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Quick review of the Mini 500 Pier TRUK from Astro TUFF TRUK
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Quick review of the Mini 500 Pier TRUK from Astro TUFF TRUK
I have wanted a pier for some time. My Ioptron Literoc tripod works great, but I’ve had a recurring nightmare that one night it will topple over in a stiff wind. My largest OTA is a Celestron 9.25 inch Edge HD, which is bulky and can act like a sail. For a while I considered building a DIY pier in my backyard. I even had the exact location planned out. Problem is, I cannot access all targets of interest from that one location due to tall trees to the south, and so a fixed pier would not work.
Enter the Mini 500 Pier TRUK, from Astro TUFF TRUK.
I first saw this TRUK (or a similar model) on the AstroStace Youtube channel, and I knew it was the answer. The Mini 500 is a pier on top of a mobile base that sits on 4 tires. It is made of powder-coated welded stainless steel and the Astro TUFF TRUK website claims a moveable load capacity of 544 kg (!). The unit weighs 35 kg. It has 3 feet that drop down to provide a solid connection to the ground.
My only hesitation was the price, about £1,000 at the time. Also, since AstroTUFF TRUK is based in the U.K., there was the issue of shipping and duty fees. I emailed Lee Richards, the owner, on Christmas Day, 2023, and had a quote the next day. Estimated shipping was £350 and estimated duty fee was 5.63%. In the end, I decided to go for it. My justification: in addition to stability and mobility, the Minipier would allow me to avoid carrying my large OTAs long distances. I imagined the cost of hurting my back, or far worse, dropping an OTA.
As each unit is made to order, I was allowed to customize it. I chose a red color since most of my gear is ZWO, and Lee picked out the color that most closely matched ZWO red. Then there was the pier customization. My mount is a ZWO AM5 on a pier extension (PE 200). The mount attaches to the extension without tools, and I wanted to preserve this functionality and be able to quickly remove the AM5 for travel. Lee suggested that the Minipier be shortened so that the OTA would not sit too high with the addition of the pier extension. He also drilled the appropriate holes to easily attach the extension to the Minipier.
The unit arrived via DHL on February 5, 2024, only 6 weeks from when I put in the order. Quite speedy for a custom handmade product shipped from the U.K. The shipping cost was less than quoted due to an excellent packaging job by Lee, and I somehow escaped paying any duty fees! Total cost came to $1,500.
The assembly was very easy and while the instruction book was well written, I almost didn’t need it. All the hardware was already in place so I didn’t have to guess which bolt or washer went where. The ZWO pier extension fit perfectly onto the Minipier.
I have used the TRUK on several nights at several locations in my backyard. The unit is functional and beautiful besides. It rolls easily and is rock solid when planted on its feet. The feet do require a lot of turns to set them solidly on the ground. Lee offers a drop and lock set of feet for faster deployment, but I do like the security of knowing that the feet will not slip under any circumstances. And really it only takes a couple of minutes to set all 3. The unit is highly maneuverable, with the front wheels having the ability to turn well over 90° in either direction.
Guiding has been excellent. One night in particular was quite windy, with gusts up to 40 mph. The RMS did spike to 2 arcseconds during gusts but otherwise remained below 1 and generally around 0.5. On quieter nights the RMS was typically 0.3-0.5. Best of all, I slept well knowing that the unit was not going to topple over. It is rock solid.
The most enjoyable thing about owning the TRUK is setup and takedown. I can now assemble the entire imaging rig in the comfort of my garage. Only then do I pull (or push) the rig out of the garage to its destination for the night. I deploy the feet, plug in the extension cord (which rides on the handy tray), and I am up and running. In the morning, I raise the feet, unplug the extension cord, and wheel the unit back into the garage. Or, if I am imaging multiple nights with the same OTA, I leave it covered for the next night.
Downsides? The unit is not ideal for visual astronomy, as the base makes it difficult to stand or sit close to the OTA at certain positions. I have other setups for visual and use the TRUK exclusively for imaging. Getting up and down inclines can be tricky with the OTA on, as you do not want the center of gravity hanging off to one side. I make it a point to go straight up and down hills to keep the OTA centered. Perhaps the biggest downside is the cost, but there is no comparable product out there as far as I know that is so well built and offers so much functionality and ease of use. I expect to be using the TRUK for many years to come, and I think it will prove to be good value for money.
Finally, I cannot fail to mention that the purchasing experience was second to none. From start to finish, Lee was extremely responsive, forthright, and gracious. It is obvious that making these TRUKs is more a passion than a job to him. He tells me that I am his first U.S. customer, and as such we had to overcome the hurdles of overseas money wiring, international shipping, and customs. It was well worth the effort. I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a mobile pier.
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- okiestarman56, SDR, AstroOlly and 11 others like this
10 Comments
What a fabulous review, thank you so much Mr Kim for this in-depth article.
