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Last Updated
03/31/2019
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Detailed entries for one subject from the INDEX TO HOW TO DO IT INFORMATION. |
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TELESCOPE MOUNT x TRIPOD (TELESCOPE SUPPORT) xx TELESCOPE Equatorial platforms. Basic design of the (1) Palomar style, (2) Poncet style and (3) Box style. How to add setting circles to an alt-azimuth (Dobsonian) mounting. Easy steps to perfect polar alignment of your telescope mount using the star-drift method and the bore-sight method. How to make your Newtonian telescope somewhat more portable by building a plywood Dobsonian (alt-azimuth) mount. Understanding and using the setting circles on a telescope mount. Simple gadget assists in the alignment of the polar axis on a German equatorial mount. Made from a turnbuckle and two hose clamps. It also keeps the mount from slipping when bolts are loosened. How to use a built-in polar axis alignment telescope (polefinder). It makes set up of a portable telescope quick and accurate. A compact mount for a compact scope. Build a plywood Dobsonian-style (alt-azimuth) mounting for the "Comet Catcher" telescope. The mount of Gibraltar. Make your telescope mount as solid as a rock by filling the tripod head with epoxy resin and adding leg braces. How to observe planets during the day. With this step-by-step guide to daytime polar alignment, you'll be able to locate planets and stars when the sun is up. Vinyl phonograph record is used along with Teflon pads to form a bearing for a Dobsonian telescope mount. Product review of the NGC-MAX digital setting circles accessory that can guide you to thousands of celestial objects. Build a tripod for the Edmund Astroscan telescope from PVC pipe and fittings. Polar aligning your telescope. Three methods described. (1) Simple alignment. (2) Alignment for casual photography. (3) Perfect alignment. Build a universal, sturdy tripod for a telescope or binoculars. Built from plywood and ordinary hardware. Est. cost: $40. Dialing for deep-sky objects. When star hopping doesn't work, use your telescope's setting circles to find elusive objects. Improving your mount. (1) Build a permanent pier for your equatorial mount. (2) Add setting circles to your Dobsonian altitude-azimuth mount. PostScript computer program to print 7"-diameter setting circles marked off in degrees. How to redeem a department-store telescope by constructing an improved, stable mount from wood and PVC pipe fittings. Est. cost: $50. A simple, portable, and extemely stable mount for reflector telescopes uses the same mounting and aiming principle as a mortar or old naval gun. How to make the precise adjustments required when setting up a permanent equatorial mounting. How to adjust the equatorial mount on a small, portable telescope and reduce the set-up time. This method is a simplification of the 6-step procedure described in Jan 1978. 8" Cassegrain telescope is mounted in one leg of a giant pipe tripod in such a way that it can slide up and down the leg to put the eyepiece at any desired height. Photos show an altazimuth form of mounting designed especially for comet seeking telescopes. It enables the observer to sit comfortably in a nearly stationary position while sweeping out large sky areas. Built mostly of plumbing pipe. Est. cost: $40. Description of a portable open-frame mounting for a 15" mirror. Features a fork and polar axis supporting a trunnion box which in turn supports the mirror cell and struts. Construction is mostly of common wood and metal parts. How to obtain polar alignment of portable telescopes by means of a small sighting telescope equipped with a special reticle. Portable, all-metal pier for an 8" Celestron is built from short lengths of I-beam and steel pipe. Disassemble or setup in 15 minutes. Weighs 98 pounds. Huge pipe fittings (4") form a massive 45-degree latitude mount weighing over 100 pounds. Photos and descriptions of several variations on the Poncet equatorial-table mounting (see also Jan 1977 issue). More photos and descriptions of various Poncet platform telescope mounts, including a large platform designed to rotate and position an entire observatory hut. A collapsible telescope stand made from one sheet of 3/4" plywood. The three legs are laminated 1-1/2" thick to provide a sturdy support for the 18"x24" plywood top. A sturdy, lightweight tripod for a Celestron-8 weighs only 6 pounds. It is made from aluminum sheet, aluminum tubing, and honeycomb aluminum (or plywood). It is ideal for the backpacking astronomer. Tips on using springs (instead of counterweights) to counterbalance a typical German equatorial mounting. Tip: Bolts in many German equatorial mountings can be tightened to prevent slipping if grease is used on both threads and bolt