15 replies to this topic

[Minh.V]

Hello everyone, I am new-bee and just have interested in this hobby for around a year. I have a 3d printed f5,7 106mm achromatic refractor telescope (OTA) and I just realized it quite heavy, aroud 2kg to 4kg. I had tried to use an eq mount from my friend and is quite good for that scope but I think it was so long to setup and heavy too. After reading and watching some posts and videos, I found this wooden tripod from producttank and it looks good. He said it can hold around 11,5 lbs or 5,2kg so theoretically I think it can do a good job with the scope and a wooden alt-az mount head with dovetail adapter. I need some advices about the mount and if anyone have any idea, I will appreciate it! 

 

this is the link of the video: https://www.youtube....m9ybXRyaXBvZA==

 

 and someone who know how to post a image on cloudy night, please tell me because i dunno how to do it

Edited by Minh.V, 11 June 2025 - 12:34 PM.

[BlueMoon]

Google: "DIY alt az mount" will turn up many possible designs, inexpensive wood among them.

[Bob4BVM]

Look up 'Berry Mount'

Easy, cheap, can go on a regular tripod

[weis14]

Look up 'Berry Mount'

Easy, cheap, can go on a regular tripod

I came here to suggest a Berry mount.  Easy to build and very usable for a small refractor.

[tag1260]

Here's a Berry mount with my D&G 6" f/12.

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Edited by tag1260, 11 June 2025 - 02:03 PM.

[JamesMStephens]

https://www.cloudyni...ield-telescope/

[PirateMike]

and someone who know how to post a image on cloudy night, please tell me because i dunno how to do it

To add a photo...

 

Click the button at the bottom of the post you are writing. A new page will open with this at the bottom...

 

 

Next, click the "Choose File" and pick the file on your computer that you want to add to the page. Then click "Attach File", this will upload the file to CN.

If the file is more than 500kb, it will let you know that the file is too big and you will have to make it smaller.

 

If the file is small enough then click the "Add to Post" link on the far right.

 

The image will be inserted to your post where ever your cursor is placed at the time.

 

You can preview the post to see if all is well by clicking the "Preview Post" button on the bottom of the page. If somethin is amiss, just scroll down and make your corrections and preview again.

 

Give it a try, it is easy.

 

 

Pirate Mike

 

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Edited by PirateMike, 11 June 2025 - 03:02 PM.

[Sketcher]

Decide what you want from the mount, then design and build it so that it does what you want it to do.

 

The below mount was made for use with a 130mm f/6.4 refractor:

 

This one was made for use with a 152mm f/6.5 refractor -- without having to remove the dovetail and rings that are used with that scopes GEM mount:

 

For visual use, a GEM ought to be nearly as quick and as easy to set up as an alt-az.  The same 152mm refractor on a GEM that can be set up in just a couple of minutes.  The weight doesn't matter to me since I don't move the tripod once it's set up to be used:

 

There are lots of options, but first one ought to know what they want from a mount.  Then it's just a matter of design and construction.

[izar187]

Perhaps one of these

 

https://www.cloudyni...our-pipe-mount/

[Pinbout]

Here’s a head you’d put on any tripod 

 

https://3dwarehouse....af4/alt-az-head

[Minh.V]

Update

 

I have a plan to build this mount but I have no idea about how the altitude was made

 

Anyone have any idea about this? 

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Edited by Minh.V, 18 June 2025 - 03:01 AM.

[Minh.V]

This mount is from the man name Michael from stargazers lounge

 

He told me that he made it from 18mm birch plywood and it can withstand the weight of C8

 

I only need the mount carry around 4kg so can the wood is thiner or make from other types of plywood?

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[Minh.V]

Here is the link of his post: https://stargazerslo...n-alt-az-mount/

[Spinwiz]

This mount is from the man name Michael from stargazers lounge

 

He told me that he made it from 18mm birch plywood and it can withstand the weight of C8

 

I only need the mount carry around 4kg so can the wood is thiner or make from other types of plywood?

Depending upon where you are there are alternatives to birch plywood that are still woods.   However Baltic Birch has really nice properties for this sort of construction.   In any event if you go thinner start by thinking like an engineer, box sections can do wonders for stiffness.   Also I'm not sure how his bearing was designed but there is something to be said for steel shafting.

 

As for alternative materials avoid the construction grade sheathing.   One thing to consider at home centers is plywood designed for under floors, the term for which escapes me at the moment.   Usually this are in sheets around 3/4" thick and are of much higher quality than sheathing.   The main selling points are that the sheets are flat and do not have voids.

 

Another type of plywood that is worth looking into but may require a real lumber yard to get is MDO or Medium Density Overlay.   This is plywood designed for out door use in signage and such.   The overlay is a materiel to prevent grain show through a deterioration on the face of the plywood.   Properly made this plywood does not have voids that allow water in, thus last much longer exposed to weather.

 

If you are near water and have any boat builders near by there is actually special plywood made for boat building that again is designed to reduce water ingress through higher quality plys.

 

This is just to get you started, there are all sorts of specialty plywoods out there.

[Bob4BVM]

Depending upon where you are there are alternatives to birch plywood that are still woods.   However Baltic Birch has really nice properties for this sort of construction.   In any event if you go thinner start by thinking like an engineer, box sections can do wonders for stiffness.   Also I'm not sure how his bearing was designed but there is something to be said for steel shafting.

 

As for alternative materials avoid the construction grade sheathing.   One thing to consider at home centers is plywood designed for under floors, the term for which escapes me at the moment.   Usually this are in sheets around 3/4" thick and are of much higher quality than sheathing.   The main selling points are that the sheets are flat and do not have voids.

 

Another type of plywood that is worth looking into but may require a real lumber yard to get is MDO or Medium Density Overlay.   This is plywood designed for out door use in signage and such.   The overlay is a materiel to prevent grain show through a deterioration on the face of the plywood.   Properly made this plywood does not have voids that allow water in, thus last much longer exposed to weather.

 

If you are near water and have any boat builders near by there is actually special plywood made for boat building that again is designed to reduce water ingress through higher quality plys.

 

This is just to get you started, there are all sorts of specialty plywoods out there.

FYI, those 2 types are called Subfloor plywood and Marine plywood

[Bob4BVM]

Minh, have you decided on your mount yet ?

 

Here is my Berry mount for my 6"F5, which also serves as the travel case for the scope and accessories.

The aluminum Alt trunnions are made from the same tubing as the scope OTA.

A scaled down version of this would be easy for your 106mm scope.

Motions are smooth and solid.

 

CS

Bob

 

Edited by Bob4BVM, 19 June 2025 - 02:05 PM.