It has been our dream here at ATT to finally go international, and working with you to get this first TRUK out was our pleasure, so thank you.
We are so glad that the TRUK ticks all the boxes for your requirements, and the beauty of hand built gear really does help accommodate
any needs to make this hobby as easy as possible to set up and pack up to get out there will little effort to just concentrate on the hobby.
You have made a good point regarding the visual aspect of the Mini Pier as when I designed it, it was predominantly only for getting
through a standard door of around 30" which in turn kind of only made it preferable for AP users as the C/G had to come right down for
safe manoeuvrability, so a trade-off had to be made. Our standard Tripod and 800 pier models have much more room to accommodate
standing spaces for visual users, but some customers have indeed still found a way to have some visual use with the Mini pier with the aid
of a chair but this does depend on many factors like what OTA is in use etc, BUT.... where there is a will there is a way so with like all our
range of TRUK's if "you" the user has an idea, we can always come up with a solution.
Thanks to this first sale internationally we have already built up a large number of global customers to which we are very grateful indeed.
Every TRUK we make is always a personal venture, with many emails or phone calls between ideas to make sure our customers get the
perfect solution for their needs.
Regarding shipping costs, unfortunately all our TRUK's are very heavy from 36kg up to 70kg + so this does hit hard for postage and is
unfortunately out of our hands, so apologies. The only positive of this weight vs cost is the TRUK's do also act as a land anchor, so really
do help with stability not only for when it's planted on its levelling feet but also for manoeuvring as this helps keep the C/G as low as possible.
Thank you again Young, may your TRUK give you endless nights with easy usage.
Clear skies,
Lee and Matt.
Wow!. Great review and this thing looks great. I can see myself with a nice weather proofed shed, and I can roll this out onto a small concrete patio.
Enjoyed your review of the cart. I built a dual cart for Alaska winters. Have an enclosed trailer that is set up with remote computers and winch to store and travel with the cart. I use my motorhome to tow and spend days off the grid in remote areas.
I think I spent less then 1500 in parts to build the cart.
Shane
Whoa, any more details on this cart!!
Nice Review of the Pier Truk... I need this for my backyard setup.
I’m sure these Astro trucks serve a purpose and is a definite plus in carrying a heavier! payload from A to B also helps individuals who have a disadvantage health disability and so on.For me personally tho i don’t think I would like to own one for visual observing anyway as there are more obstacles getting in the way with all the frame work etc.its just as bad when you have to avoid those tripod legs also various cables aswell so for my requirements which is only my personal opinion anyway i truly feel this would be an issue for a visual observer! For imaging aspect side of things in the hobby not so much as once setup the telescope and mount do the rest and does not require constant assistance by the individual for the truk to get in the way.
I often thought to myself a better alternative would be to have a truk that has either an electronic raising platform or something perhaps that’s pneumatic.So then this would allow you to simply slide the payload off somehow then remove the truk completely out of the way altogether then you are free to move around freely more without any obstacles getting in the way.
Thanks for the input Supernova, and you are 100% right, these trolley systems aren't for everyone, as you make a good point.
The issue is for many, do i have the motivation and strength to carry out 3 lumps of gear to observe with and then after sometimes a long
night, bring it all back in ? There has to be a trade-off and a trolley will always fit that situation for a lot of people.
Ultimately, our TRUK's only really stick out in 3 places past the tripod legs which you are already aware of, we make the TRUK's as visible
as possible with the aid of luminescent maker discs all over the areas that may cause a trip hazard as well as spreader discs that glow to also
help with frame location and awareness.
With the head facing north, there is also a surprisingly large area either side of the main frame for visual viewing on the tripod and Pier models.
Personally for me when i designed and started making them it was all about getting back out there and enjoying the hobby with as little effort as
possible as well as getting set up and packed up in super quick time, so if i have to be slightly more mindful that there are 3 small areas to walk
around plus the fact that all my gear is on the TRUK as well, then its a win win for me
I like your idea of the removable trolley idea though, the question is cost of fabricating such a trolley system to then have to still ovoid the tripod
legs anyhow, so i think that would be a very small market to cater for, but still, its an interesting idea and one i will ponder over at the drawing table.
Clear skies,
Lee.
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Thanks for sharing. Seemed like this may be too hazardous for visual use, still nice innovation.
Thanks for the post and great comment, the Mini 500 Pier TRUK is for AP only really as it's designed for a low centre of gravity to get through a 30" door or gate.
ATT has larger TRUK's to benefit visual needs, but with all trolley systems, self awareness around the unit is key.
Clear skies George
Some really impressive rigs! For my 8" dob (which is more bulky than heavy), I bought a garden cart on which I placed the dob. Makes it much easier to roll out from basement storage (which is ground level) and move around the property. It has the added benefit of raising the dob a few inches above the ground making observing positions more comfortable. You have to be mindful of the handles position, however!