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Pages: 1 fernando jorge sage Reged: 10/15/09 Loc: Montevideo, Uruguay Can CPC mount be used on the floor?       #5166861 - 04/11/12 12:52 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi! Due to limitations of space, i was wondering if the CPC can be used with no tripod, just the mount on the floor (a clean and flat floor!). Since i do mostly planetary ap, i don't care where it stands. Thanks. Post Extras:       MikeBOKC Post Laureate Reged: 05/10/10 Loc: Oklahoma City, OK Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: fernando jorge]       #5167507 - 04/11/12 07:52 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I suppose you could technically, but that would mean viewing most objects from a kneeling or even a prone position, which would be awfully uncomfortable. I would also worry about a tip-over that could finish the corrector in a hurry. Perhaps the best strategy would be to find a different observing site? Post Extras:       fernando jorge sage Reged: 10/15/09 Loc: Montevideo, Uruguay Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: MikeBOKC]       #5167683 - 04/11/12 10:38 PM Attachment (50 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I do 90% of my AP from the balcony of my flat, from where i get the best part of the sky (ecliptic) from below. The 6SE tripod i own is not very high, but CPC tripod may be too high. I'd miss the planets when they are high in the sky, just when they get better That's why it is important for me to know if i can use the cpc (at least from home!) with no tripod. thanks Post Extras:       AhBok sage Reged: 12/02/10 Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: fernando jorge]       #5167790 - 04/11/12 11:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Yes it can. I've used mine on a concrete picnic table with a 30" round oak table top between the scope bottom and picnic table to reduce vibrations. I used it for video astronomy, but I'm sure I could have taken 30 sec subs with my DSLR. Post Extras:       MartinHajovsky member Reged: 04/05/12 Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: AhBok]       #5168827 - 04/12/12 03:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I would think that as long as you have a stable place for it to rest, this would be a fine way to do things, though still perhaps a tad uncomfortable. Post Extras:       donnie3 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 12/15/04 Loc: bartlesville oklahoma Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: MartinHajovsky]       #5233411 - 05/22/12 12:16 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   i was wondering about that my self. is the cpc fork unit flat on the bottom or a little covex. if its flat, i would think it would work. don Post Extras:       Gastrol scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/04/11 Loc: los angeles Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: donnie3]       #5234046 - 05/22/12 01:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: i was wondering about that my self. is the cpc fork unit flat on the bottom or a little covex. if its flat, i would think it would work. don The bottom is flat, but not much surface contact area. I would bolt a larger diameter plywood base with rubber feet on the bottom for more secure footing on wherever you plan on placing the scope. Post Extras:       barbarosa professor emeritus Reged: 04/11/10 Loc: "lamorinda", CA Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: Gastrol]       #5237954 - 05/24/12 08:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: The bottom is flat, but not much surface contact area. I would bolt a larger diameter plywood base with rubber feet on the bottom for more secure footing on wherever you plan on placing the scope. The bottom is not a single flat surface. Three raised flats key into similar depressions on the top of the tripod. Off the tripod, the mount sits on these flats. The flats do not come all the way out to the edge of the base and I wondered how stable the mount is on the floor or tabletop. I took my CPC 925 mount off the tripod and placed it on a table. Not much lateral force against the tube is needed to push the mount away from vertical. However, as soon as the outer edge of the casting above the flats touches the table significantly more force is needed to continue tilting. I think it would be safe if no children, pets or clumsy adults were present. Otherwise the idea of bolting it to a larger diameter base seems prudent. Post Extras:       Gastrol scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/04/11 Loc: los angeles Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: barbarosa]       #5238898 - 05/25/12 12:26 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: The bottom is not a single flat surface. Three raised flats key into similar depressions on the top of the tripod. Off the tripod, the mount sits on these flats. This is true. And the mount will sit squarely on any solid, flat surface. Post Extras:       donnie3 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 12/15/04 Loc: bartlesville oklahoma Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: Gastrol]       #5238930 - 05/25/12 12:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   how do you manage the 65 lbs. it seem to me that if it had handles on both sides of the forks it would be fairly easy the carry it to the backyard. just looking at photos of the mount it looks to me that it only has a handle on one side. correct me if im wrong. don Post Extras:       MikeBOKC Post Laureate Reged: 05/10/10 Loc: Oklahoma City, OK Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: donnie3]       #5239029 - 05/25/12 01:26 PM Attachment (37 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   There is a recessed area at the bottom on the other side that allows a pretty good grip. A lot of CPC owners use a large Stanley chest from Home Depot (in background in photo) for easy storage and transport. It only costs about $70. Post Extras:       Gastrol scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/04/11 Loc: los angeles Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: MikeBOKC]       #5239055 - 05/25/12 01:47 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Yeah, I find it it's a lot easier to carry the fork mounted 11" scope than a 60 lb bag of concrete mix, for instance. Post Extras:       donnie3 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 12/15/04 Loc: bartlesville oklahoma Re: Can CPC mount be used on the floor? [Re: Gastrol]       #5269545 - 06/13/12 01:16 PM Attachment (26 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   here is a example of a table top i built for my nexstar 6"se. 18" round i purchased a lowes. they have larger rounds you can buy. i would think you could do the same with the cpc. it would be heavy. don Post Extras:       Pages: 1

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