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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

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Gregk
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/19/06

Loc: Gilbert Arizona

Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

#5592539 - 12/28/12 11:47 AM

Hello

Trying to setup a permanent pier for my now Sirius Mount
Where do a I get a reasonably priced pier and adapter.

Saw one for 1500.00 An 8 inch tube 36 inches long with flange Thought that was wayyyyy toooooo much money.

Plan on a 12 inch sono tube Not sure how deep too bury it??

Thanks

Greg

Edited by Gregk (12/28/12 11:48 AM)

Post Extras:

rigel123
Postmaster

Reged: 06/29/09

Loc: SW Ohio

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: Gregk]
#5592752 - 12/28/12 02:05 PM

You can check out www.skyshed.com They sell the POD as well as ROR observatories and Piers.

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broca
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 03/26/10

Loc: Ocala, FL

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: Gregk]
#5593073 - 12/28/12 06:15 PM

Have you thought of building one? I bought 2 steel plates (from a scrap metal shop for $20.00) that I bolted to a concrete pier poured in a sono tube 4 feet in the ground and maybe 3 feet high (I'm not exact on my numbers

). I bolted the bottom plate to the pier then I bolted a top plate to then bolt to the "adapter" taken from the tripod. I used this a guide . When I used a CG-5 I took the top off from the tripod and bolted that to the top plate. Now, I am using a G11 and I have an adapter bolted to the top plate. This is not a good picture but this is the CG-5. Here is the G-11 mounted. Another option is to buy a pier plate from here. My project took a weekend and cost less than $80.00.

Edited by broca (12/28/12 07:29 PM)

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Gregk
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/19/06

Loc: Gilbert Arizona

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: broca]
#5593128 - 12/28/12 06:50 PM

Quote:

Have you thought of building one? I bought 2 steel plates (from a scrap metal shop for $20.00) that I bolted to a concrete pier poured in a sono tube 4 feet in the ground and maybe 3 feet high (I'm not exact on my numbers ). I bolted the bottom plate to the pier then I bolted a top plate to then bolt to the "adapter" taken from the tripod. I used this a guide . When I used a CG-5 I took the top off from the tripod and bolted that to the top plate. Now, I am using a G11 and I have an adapter bolted to the top plate. This is not a good picture but this is the CG-5. Here is the G-11 mounted. Another option is to buy a pier plate from here. My project took a weekend and cost less than $80.00.

Thats a great Idea never though of that one

Post Extras:

Gregk
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/19/06

Loc: Gilbert Arizona

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: rigel123]
#5593132 - 12/28/12 06:53 PM

Quote:

You can check out www.skyshed.com They sell the POD as well as ROR observatories and Piers.

thanks looks Good

Post Extras:

Geo.
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/01/08

Loc: Upstate NY

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: Gregk]
#5594465 - 12/29/12 01:51 PM

Well sonotube, rebar and concrete are pretty cheap. As a rule of thumb you should have more concrete in the ground than above the ground. Ideally, you should shoot for a foundation that is larger than your pier. A 18" by 4' deep footing should do. Figure 900#s of concrete mix (dry) will be needed to fill that hole. A Sirius should be happy on a 6-8" pier. 80 to 400#s should fill your tube depending if it's 6" by 3' or 8" by 4'.

A steel pier top is nice if you have the tools to work with it, but laminated plywood 1.5" thick is easier to work and just as rigid as 1/2" steel.

If you have access to a CAD program that can output Autocad files you can design your pier top and take to the files to a steel fabricator. They will use CAD-CAM plasma, laser or water jets to cut your parts. Cost should not be not excessive.

Post Extras:

Gregk
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/19/06

Loc: Gilbert Arizona

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: Geo.]
#5594592 - 12/29/12 03:04 PM

Quote:

Well sonotube, rebar and concrete are pretty cheap. As a rule of thumb you should have more concrete in the ground than above the ground. Ideally, you should shoot for a foundation that is larger than your pier. A 18" by 4' deep footing should do. Figure 900#s of concrete mix (dry) will be needed to fill that hole. A Sirius should be happy on a 6-8" pier. 80 to 400#s should fill your tube depending if it's 6" by 3' or 8" by 4'.

A steel pier top is nice if you have the tools to work with it, but laminated plywood 1.5" thick is easier to work and just as rigid as 1/2" steel.

If you have access to a CAD program that can output Autocad files you can design your pier top and take to the files to a steel fabricator. They will use CAD-CAM plasma, laser or water jets to cut your parts. Cost should not be not excessive.

Another great reply Thanks.... I also heard that PVC pipe is better than the sono tube route for looks etc

Edited by Gregk (12/30/12 12:00 AM)

Post Extras:

CharlesW
sage

Reged: 11/02/12

Loc: Chula Vista & Indio, CA

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: Gregk]
#5595157 - 12/29/12 09:17 PM

If you are taking about the form marks left by the Sonotube you're right. But if you can shell out the considerable bucks, Sonotube makes a tube that leaves a smooth finish.

Post Extras:

broca
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 03/26/10

Loc: Ocala, FL

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: CharlesW]
#5596884 - 12/30/12 08:23 PM

...and I've seen someone lay 1" ceramic tile around the pier to cover the concrete. It was pretty classy.

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LouHalikman
member

Reged: 02/23/11

Loc: North Central Maryland

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: broca]
#5596909 - 12/30/12 08:41 PM

I have a 14" diameter concrete pier protruding 30" above the floor of my observatory, buried 8' underground and anchored to a block of concrete weighing 5000 pounds. Overkill? Maybe, but it is rock steady. Three threaded j-bars protuding from the top are anchored to a home-made pier top for the CGE Pro and the C14HD.

However, if I were to do it again, I would have a concrete platform only with no pier. It is too hard to adjust the height of my pier; it can be lowered with a concrete saw (very messy) and raising the height would be a whole new problem. Also, if I decided to go back to dobs, I would have to amputate the whole thing at the floor level and then have no foundation for the dob base.

Think twice before committing to a concrete pier; a concrete platform with a steel pier bolted to it allows far more flexibility. Lou

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darbyvet
professor emeritus

Reged: 10/19/10

Loc: Seneca Falls, New York

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: LouHalikman]
#5596930 - 12/30/12 09:10 PM

lou makes a good point
My concrete pier goes down 4 feet into the ground but is flush with the concrete slab that is the floor of my POD.I then have a steel pier. This way when I sell my house they can just cut the bolts embedded in the pier and fill in around the pier and then wthey will have a flat surface.

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Geo.
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/01/08

Loc: Upstate NY

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter new

[Re: darbyvet]
#5598454 - 12/31/12 05:49 PM Attachment (10 downloads)

Steel isn't cheap, but scrap only brings $0.15 or so a pound. Four feet of 10" SCH 40 (10.75 OD X .365 wall) A-500 ERW Structural Carbon Steel Pipe will run you about $250 new, probably under $50 at the scrap yard. About the same for some plate for a base top and gussets. Dumpster diving at demolition sites may be even cheaper. Here' a steel pier that uses square tube of the type more commonly used in buildings and found in demolition scrap.

Post Extras:

D_talley
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 07/07/05

Loc: Richmond VA

Re: Pier Setup where to get Also need adapter [Re: Geo.]
#5598588 - 12/31/12 07:08 PM

You can build the same type of pier I did, 4x 6x6 pressure treated wood pier. Cost less than $150 and only took a few hours to setup.

Wood Pier

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