Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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I have just reached near the end of the first phase of my equipment changes in my Northern Illinois observatory. I have removed the Meade 7inch LX200 shown below.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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I used steel piers because they can be easily reconfigured. With the top cap removed the pier looks pretty empty. The pier is sand filled and has been in place around 20 years. Previously it carried a Cave 10 inch F16 classical cass and a Meade 178 refractor on a LXD 750. So it has been a flexible solution. The & inch Maksutove is being replaced with a Tak FS128 on a Mountain Instruments 250.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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My piers were built by the local blacksmith in Wasco Illinois 20 years ago. So I returned to the blacksmith with a basic design of a new cap to hold the the MI250. We collaborated a bit and after one minor issue the cap was completed in about two weeks. He is a really talented guy working on many different projects from minor repairs to large scultures for artists. This is the cap.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Now the pictures of the cap.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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The view from the top.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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The MI250 non-goto on the pier.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6822
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Nice!
--------------------
Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST
CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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One happy TAK.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Another view. The second phase will be replacing the 12 inch Meade LX200 GPS in the other half of the observatory with a 14 inch Meade LX200 GPS. The 12 inch has been removed and is returning from Dr. Clay's supercharge service, It will be placed in my Iowa observatory. The pier and mount will need significant work to handle the 14 inch.
This will take more time. The blacksmith has just left with some of my plans and ideas from CN members. Phase 2 is starting.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Chris.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 44000
Loc: montana
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Wow! That is a beautiful setup! Thanks for the great photos to show everything!
--------------------
Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
Garrett 20x80 TWP setup
DreamCatcher Dobservatory
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Carol. I followed your experiences and the great observatory you built.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Scott Horstman
Vendor- Backyard Observatories
Reged: 03/11/04
Posts: 8155
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Nice rig Herman! I hope the 250 is serving you well. The 128 looks nice and cosy up there! 
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Scott
www.backyardobservatories.com
www.m1oasys.com
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Scott. The 250 is smooth and tracks really well. I'm glad my 178 found a home with you.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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dbx
sage
Reged: 02/13/08
Posts: 211
Loc: Orange County, CA
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Thats a pretty rad setup so far!
--------------------
Scopes:
Z10 Dob
Vixen A80SS F5 Refractor
Eyepieces:
Orion Stratus 17mm
TV Ethos 13mm
TV powermate 2.5x
TV 16mm NT5
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Timber
sage
Reged: 11/08/08
Posts: 457
Loc: SW foothills of Mt. St. Helens
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Hi Herman,
Beautiful setup,
For two permanent piers what is the size and height of your observatory? If you were to build it today would it be the same size?
Thanks,
Richard
--------------------
My four beautiful Saluki's; Barron, Sophie, Majnun and Kassandra, and I live on a small, rural, remote farm.
No close neighbors,
No streetlights,
No private security lights,
No power poles,
No traffic,
No TV,
No HOA 
No Mosquitoes
Rather Wonderful
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Richard,
The interior size is just shy of 10 X 15. The original goal was to have a 7.5 X 10 foot space for each telescope. In reality you get close to 8X10 because the space between the scopes is basically a shared space.The cabinets on each side take up more space but leave adequate room to manuever around both telescopes. If I would do it again I would add a minimum of 2 feet to the length. I have attached a picture of the outside so you can get a feel for the structure.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8681
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Another view. The second phase will be replacing the 12 inch Meade LX200 GPS in the other half of the observatory with a 14 inch Meade LX200 GPS. The 12 inch has been removed and is returning from Dr. Clay's supercharge service, It will be placed in my Iowa observatory. The pier and mount will need significant work to handle the 14 inch.
This will take more time. The blacksmith has just left with some of my plans and ideas from CN members. Phase 2 is starting.
Fantastic job...and great scope. One thing has always confused me....
With that powerful steel pier and super rigid mount...the weak link to all the rigidity is those 3 tiny standard low grade metal bolts used to level the top portion of the pier head 
All that rigid steel...and then those 3 tiny bolts. There has to be lateral flex or weakening over time.
Anyway...not to be the dampening poster.
Your set-up is awesome and far above most. Still... them there tiny bolts makes me shiver.
MV. And it is probably an uneducated view too....