heads. How to draw setting circles using a computer-controlled typewriter. Three styles illustrated. Symmetrical mount for a 6" Newtonian has a low profile. Built from plywood and requires no machining of metal parts. It comes apart easily for travel, yet is very stable. Est. cost: $50. Photographs of a Dobsonian telescope mount which allows equatorial tracking. Uses a modified version of the Poncet table. Split-ring polar-disk mounting for two 6" reflectors is built from plywood. The horseshoe is driven by two synchronous motors. A sturdy plywood storage case for a 4" telescope doubles as the platform for an English cross-axis mount. The mount is made from plumbing pipe. "Featherweight" 24" equatorial. Part 1. The mount is constructed of fiberglass and polystyrene-foam. "Featherweight" 24" equatorial. Part 2. Construction details for the composite (foam and fiber cloth) equatorial mount, plus tips for first time composite builders. Backyard astronomy. Part 5. Mastering polar alignment of your equatorial mounting. A deluxe 10" Newtonian-Cassegrainian. Details of tangent arm, lead screw and polar-shaft drive assembly are shown. Poncet-Dobsonian mount for a 22" mirror is mounted on a small 2-wheel trailer. An economical homemade telescope mount is built from wood and old lawnmower parts. Est. cost: $75. Flexure of a concrete telescope pier. Includes a chart showing the required diameter of a concrete pier in order to properly support a telescope. Observing with an "el-el" mounting. Homebuilt low-power, rich-field refractor is suspended from a unique mounting which allows relaxed viewing while lying on your back on a chaise longue. The mounting is built from wood and pipe. Basic design details for a fold-up, motor-driven, split-ring equatorial mounting for a 10" reflector. Diagram of a declination-axis brake which grips firmly, but still allows slewing. Combines a sprocket chain, smooth-rimmed disk, spring, and tension-adjusting screw. The E-M method of polar alignment for equatorially-mounted telescopes used for long-exposure astrophotography. How to isolate a 14" telescope from rooftop vibrations using four garage-door springs. Tetrahedral tripod (tetrapod) is sturdy, built of ordinary 2x4s, collapsible, and cheap. Est. cost: $10. Setting circles from a dot-matrix printer. Circle-dividing program, written in BASIC, is used to generate paper strips (of various lengths) which are divided into 360 equal parts. Wrapped around a circular object, the can form a setting circle, degree scale, etc. Equatorial tables without a pivot. 14" reflector with a Dobsonian-style altazimuth mounting is combined with an equatorial table (Poncet table) to allow tracking. Article's emphasis is on design and construction of the equatorial table. Noncollapsible tripod for a 5" Newtonian reflector is made from an old bicycle, electrical conduit, and plastic-laminated countertop material. The design of telescope structures. Structural analysis of the loads on a telescope framework and mounting. Part 1. New concept in computer-aided telescopes. Program for pointing a telescope is written in BASIC. It will work with any altazimuth or equatorial mounting equipped with setting circles. It does not require you to align the mounting. The design of telescope structures. Part 2. Crawford-Dobsonian mounting. Transform the simple altazimuth Dobsonian mounting into a quasi-equatorial mounting through the addition of a wire or rod "declination clamp." A simple mount for the small Celestron C90 Maksutov telescope is made from aluminum sheet. Wooden crutches make excellent legs when building a tripod for camera or telescope. Reflections of a telescope maker. Tips on (1) making an 8" diameter f/4 short-focus mirror, (2) using a curved diagonal-carrying arm, (3) eliminating a conventional mirror cell, and (4) a tall Dobsonian-style mounting that rolls on two wheels and features a convenient eyepiece height. Simple wooden platform (tray) attaches to your car's door and forms a "Low Technology Observation Platform" to support a small telescope for use while sitting in the car. Fork mount is built from an airplane nose gear, various automotive parts and other surplus items. Teflon substitute for small Poncet camera boards and Dobsonian mountings. Setting circles. How to adjust your equitorial-mounted telescope and use the circles correctly. A simple equatorial mounting for an 8" Newtonian telescope is built from plumbing pipe and wood. Profile design of an alt-alt mounting that has no blind spots in the direction of its piers. How to use a spreadsheet program to help achieve accurate polar alignment of a telescope. Make a sturdier telescope tripod from six aluminum tent poles, wood scraps, and a loop of steel cable. A cone-based polar platform for large telescopes. A discussion of design and construction concepts. A pier