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gazerjim
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Reged: 02/12/04
Posts: 7726
Loc: About where I thought I was......
Ugly solution new
      #300394 - 01/04/05 11:48 PM Attachment (92 downloads)

No, those gray things on the pavement are not my dentures. Needing a way to pre-position my tripod in the driveway led to this "quick and dirty" fix. It amounts to first placing the tripod in a rough polar alignment position. I then put a plastic baggie over each of two legs of the tripod, and molded a half-ring of epoxy putty around each. Hopefully, this will place the tripod in proper orientation for imaging sessions.
I originally planned to use thin aluminum sheet, but found it was not thick enough.
If my wife trips over one of these, I will be looking for a new design.

Good seeing,

Jim

--------------------
Jim Fisher

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

Henry J. Tillman


Edited by gazerjim (01/05/05 12:17 AM)


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rboeAdministrator
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Reged: 03/16/02
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Loc: Phx, AZ
Re: Ugly solution new [Re: gazerjim]
      #300617 - 01/05/05 09:00 AM

At the visitors center on Mauna Kea they had little divits in the concrete. Bolts from the feet of the tripods (many photo tripods have these if you remove the rubber feet or thread the rubber foot up to expose this spike) fit in these divits. Each triple is labled for each mount so new docents dont' get lost.

--------------------
Ron


NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies



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Tim13
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Reged: 08/07/04
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Re: Ugly solution new [Re: rboe]
      #301216 - 01/05/05 06:40 PM

If your just marking the rough polar alignment position, why not just use some paint. You could paint a circle around each leg, so then the scope leg will still be sitting on the more friction friendly cement, yet be in the proper position.

Tim

--------------------
One blue telescope.
One white telescope.
One white(formerly gray!)telescope.


Imagine a world without hypothetical situations.


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gazerjim
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Reged: 02/12/04
Posts: 7726
Loc: About where I thought I was......
Re: Ugly solution [Re: Tim13]
      #301651 - 01/06/05 02:36 AM

I considered using circles, marks, etc., but wanted something that would give quick and reliable positioning, especially in the dark. The Losmandy tripod I am using is super sturdy, but has a rather odd elliptical footprint that doesn't rest on points.
I'm certainy not recommending this from an aesthetic standpoint, but it was too quick and easy to resist. A more elegant solution might be to install some kind of pegs or rods on the tripod legs to fit into small holes in the concrete. I have filed and smoothed the "globs" since taking the photos--total height is <1/8".

Jim

--------------------
Jim Fisher

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

Henry J. Tillman


Edited by gazerjim (01/06/05 02:37 AM)


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