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Old April 22nd 08, 03:26 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Dan[_5_]
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Posts: 3
Default Building a taller dob base

Hi. Hopefully someone will see this amongst the spam

I have a Discovery 10" DHQ. Nice scope and all, however, the problem
is that I am 6'4". At full height the scope EP comes about mid-chest.
It can get semi-painful trying to get into a comfortable observing
position, and then get up to get something and get back into the
Denver chair.

What I wanted to do was raise the height of the eyepeice so that
pointing straight up would be right around eye level, and that way I
would be closer to a standing position for most observing.

One method I had looked at was to build a taller base, probably a
collapsable design, but my main concern was stability. My worry is
that it would then be too topheavy and a good wind or accident ould
send it toppling.

The other option would be to take the current mount (or a rebuilt,
albiet not as pier like one) and place it ontop of a support, sort of
like http://home.comcast.net/~astrohammer/buildbase.htm

My main concern about that is stability, though I guess a little over
engineering would take care of that.

Comments, opinions, ideas?

thanks,
-Dan