Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 578
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.
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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: 578
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.
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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: 578
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: 578
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Now the pictures of 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
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 578
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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The view from the top.
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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
|
Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 578
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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The MI250 non-goto on the pier.
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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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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6563
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Nice!
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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: 578
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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One happy TAK.
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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: 578
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.
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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: 578
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Chris.
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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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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40281
Loc: montana
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Wow! That is a beautiful setup! Thanks for the great photos to show everything!
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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
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 578
Loc: Illinois, Iowa
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Thanks Carol. I followed your experiences and the great observatory you built.
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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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Scott Horstman
Vendor- Backyard Observatories
Reged: 03/11/04
Posts: 8074
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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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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 578
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.
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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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dbx
sage
Reged: 02/13/08
Posts: 209
Loc: Orange County, CA
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Thats a pretty rad setup so far!
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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: 394
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
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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
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Starman27
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 578
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.
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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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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8334
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
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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: 578
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.
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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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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1411
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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