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Rob,
Good observation. I still have another couple of weeks before I fuinalize this solution. I will be adding two gussets to each pier base. This will will require dismantling the mouhnt and removing all telescopes and electrical devices from the observatory, because of the welding equipment,
This configuration is a "proof of concept". I will be trying it out whenever I'm not being rained on. So far, solar observing has not revealed any problems with vibration or damping. The telescope and mount configuration has not been stress tested yet. The bolts will either eb significantly lower, larger or strengthened with an additional steel support or all three.
I am completely suprised at how robust this configuration is at this time. Thanks for your thoughts.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Scott K
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1531
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Herman, the Tak + the MI-250 is gorgeous. Your observatory is just extraordinary!
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Scott. The MI-250 is non goto, but an excellent mount.I have often been accused of "overmounting" a telescope. But the MI250 will also be used to carry the 7 inch Mak. The TAK was another wonderful find. The views are spectacular.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Scott K
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1531
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Quote:
The MI-250 is non goto, but an excellent mount.
A general observation - when something is that pretty (and that MI-250 is really dang gorgeous!), it's acceptable for it to be a little dumb! 
Quote:
I have often been accused of "overmounting" a telescope.
That isn't possible as far as I know! 
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Timber
sage
Reged: 11/08/08
Posts: 457
Loc: SW foothills of Mt. St. Helens
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Thanks Herman for the response, I left Thursday 9AM, drove 2240 miles and returned tonight, Saturday at 9PM (to pick up a pier)(actually 2) and all I see is road moving in front of my eyes. I will have to have a day or so of recovery to properly think about your obs, thanks again.
Richard
--------------------
My four beautiful Saluki's; Barron, Sophie, Majnun and Kassandra, and I live on a small, rural, remote farm.
No close neighbors,
No streetlights,
No private security lights,
No power poles,
No traffic,
No TV,
No HOA
No Mosquitoes
Rather Wonderful
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Richard,
Looks like you had quite a trip. I forgot one of the measurements you asked about. The interior walls are 75 inches high. This may seem high but I don't go down to the horizon. The obsrvatory is layed out as a South facing structure. The roof opens to the West and East. So I have excellent South and North views. The East is partially blocked by the house and some trees, but it is clear above the observatories roof line. Hope this helps.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Timber
sage
Reged: 11/08/08
Posts: 457
Loc: SW foothills of Mt. St. Helens
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Hi Herman,
Thanks for the response. It looks like I'm hijacking your thread which I do not want to do, I will send you a PM in the next day or so.
Regards, Richard
--------------------
My four beautiful Saluki's; Barron, Sophie, Majnun and Kassandra, and I live on a small, rural, remote farm.
No close neighbors,
No streetlights,
No private security lights,
No power poles,
No traffic,
No TV,
No HOA
No Mosquitoes
Rather Wonderful
|
hm insulators
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/22/07
Posts: 1539
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With the plants and bushes and the designs on the walls, the observatory almost looks like a little farmhouse.  It's cute!
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hm insulators
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/22/07
Posts: 1539
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Quote:
Thanks Scott. The MI-250 is non goto, but an excellent mount.I have often been accused of "overmounting" a telescope.
I didn't know there was any such thing as "overmounting" a telescope.  Hey, it's a lot better than undermounting, that's for sure!
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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I desisned the landscaping to disrupt the effect of wind and provide some natural insulation. I also have buhes across the North side. The older books on amateur telescope making recommended a natural landscape solution to mediate the effects of weather on the viewing environment in and aroundd the observatory. It also looks pretty and makes my wife happy.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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|
Richard,
PM away.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
Well, I'm back again. Phase two has just completed. Phase two was a replacement of the pier so that it would hold a substanially heavier telescope. It is a 14 inch LX200 GPS. It has been in my living room for the las few months. But, before we could move it I needed to get the pier in shape. The pier below is the old pier. It held a 12 inch LX200GPS.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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The first ppier before replacement. It held a 12 inch LX200 GPS.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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|
The pier went back to the blacksmith to have the interior component shortened and aditional gussets (fins) added to the base for additional strength.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
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The new pier in place.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
With the cap on.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Ready for the 14 inch. Next comes the move of the telescope from our living room.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Digital Don
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 1476
Loc: Manteno
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Hi Herman,
The finished pier looks great! I'm curious as to why you chose a 'nested' design.
