort--IMO--is a necessity, especially with a refractor. The seat drops to within 7" of the ground.
Carol, the way i dealt with the famous 'denver chair drop' was to simply use a common tie-down strap attached at the top and running back down to it's little friction buckle which i fastened under the seat. I also added two extra bolts to the standard two the denver plan uses which prevents the radical 'upward swing' movement of the seat assbly which in turn allows the use of the small trays you see--you can safely raise & lower the chair without dumping the trays' contents onto the ground. I do plan to add some "fiddles" (a nautical term for raised table edges- i don't know what else to call these) to them however, for additional security (pencils tend to roll off)...a simple task really, i'll just cut some lightweight angle from aluminum and rivet in place. One of these days...
In case anyone is interested...the whole assembly cost me about 40$ in materials. A drill press and tap & die set was needed to make the aluminum tray assembly otherwise it's all common handtools. The trays are just nylon cutting boards from the dollar store. The trays swing in and out laterally and are adjustable for height as well. Each will hold three four pounds of material without undue strain--an atlas or star chat book, telescope accessories, sketch pad etc.
Perhaps it's all a bit much, but i value the convenience anyway.  The trays just make it handier than the separate little table i used to use which, of course, i had to move separately each time i relocated the chair while observing. This arrangement keeps the minutae of an observing session always at my fingertips.
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Mardi
4" achromat, ETX-70, 8"cat.
Whitepeak Lunar Observatory Website
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BillFerris
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/17/04
Posts: 3587
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I really like the tables you've added. Nice improvement.
Bill in Flagstaff
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Grand Canyon Adventure
Lowering the Threshold
18" Obsession
4.5" Meade 4500
10x50 Swift Audubon
Cosmic Voyage
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DenisY
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/10/04
Posts: 2048
Loc: Canada / Montréal
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wooo nice chair! Don't mind if i borow the idea of the table from ya?
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Denis
I wonder how would the world be different if
Einstein had never lived?
Visit my web site at...
My Astronomical Logbook
Check out
My Astronomical Gear
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6968
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Nice chair! And thanks for the tip on the tie-down straps.. much simpler than anything on my drawing board. 
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Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk WI
Writing Sky at Night magazine's astrosketch page since June 2009
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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My wife called my old observing platform, “The Gallows.” Well, it was comfortable anyway. I am building a larger platform soon, like a 3-feet high, V-shaped platform 8’x8’ for the 16” Newtonian. She will no doubt call this one something! 
Edited by JDB (03/13/05 08:29 PM)
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6968
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Quote:
Carol, the way i dealt with the famous 'denver chair drop' was to simply use a common tie-down strap attached at the top and running back down to it's little friction buckle which i fastened under the seat.
I finally picked up a tie-down strap for my observing chair. What a difference.. thanks!!! Rather than attach it to the chair, I hook it onto the back and loop the other strap around the chair braces.
Thanks again!
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Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk WI
Writing Sky at Night magazine's astrosketch page since June 2009
Moon Sketch Tutorial
Sun/DSO Sketch Tutorial
CN Gallery
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 41911
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Carol, are you observing or mountain climbing?
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Thomas Watson
Author of Mr. Olcott's Skies. Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
@desertstarsbks
Under Desert StarsEither Way, It's Reading
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6968
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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You'd swear I'd been on Everest the way my anklebones used to bruise from the seat dropping on them.  No kidding, the strap works like a charm.. it might be a bit uncomfortable for those who lean on the backrest, but I never do.
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Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk WI
Writing Sky at Night magazine's astrosketch page since June 2009
Moon Sketch Tutorial
Sun/DSO Sketch Tutorial
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Photo Gallery
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Michael Morris
Member
Reged: 01/05/05
Posts: 1518
Loc: Worcestershire, UK
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I've just posted a thread on the Equipment Discussion forum about how to get hold of a VERY cheap adjustable observing chair (with a few DIY mods). Link here
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Michael Morris
8" LX200 classic with piggy-backed Orion 80ED and Revelation 66mm Apo
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro (portable mount for Orion 80ED and Revelation 66mm Apo)
Observatory Almira Observatory Website
Co-author of NightCal Astronomical Observing Calendar Software http://www.nightcal.co.uk
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6968
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Thanks for the info, Michael.
I'd never heard of an ironing chair before, but an online search provided me with a few sources on our side of the Big Pond. 
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Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk WI
Writing Sky at Night magazine's astrosketch page since June 2009
Moon Sketch Tutorial
Sun/DSO Sketch Tutorial
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Photo Gallery
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photonovore
Moonatic
Reged: 12/24/04
Posts: 2792
Loc: tacoma wa
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Carol, you're welcome, glad it helps save your ankles! (OUCH!)
In response to a couple of inquiries, I made up a webpage of construction details of the chair I made. It's located here 'Tacoma' observing chair in case anyone else is interested.
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Mardi
4" achromat, ETX-70, 8"cat.
Whitepeak Lunar Observatory Website
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6968
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Thanks!!
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Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk WI
Writing Sky at Night magazine's astrosketch page since June 2009
Moon Sketch Tutorial
Sun/DSO Sketch Tutorial
CN Gallery
Photo Gallery
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Faith_J
Sketcher Extraordinaire
Reged: 11/17/04
Posts: 5830
Loc: South coast of England
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I use an ordinary plastic garden chair if using a refractor. Or I stand when using a Dobsonian.
However, I like to have a table at hand for charts, etc. I think a table is more important than a chair in a lot of ways, but it's down to personal preference.
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Visual deep sky
18" f4.3 dob
7.9" f/4 Celestron Newtonian
8x42 binos
100% visual observing...
Edited by Cygnus_x1 (05/08/05 03:53 PM)
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