· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Equipment Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) berobertsmd super member Reged: 09/28/09 Loc: Brandon, Mississippi Vibration Suppression Pads       #5087167 - 02/23/12 12:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   A while back I purchased some VSPs frequently advertised on astromart and CN. They turned out to be chunks of fairly hard plastic with minimum, if any, damping ability. Any ideas or links for constructing your own VS Pads? Thanks- Bruce Post Extras:       stevetaylor199 sage Reged: 09/21/11 Loc: SE Wisconsin Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: berobertsmd]       #5087351 - 02/23/12 02:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Try looking up Sorbothane at mcmastercarr.com . It's not really cheap, unfortunately. You might also try the Celestron (or Meade or Orion) pads, which actually use Sorbothane. I've taken both approaches. The advantages with the Celestron units (the ones I have) are that they're not really that expensive, and they have some kind of internal design that is oriented toward minimizing undesirable sideways motion. Finally, they have a reputation that they really do work. Post Extras:       Starry eyes member Reged: 04/30/10 Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: stevetaylor199]       #5087463 - 02/23/12 03:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The Celestron pads were invented by Kevin Medlock in the late Eighties. It uses a material that at the time was used to dampen vibration in rockets. If you take it apart, (easy to do) the soft cup piece has a hole in the bottom of the cup. This allows the material to deform and annutate vibration into the hole. If this isn't done then the material will act more like a incompressible liquid and transmit vibration rather well. So that might be an idea to check out for why other pads don't work. Edited by Starry eyes (02/23/12 03:05 PM) Post Extras:       Midnight Dan Postmaster Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Hilton, NY, Yellow Zone (Bortl... Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: stevetaylor199]       #5087473 - 02/23/12 03:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Bruce: If the pads you purchased are the standard pads you can get from Celestron and others, then making your own probably won't help. The pre-made ones have a hard plastic shell and a hard plastic interior disc, but they are separated by a sorbothane layer which absorbs vibrations. Note: neither these, nor home made ones, will work in all situations. When you tap the scope, vibrations travel down the tripod legs and reflect back up from the bottom. This up-and-down reflection happens most on hard surfaces like concrete, frozen ground, or hard dry clay. The pads will help a lot in those situations. If your tripod is already on a soft surface like sand or damp, soft soil, then the surface is already acting like a vibration dampener and the pads won't help much. Another situation where they won't help a lot is on a surface like a wooden deck. When you walk around the deck, the wood will flex and transmit those movements into your tripod and scope. The pads can help a little with this, but not much. -Dan Post Extras:       Eddgie Postmaster Reged: 02/01/06 Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: berobertsmd]       #5087565 - 02/23/12 04:10 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm a little confused as to wheter you purchased a commercial Vibration Suppression Pad supplied by either Meade or Celestron, or something differnt???? The Meade and Celestron both have a similar design. Each can be identified because on the top side, you see the outer casing, a blue (Meade) or orange (Celestron) ring which is the Sorbthane dampening material, and an inner black cup that holds the tripod feet. While it may give the impression of being a solid plastic disk with a painted ring, the Sorbothane is actually a cup shaped isolation material and the part that holds the tripod leg tip is surrounded and supported by Sorbothane on the sides and the bottom. There is very little "Give" to these, and I could see someone being fooled into thinking they are solid, but if it is one of these (Celestron or Meade), then I assure you they are not solid and they do work incredibly well. If what you have is something different, then I am sorry, but I can't help. Post Extras:       John Miele Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/29/05 Loc: North Alabama Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Eddgie]       #5087572 - 02/23/12 04:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm not sure if you are saying you are unsatisfied with their performance or not? But I own a set of the Celestron pads which sound just like what you described and they do a fantastic job of damping vibrations at the eyepiece. Mine work great. So do give your set a try, before you try to build something...John Post Extras:       berobertsmd super member Reged: 09/28/09 Loc: Brandon, Mississippi Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: John Miele]       #5087649 - 02/23/12 05:11 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the input from everyone. The pads I purchased were neither Celestron or Meade. They were made by a "small entrapreneur" who advertises his pads (in various colors) fairly frequently on Astromart and CN website. They are attractive looking, but lack the inner "cushion" layer. They are basically a round piece of milled plastic with a conical indention in the top. They only serve to keep your tripod tips clean if in a grassy area, there is no damping at all on concrete. Mine are solid pieces of light yellow plastic about the size of a hockey puck. I paid about $35 last year for these. I'm reporting to moderator if I see listed for sale again. My forum post intent was 2 fold. 1) To mention these faulty VSP's I had run across, and 2) get some feedback concerning the satisfaction with Celestron, Meade and any other VSP sources. Thanks- Bruce Post Extras:       Don Trinko Carpal Tunnel Reged: 07/05/09 Loc: Ohio Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: berobertsmd]       #5087669 - 02/23/12 05:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I made my own from sorbothane. Amazon has different thicknesses. I used 1/4". I also made some with 3 layers of 1/8". They definitely work! It is fairly expensive but you will be able to make several sets of 3. Perhaps you can get someone to go in on it with you. The sobothane is somewhat sticky but most glues will not stick to it unless you clean it well. I just put them in square furniture coasters or by them selves . VERY sharp scissors or a carton knife with a new blade will cut the sorbothane. Don t. Post Extras:       stevetaylor199 sage Reged: 09/21/11 Loc: SE Wisconsin Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Don Trinko]       #5087692 - 02/23/12 05:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I believe the OP is talking about ads in which I recall the seller has argued that the Celestron and other branded pads are inappropriate for heavier rigs. The seller's pads are simply made of a solid polymer. I haven't tried them. One seller with an ad for such pads in the classifieds has a site at tripodpads.com. Post Extras:       kkokkolis Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/23/09 Loc: Piraeus, Greece Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Don Trinko]       #5087698 - 02/23/12 05:39 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have the Meade variety but also made my own, very cheap and effective. A round eraser over a Knetgummi Art Eraser inside a pesto sauce vase cap and some silicon (because it was slippery) http://www.astrovox.gr/forum/download.php?id=21358 Post Extras:       Scott in NC Mad Hatter Reged: 03/05/05 Loc: NC Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: kkokkolis]       #5087777 - 02/23/12 06:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'm happy with the way my Celestron-branded VSPs seem to work with my CG5-GT, but then that's a pretty lightweight mount. Post Extras:       Phil1 member Reged: 11/06/07 Loc: N.C. Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Scott in NC]       #5087810 - 02/23/12 06:37 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I made some using the pads you use to set furnture on so it won't damage floors. I then took a old mouse pad and cut it up and put it under the pads works well for me and cost only a few dollars. Phil Post Extras:       jyams journeyman Reged: 01/05/12 Loc: Memphis, TN Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Phil1]       #5095590 - 02/28/12 11:36 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have the Celestron pads on an Orion 6 inch OTA / EQ mount / Tripod setup. Use it on my concrete driveway and the pads are fantastic. Simply put, they do the job! Post Extras:       russell23 Post Laureate Reged: 05/31/09 Loc: Upstate NY Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: berobertsmd]       #5095650 - 02/28/12 12:18 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   +1 to the Celestron anti-vibration pads. They do significantly reduce damping. I use them every time I am out observing. Dave Post Extras:       desertlens sage Reged: 12/06/10 Loc: 36°N 105°W Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: russell23]       #5095838 - 02/28/12 01:51 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I use the Meade VSPs on a wood deck and they work very well. Vibration dissipates almost instantaneously. This is probably one of the most effective accessories I have ever bought. Post Extras:       Eddgie Postmaster Reged: 02/01/06 Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: stevetaylor199]       #5096228 - 02/28/12 05:49 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Yes, maybe this is a possibility (that these off brand pads are intended for heavier scopes). I like the Celescron VSPs, but the CGE 1400 mashes them in time. The Sorbothane starts sqeezing out the sides as the material at the bottom of the cup starts to compress. Honestly though this takes a coupe of years with the scope sitting on the pads for extended periods at a time (mount left out for several nights at at time, 4 or 5 times a year). They work great though.... Post Extras:       Don Trinko Carpal Tunnel Reged: 07/05/09 Loc: Ohio Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Eddgie]       #5096337 - 02/28/12 06:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   If you let the leg set directly on the sorbothane eventually the leg will sink in. Instead put a furniture coaster over the sorbothane to distribute the weight evenly. Don T. Post Extras:       ibase Vendor Affilliate Reged: 03/20/08 Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Don Trinko]       #5107501 - 03/05/12 10:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The VSP from Celestron did a good job suppressing vibrations from an original Nexstar 8 scope on concrete upper floor - shortened vibration time from 3.7 seconds down to 0.8 sec. Posted a blog review about it, click here. Best, Post Extras:       Locoman professor emeritus Reged: 03/09/09 Loc: Abilene, Kansas Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: ibase]       #5107543 - 03/05/12 11:31 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I just made my own VSP's the other day and tried them tonight. I have one of those blue foam camping pads that you put under a sleeping bag. I got it at Walmart for about $10.00. I cut out four inch squares and glued two together and made three sets. I must say that they worked pretty darned good. With my new StarGuy mount I was a little disapounted with the vibrations it had. It wouldn't dampen down for four to five seconds but tonight I put my homemade pads under the legs and the damping times are two seconds and less. I wonder if those celestron and meade VSP's would be better than the ones I made. Post Extras:       AhBok sage Reged: 12/02/10 Re: Vibration Suppression Pads [Re: Locoman]       #5107581 - 03/05/12 11:49 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   These are the best and cheapest commercial pads I have used: http://tripodpads.com/ Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 8 registered and 24 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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