leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Links for Handicapped and Wheel Chair access to telescopes
I am researching this topic for my use, and realized there are others that could benefit from this information.
Feel free to add to this list:
One astronomers suggestions for telescopes and mounts for the disabled.
I started a post in the Beginners board looking for small scope advice for easy wheel chair access.
General space requirements for wheelchair access to telescopes and periscopes, and the detailed reach dimensions (scroll down).
A long thread on a telescope design including several external links on the same topic.
A simple tripod mod gets the telescope away from the tripod.
A commercial pier (Scroll down).
I also discovered that a lot of chair bound folks use parallelogram-mounts, there are discussions all over the binocular bulletin board; but it seems small telescopes can be mounted and used with success too. Here is a commercial version.
Notice of Edit: Love the post, but the links were way too long and they were causing the board controls to run off the right side of the screen. I've integrated the links into your text. It makes things much cleaner. CH
Edited by Charlie Hein (09/23/08 02:01 PM)
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Scott K
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 924
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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You might also consider the Pier-tech adjustable height piers.
http://www.pier-tech.com/pier-tech2_telescope_pier.htm
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Lusty
super member
Reged: 08/24/08
Posts: 193
Loc: Florida USA
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My next door neighbor, about 38, was run down by someone back about a decade ago, hit and run and left to die, and completely lost his left leg and half his right arm. He is in the lawn care business will not sit still for more than a minute. He has been observing with me on and off for at least 6 years. My 16” requires an 8-foot ladder but I built him, and me, a platform that we can sit or stand and reach the eyepiece. I gave him my old 6” f/4 with an equatorial mount that he can observe well with his motorized chair. It is difficult to observe with him at times, he gets excited when I point to some new object or a planet, and when the ladder is needed we both fall off the ladder! Her is young an can take it, I am old and can’t. 
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Scott, thanks for adding the link, for public use that pier could be very helpful
Lusty - lol... be careful! BTW could you post or link to a picture of your observing platform?
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Thanks for the edit... Sorry I caused a problem, I will integrate links from now on
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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Lusty
super member
Reged: 08/24/08
Posts: 193
Loc: Florida USA
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Yeah, wade though all my jabbering and down a ways is some images of it all. http://www.dustymars.net/IsoObservatory.htm
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Charlie Hein
Postmaster
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 6586
Loc: 26.06.08N, +80.23.08W
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Quote:
Thanks for the edit... Sorry I caused a problem, I will integrate links from now on
No problem, I'm happy to help!
Charlie
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Weston CSC:
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Lusty
super member
Reged: 08/24/08
Posts: 193
Loc: Florida USA
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I took this just awhile ago of the platform. Two Scrub Jays perched on the fence and telescopes in hurricane cocoon. NOTE: I had a swing up lean-to so we both could observe and not fall off the platform. Can't count how may times I did that or slipped off the 8-foot ladder!
My neighbor loves to observe with the 16" and we both risk the falls anyway. I gave him my 6" f/4 with a solid mount and he gets along well in his motorized wheelchair.
Edited by Lusty (09/27/08 09:25 PM)
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jwheel
member
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Fort Davis TX
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Here is one that we are building at McDonald Observatory:
http://idisk.mac.com/rwren/Public/wmwat2/index.htm
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16" homemade Newtonian on Parsec GEM (in roll-off roof observatory)
10" Orion Dobsonian
2.4" Jason refractor
15x70 Celestron Skymaster binoculars
Canon Digital Rebel XSi(unmodified)
18-55mm Canon zoom lens, 50mm f1.8 Canon lens, 105mm Sigma telephoto
http://www.geocities.com/jwheel_69/mypage.html
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gnome54
member
Reged: 08/02/07
Posts: 50
Loc: Lexington, KY
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I have been using a 4 inch refractor on a tripod. This seemed to be the best I could use with a wheelchair. The eyepiece was far enough away from the tripod, without too much variation when scanning the shy. Still had to get in some contorted positions though.
I followed one of the links, and found a diagram for a reflector that would be much nicer. And then I stop by Orion's web site, and they have a 6 inch on sale. It sure would be nice. Oh well.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm Refractor
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Thanks for the link additions.
Keep on following links... you might find a way to use that 6 inch reflector; although you will probably have to make modifications. "Don't give up, get creative" is my motto.
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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