Heavy duty tripod

I have my first GEM being made by John Davis and I need a tripod for it.
The mount weighs 30 lbs and has a 40 lbs capacity, counterweights 20 lbs and
the current scope for it will be a 1278. So, we have 67 lbs of stuff.

I found this:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/berger/tripods2.html

The wooden surveyors tripod.

Also checked out Al's astro and Astronomics offerings.

Also looked at Burlebach's from Germany.

I'd like to keep it under $200. The mount is a tank so I'd like a threesome
to go under it that can keep up with the mount. I may end up putting my dob
on it some day as well (10" XT10, 35 lbs).

So, here's what I'm thinking. Get a shorter tripod (please recommend one)
and put a mini pier on it (recommendations welcome). That will give me a
short tripod for the dob and a taller one (with the mini pier) for the
refractor. Any recommendations for min and max height?

Thanks,

Tom

"Tom Hole earthlink.net" tomhole@NOSPAM wrote in message
...
I have my first GEM being made by John Davis and I need a tripod for it.
The mount weighs 30 lbs and has a 40 lbs capacity, counterweights 20 lbs
and
the current scope for it will be a 1278. So, we have 67 lbs of stuff.

I found this:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/berger/tripods2.html

The wooden surveyors tripod.

Also checked out Al's astro and Astronomics offerings.

Also looked at Burlebach's from Germany.

I'd like to keep it under $200. The mount is a tank so I'd like a
threesome
to go under it that can keep up with the mount. I may end up putting my
dob
on it some day as well (10" XT10, 35 lbs).

So, here's what I'm thinking. Get a shorter tripod (please recommend one)
and put a mini pier on it (recommendations welcome). That will give me a
short tripod for the dob and a taller one (with the mini pier) for the
refractor. Any recommendations for min and max height?

Thanks,

Tom



With that kind of weight load, you need something very solid...I would go
for overkill. My suggestion is this...

Find a CI700 tripod. There are many available even though Celestron
discontinued them several months ago. Many people purchased the mount,
which came with the tripod as a package, for use with the C-14 but never
used the tripod as the scope was mounted on a pier in an observatory. You
may be able to find one at a price within your budget. Try posting a
"wanted" ad on Astromart. If you want to see what one of these tripods
looks like, go to my web page and select "CI700". www.alsastro.com

Al

Al

I wonder if this is the same John Davis(?). The way you wrote your post
sounds like he may be more famous then I thought, I'm still far to new to
this hobby to know. Any case, I just received my mount about two or so
weeks ago and to date I have no problems, nor can I see there being any
problems in the future with constant use. The mount he made me, compared to
my EQ-2 the thing weighs a freek'n ton.

I'm in the process of constructing an observatory and just finished
pouring a 10" x 53" (plus almost or just over 5 foot below ground) concrete
pier to place the mount on to. Again; I'm still far to new to the telescope
world to suggest anything specific but I can say that Al is right, Get
something massive to support that mount. I glanced through the site link
you provided and it looks like there are many sizes to choose from. Grab
the largest one if you diside to go that rout.

--
Michael A. Barlow
Lat: 42:57:13.799N
Lon: 77:13:29.039W

"Tom Hole earthlink.net" tomhole@NOSPAM wrote in message
...
I have my first GEM being made by John Davis and I need a tripod for it.
The mount weighs 30 lbs and has a 40 lbs capacity, counterweights 20 lbs
and
the current scope for it will be a 1278. So, we have 67 lbs of stuff.

I found this:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/berger/tripods2.html

The wooden surveyors tripod.

Also checked out Al's astro and Astronomics offerings.

Also looked at Burlebach's from Germany.

I'd like to keep it under $200. The mount is a tank so I'd like a
threesome
to go under it that can keep up with the mount. I may end up putting my
dob
on it some day as well (10" XT10, 35 lbs).

So, here's what I'm thinking. Get a shorter tripod (please recommend one)
and put a mini pier on it (recommendations welcome). That will give me a
short tripod for the dob and a taller one (with the mini pier) for the
refractor. Any recommendations for min and max height?

Thanks,

Tom

"Michael Barlow" wrote in message .. .
I wonder if this is the same John Davis(?). The way you wrote your post
sounds like he may be more famous then I thought, I'm still far to new to
this hobby to know. Any case, I just received my mount about two or so
weeks ago and to date I have no problems, nor can I see there being any
problems in the future with constant use. The mount he made me, compared to
my EQ-2 the thing weighs a freek'n ton.
--
Michael A. Barlow
Lat: 42:57:13.799N
Lon: 77:13:29.039W

Michael:
John has been posting on the various Yahoo Groups which has resulted
in several orders for his mount. I think I may have been one of the
first and then it snowballed from there. Can you tell us more about
your mount...what motors are you using...are you pleased with the
quality of the construction...anything we should consider
adding...your general comments would be appreciated. It was actually
your reference of John that made me feel comfortable to order my mount
(small one inch shaft version). By the way, I get a sense John is a
relatively young man looking to build a small mount business. Thanks!
Jeff Kurtz