for a large refractor telescope consists of two concentric tubes. The outer tube is embedded into the concrete base for a patio table. The inner tube is raised by means of a small winch to set the eyepiece at a convenient height. The telescope tube and mount are removable. How to convert a Dobsonian-style altazimuth mount to form an equatorial mount suitable for operation at middle latitudes. The clock drive is adapted from a wind-up kitchen timer. Make your own Telrad pole finder. Use your Telrad sight and this special planisphere dial to align your telescope mount on the north celestial pole. How to use sidereal time to polar-align a telescope without reference to either Polaris in the Northern Hemisphere or Sigma Octantis in the Southern. Telescope equatorial mount, tube, focus mechanism and mirror cell built by a woodworker using a minimum of metal parts. Gemini mount carries two separate swiveling platforms that are linked together. Suitable for binoculars or small telescopes, the device ensures that two people are observing the same celestial object simultaneously. Semi-permanent footpads for a telescope tripod are made from sprinkler spikes and pipe fittings. Computer program for printing linear and circular setting circles on a laser printer. Telescope mount uses a bowling ball as the pivot point. A simple framework of 2x4's is used to support the central pedestal at four different levels. Voyager. A motorized chair supports a pair of 8" telescopes mounted to form a giant binocular. Major components are illustrated, but no construction details are provided. Benefits of a split-Dob mount. Add a third axis (the azimuth base of a Dobsonian) to a split-ring equatorial mount to provide the best of both worlds. The milk-crate mount. Equatorial mount for stand-up viewing with a 60mm refractor. Varying the number of interlocking dairy crates controls the eyepiece height. A car-window mounting for a small refractor telescope. Includes information on how both the scope and mount were fabricated. Mastering polar alignment when setting up a telescope's equatorial mount. Build a one-arm mount for a Celestron C90 telescope from galvanized plumbing pipe and fittings. An accompanying tripod is built mostly from wood. Trailer for a 17.5" telescope features an observing platform which is isolated from the trailer to reduce vibrations. The trailer was converted from an old pop-up tent camper. Tip on improving the motion of plumbing-pipe telescope mounts by lapping and lubricating the pipe threads. Tip on using an automobile roof rack as a sturdy telescope mount. Motorizing a Dobsonian. How the stability inherent in a simple altazimuth mount and the convenience of motorized tracking can be had at the same time. A weightless woodshop refractor. This easy-to-build altazimuth mount and tripod is perfect for a variety of small telescopes. Texas Slim, a multipurpose binocular mount. This easy-to-make support will hold a wide range of equipment, from big binoculars to small telescopes. Built mostly from plumbing pipe and fittings. The Hargreaves strut. Give your German equatorial mount more stability by installing a brace between the upper end of the telescope tube and the declination axle or counterweight shaft. A simple and sturdy telescope wedge and tripod is built from wood and ordinary hardware. A sturdy and inexpensive telescope tripod is built from three wooden crutches, some plywood, and ordinary hardware. Better Dobsonian bearings. Results of tests to determine the best bearing material for use in a Dobsonian-style mount. A portable wooden yoke mounting intended for a 6" f.7 reflector. Build mostly of wood, it includes plans for an octagonal wooden tube for the telescope. Build this tripod with adjustable wooden legs which doubles as the carrying case for a 4" refractor. Pier heads for backyard observatories. How to design and build the fitting which attaches the telescope mounting to the top of the pier. The easy easel equatorial mount for a 4" RFT. Three-leg wooden tripod opens like an artists easel. The telescope cradle uses door springs to secure the scope while allowing it to rotate easily. An ideal scope and mount for children to use. No-legs portable telescope mount consists of a base of concrete cast in a bucket (or other suitable mold) and topped with the necessary bearings and horizontal beam (also of concrete) needed to form an altitude-azimuth mount. Photograph of a rugged equatorial mount built from pipe fittings and scrap metal parts. Portable mounting pier for a small Cassegrain is built from plastic pipe, wood, and commercial aluminum pedestal legs. Estimated cost: $36. The Poncet mount. Part 1. Description of how the mount works. Converting inexpensive fork-type alt-azimuth refractor telescopes into equatorial mounted refractors. Modification uses existing tripod, is