Don
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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|
Don,
It was an early experiment that turned out. I initially chose the design for 4 reasons. 1. The interior pier helps dampen vibration and reduces stress on the exterior component, 2. I was able to raise and lower the hieght of the mount by inserting steel section under the interior pier (based on the scope to be mounted), 3. the interior pier rotates to more correctly align the pier on Polaris and 4. The interior pier aids in leveling the wedge.
I lowered the pier to better allow the 14 inch to fit in the observatory with piggy backed scopes. The lower position also allows the pier cap to sit directly on the pier further reducing stress and vibration.
The pier construction is very stable. The only vibration seems to be that inherent in the basic fork design. I'll let you know how this configuration works out as soon as I can see the sky.
I have the 12 LX200 GPS inch mounted at my Iowa site on a concrete pier. I haven't noticed a significant difference.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
The 14 inch has been sitting in the living room for quite a few months. My wife and I were considering decorating it instead of a tree.
My brother came through with a couple of friends to help me get it out to the observatory. BTW they are power lifters. I think they could have lifeted one in each hand.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
We used a mechanics cart to roll the scope out to the end of the deck.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
At the end of the deck we had to carry the cart like a strecher with the scope on board.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
Finally we got it on the wedge and I was able to bolt it down.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
|
|
Ready for action. The TAK now has it's partner. I hope I haven't destroyed the weather prospect for Northern Illinois.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6822
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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I really like you pier design Herman. If you could, would you make any changes to the design?
--------------------
Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST
CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Chris,
Thanks for your comment.
I think that I would make the base a little larger to allow more space for lwrger (higher) gussets. I would make the exterior pier walls thicker. Also, I could have had the inside and outside piers have a tighter fit. However, I saved money by using available scrap when possible and the inner pier is leveled easier wirh the space between the walls. The piers are flexible and have been adapted over the last 20 years w/o significant cost.
Both the TAK pier and the SCT pier have the same basic design strategy. The TAK pier has a overcap now replacing the original interior pier and height spacers. The overcap seems to work better for a base pier this high. It held an LX750 and an LX200 wedge easily. So that is aan improvement that worked out. I considered it for the lower pier. I think that might be another improvement if you want to give up the ability to alter the hieght when you replace scopes.
Over the years the TAK pier has carried a Cave 10 inch F16 Classical Cass, a Meade 178 ED on a LXD 750, a Meade 7 inch LX200 MAK and finally the TAK FS128 on the MI250.
The Other pier has carried a 1991 Orange tube C11 wedge and fork mount on it's own internal pier hieght adjusted with internal spacers, 12 inch LX200 Classic and GPS with a new internal pier and finally the 14 inch LX200 GPS with the internal pier shortened.
This has turned out to be a good flexible long term solution for me. I also need to say that the blacksmith in Wasco has been a great partner in working through design issues.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Focusing Mask
Reged: 10/01/04
Posts: 882
Loc: Mineral Point, Wi
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Quote:
Ready for action. The TAK now has it's partner. I hope I haven't destroyed the weather prospect for Northern Illinois.
So that's what happened! Bled over into Southern Wisconsin apparently.
--------------------
John Wunderlin
Vendor - Spike-a Bahtinov Focusing Mask
Empire Ranch Observatory
Iowa County Astronomers
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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|
Sorry John.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
Digital Don
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 1476
Loc: Manteno
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Pretty slick! The ingenuity of amateur astronomers never ceases to amaze me.
Don
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Don.
I agree,amateur astonomers are highly creative problem solvers.
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Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 718
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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First Light Update:
I found about two hours of clear but reall poor skies last night and tried out the newly mounted 14 inch. So far so good. The telescope shows very little vibration when being handled or touched like manual focussing. The wind really wasn't able to impact it in its position and the sky view is better than expected. It is behaving as good or better than my 12 inch concrete pier mounted telscope in Iowa.
The thing is a real beast and I will need to remove my comuter table and repace it with something smaller. Looks like I may be able to get out again Monday night for a longer test.
--------------------
Enjoy the dark,
Herman
Meade
14 LX200 GPS SMT
12 LX200 GPS
7 LX200 Maksutov
ETX 125
TAK FS128 NSV
Sky 90II
Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200
Canon 5D Mark II
Illinois
Iowa
|
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