Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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I've been working on a bino mount/chair. It consists of a lazy susan base with a double parallelogram mount. Between the mounts, a saddle is attached to each boom and a small 1/4"-20 mount in the middle of the saddle for the binos. Also at the other end of the mounts is another piece of plywood wood to stiffen the rig. The double parallelogram mounts slides back and forth on heavy duty drawer slides to allow for the observer's position. So far it works pretty well and will hold an ST80 (AT1010). Azimuth motion is control by the feet. Mostly made from wood and steel shelf supports. Breaks into two pieces for easy transport. The seat is a cheapy reclining beach chair.
Has anyone here built a bino/scope chair?
Craig Simmons
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I'm in the middle of making a parallellogram mount. No chair, though. Do you have a picture or drawing of yours?
Joe
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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Not yet, but I'll post one this weekend.
Craig
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Craig,
Thanks for the drawer slide idea! 
Keith
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Craig,
I recently built a parallelogram, but no chair attached. I use a separate lawn lounger and it all works very well. I have attached a photo of the parallelogram (I hope it works as this is a first for me.) Nick
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16343
Loc: Brooker, FL
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Check out Gene Artemyeff's comet couch - nice!
http://www.cloudynights.com/ATM/comet_couch.htm 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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That's good clean looking portable setup. looks like it can hold some weight too.
I used plywood, pine scraps and new boards to make mine. I'll rebuild it later with something lighter now that I have the ergonomics worked out. Since there's a somewhat clear forecast here tonight, I'll post some daylight pics of it tonight.
I built a tripod mounted parallelogram bino holder earlier this year, but it ended up being a little on the shakey side. The trailer counterweight parts have been replaced by an exercise weight. Pics of it are here in the members section.
http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?ppuser=1895&cat=500
(Edited to provide a different link.)
Craig Simmons
Falls Church, VA
www.novac.com
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
Edited by Craig Simmons (12/11/03 09:53 AM)
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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Pics are up! Last three in the series.
http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1895&password=
Craig
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
Edited by Craig Simmons (12/11/03 10:45 PM)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I haven't given it much thought, but why not an office swivel chair?
Sams Club has a really good one for $95, its very wide and sturdy. It tilts back too. Why not mount it to something heavy so it doesn't tip over when leaning back in it, and then mount a bino-parallelogram to the back or sides.
I have one here at my computer desk (just the chair), and when I put my head back on the backrest, and then tilt back, my eyes are pointed almost at zenith. I can then pivot 360 degrees.
total cost of this thing should be under $250.
I admit the weight would force you to make it so it breaks down for transport.
I'm just thinking out loud here.
thanks.
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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That's the fun part of making stuff like this. Trying something to see if it works. I'll probably make a seat that reclines easier and use foam pads for comfort and insulation from the cold weather. One reason for making this thing so beefy is to see how big of a short tube refractor I can mount on it. It holds an AT1010 solidly, but I haven't had chance to test it visually and see how much magnification I can get before the rig get too wobbly. I'll be getting an 8 lb. 4" f/6 in a few weeks. I'm hoping the saddle will be able to support it's weight. I'm curious to see if I can use the refractors straight thru without a diagonal. I'll post pics of an AT1010 mounted tonight. This thing kind of reminds me of a Borg Cube with it's boxy look. I think I'll change the name. 
Craig
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
Edited by Craig Simmons (12/12/03 07:48 AM)
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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Pics of AT1010 mounted on the Bino Cube.
http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1895&password=
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Just finished my project. I used an old wooden ladder as my base for my parallelogram. I couldn't find a way to mount my parallelogram to my tripod, so I figured I would try a ladder. I cut the legs off until it was about 3-4 feet high, and attached it to the top via a lazy susan bearing. It already has a built in shelf that folds out too. Works great. Instead of cutting a ladder you can buy the little wooden step stools that they sell at hardware stores.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Craig;
Great imagineering!
What are you using to mount the red dot finder to the dovetail space?
Thanks
Keith
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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It's part of the RD finder that comes with the AT1010.
Last night while I was testing the AT1010 on the cube, I noticed the chair was sitting lower and sliding around a little. I looked underneath and saw that the chair's rear legs had collapsed under my weight. I tried to repair it and cut my hand slightly in the process. Nothing serious. Already healing up this morning. I was able to use the AT1010 for while and found that the mount was good for up to about 50X before the wobbling was a visual problem. Kind of what I expected. Still good for low power widefield views. Testing was done with a Vixen 8-24mm zoom. Also I need more back focus to use the AT1010 without the diagonal. I ordered an extension from Stellarvue this morning. The scope was hard to use with the diagonal so I'll have to design a seat that reclines and positions the observer better. I don't think most commercial beach chairs will hold up well under my 215#.
Craig Simmons
Falls Church, VA
www.novac.com
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Craig,
The first time I read about the "Comet Couch" I thought how an electronically adjustable driver's seat from an automobile might work instead of the shorty lawn chair. Especially an automobile like an Olds or Caddy. Some of those seats are thicker than the chairs I have in my den.
It has been some time now, but I recall seeing a fully automated observing chair that used a video game paddle to maneuver the chair, including views to the zenith. The only problem I noted was that the observer's legs hung off the end when looking at the zenith. That would be uncomfortable at best, and, at worse case, cause edema in the feet of individuals with poor circulation. Oh yes, and the price which was quite high.
Enjoyed seeing the pics of your parallelogram. Nice job.
Nick
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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Thanks. I've made some changes to the mount and built a seat to replace the collapsed beach chair. Much more stable. The saddle has been raised and the chair now reclines using boat cleats and a block. It sits higher also. The cleats don't work that well, so I'll be replacing that with a small winch of some kind. More testing tonight.
http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?ppuser=1895&cat=500
Craig
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Craig,
That set-up is really getting to be quite a platform. I thought the pic of the mount with th AT-1010 was really something. The mount appears to be quite solid to do something like that.
It will be interesting to see how the project proceeds. Good luck with it. Nick
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ridurall
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 846
Loc: SW Oklahoma
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Nickk, that chair your describing is a Star Chair and it's made in Australia. They have a couple of them at the Star Walks at Copper Breaks State Park in Tx. They are quite impressive and are able to handle some very big binoculars.
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Ron D.
Brunton Epoch 8.5x43 binoculars
Canon 15X50 IS binoculars
Steiner 10X50 binoculars
Alpen Model 350 7.5X32 binoculars (double barrel headaches)
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16343
Loc: Brooker, FL
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Very clever, the use of the slides. As far as the winch is concerned, have you thought about scrapping the line, and just using the winch drum attached directly to the chair? I have a worm drive one, which, thanks to your creativity, now has a purpose. 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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I agree, the line has got to go. It doesn't want to cleat very easily and awkward to adjust. A worm drive sounds pretty good. For the time being, I'm going to notch the side braces at a forward angle and run a threaded rod with handles all the way thru so I can adjust the seat back angle by dropping the rod into the differently space notches. This will lower each side of the chair back equally. The geometry of the chain/rope lengths and angle of the chair back only needs about 6-8" of travel. Last night I tried it out with my 20x60s and 10x50s and had very stable views even with a sticky, slightly tippy base. The P-mount saddle worked great in the new position. However the base is getting hard to spin with my feet due to the increased weight of the chair.
Does any one have a source for a larger lazy susan bearing in the 18-24" size? Biggest I've found is 12".
Also has anyone had luck with using small wheels positioned in a circle to act as a bearing?
Craig Simmons
Falls Church, VA
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
Edited by Craig Simmons (12/16/03 09:22 AM)
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