built of pipe and wood, and allows the scope to be converted back. Est. cost: $10. Low-level tripod for a C-8 Dynamax facilitates use by children or while sitting down. Built from water pipe and plate steel. Photograph and description of a fork-mounting for an 8" Cassegrain. The fork is built of laminated plywood. The Poncet mounting. Part 2. Photographs and description of a wooden mount driven by a small electric motor and used to aim a 35mm camera for astrophotography. Installing bigger setting circles (6" diameter) in place of the 3" circles which came with a Meade equatorial mount. Azimuthal mounting for a 6-inch f/5 telescope incorporates the Poncet equatorial table. Details of a fork-type mounting for an 8" reflector. Fork is both motor driven and hand driven. Dobsonian mount opens up to accommodate a 10" Newtonian scope. The mount closes securely by means of suitcase latches. Makes it easier to transport the telescope. Yoke and cross-axis mountings. A review of several designs, built mostly of wood, and requiring only simple tools and limited experience. Special issue on the Poncet-type equatorial mount. A Poncet/Dobson hybrid mounting for a 22" reflector. Dual axis equatorial platforms. Tips on installing a tilting platform on top of an equatorial table. Design for a bending-pier telescope mount which combines stability and ease of construction. It is a hybrid of the Haig mount. Nested-corner equatorial platform, a variation on the Haig mount, is used with alt-azimuth telescopes. Where to find parts for building telescope mounts, particularly the gears and motors. Tip: Recess bricks in the ground where the feet of your portable telescope tripod will rest. If you carefully align the telescope with Polaris when you position the bricks, future alignment may be unnecessary. How to build an equatorial platform with a hydraulic escapement. Use with any Dobsonian style mounting. A state-of-the-art Poncet equatorial platform for large reflectors features electric drive mechanism. Pursell's platform, an alternative to the Poncet mount. Built mostly from wood using ordinary hand tools. Design and construction tips for building a "generic" equatorial mount for telescopes of 13.1" or less. An "unconventional" equatorial mounting is built from PVC pipe and plywood. It features a "curved bolt" drive. More on hydraulic drive equatorial platforms. An investigation of the frictional properties of various bearing materials in association with TEFLON. Description of a microcomputer-controlled telescope mounting system for making unassisted photoelectric observations of variable stars. The "2DS Poncet" is a simple, compact and solid alt-azimuth mounting that works by skidding on any smooth surface. May be adapted to almost any portable telescope. Details of a large (17.5") equatorial mounting built largely of plywood and Teflon. The tube divides into 3 sections for transport. Poncet mounting can be improved by utilizing a conical bearing area. Photo shows a refractor telescope with a "Dobsonian mount" on a permanent pier. Plastic pail rims make good altitude bearings for a Dobsonian-style mount. Friction control for the altitude bearings on a Dobsonian mount. An alt-azimuth (Dobsonian) mounting with equatorial drive. Wooden fork mounting. Fork-type equatorial mounting is built from a 24"x48" sheet of 3/4" plywood. It features a metal shaft and bearings, bolts to allow easy disassembly, and a large enough base to balance the overhanging weight of a 25-pound telescope without a counterweight. Total weight is 33 lbs. An equatorial plate fork mounting system combines the best features and design principles of Dobsonian and Poncet. A light wooden tripod for small telescopes. Features folding legs and adjustable height. Oil-filled, springless damped pier ("dampier") reduces vibrations reaching a telescope. Tip on using "Benlex" material in fabricating mirror cells, supports, braces, and similar telescope parts. This material is highly stable and easy for the homebuilder to work. A split-ring mounting with that "Dobsonian feel" for a 12.5" f/6 telescope. Tip for making "shake-enders" to place under the legs of a telescope tripod. Some design details for the equatorial platform of Georges d'Autume. This pivotless table rotates constrained by at least 5 surfaces which are all figures of revolution about a common virtual axis. Building a 14.5" f/6 yoke-mounted reflector for a hinged-roof observatory. Includes construction information for the 16" x 8-ft tube, yoke mounting, piers, and observatory. A split-ring 12.5" f/6 Newtonian for 9-degrees latitude. Drawings illustrate the construction of the wooden equatorial mounting, open tube and clock drive assembly. Tube cradle features quick-release clamps adapted from bicycle seat clamps. | |||||||||
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