Very nicely done I am just starting to do the same but where did you get the adapter plate? My biggest scope is a 11 inch SCT and a 6 inch Refractor so I might use an 8 inch sono tube here in Florida.
@@TimTools99 Better late than never. By the way, you did a very nice job. At the time of my original questions, I was pouring (9) 12" in piers for my 12 x 16 shed, which was being build on very uneven ground. I ended up mixing around 3,800 lbs of bag mix. I'm 68, so it gave me a bit of a workout. :) Your video helped me out! Thank you!
Nice documentary on your pier. Reminds me of when I put the footing for my tilt-over antenna mast in. Though the whole operation was not as well done and precise as your pier went.
Thanks! I put in a footer for a ham radio tower. Didn't have to worry about being to precise but I did try to make the top of the footer level.. Thanks for watching
Awesome video. I am looking into making concrete piers and attaching metal beams for a cabin in the air, well 10 ft in the air. I got picked up some good info here.
@@TimTools99 I saw a few of your videos and one thing I like about my project is as a family we will be able to see the stars without all the city lights. I need to see if I can find sonotubes in 16 or 18 inch. Well your channel is awesome and that's why I share stuff on my channel too. Thanks
Tim...I have questions...hope you can answer them! 1) what is the name of the compass app on your iPhone? 2) the sonotube - I'm not sure if I missed it or not, but does it go into the initial concrete base with the metal struts? 3) do you remove the sonotube once the concrete is hard? 4) how long does it take for the concrete to cure (I have no idea about concreting)? 5) shouldn't the jig be pointing to celestial south and not magnetic south? Or do you just align to magnetic and then offset the difference between the 2?
Hello. 1. The compass was part of an "extras" app that came with my iPhone. 2. I poured the concert footer with the rebar sticking up. After that footer set up the next day, I slid the sonotube down over the rebar and the tube rested on the footer. I backfilled the hole with dirt and made sure the tube was plumb. Then, I filled the tube with concrete. 3. I marked where the tube would come through my deck and cut it off just below where the deck would be so the pier inside the observatory has no cardboard tube.. I left the tube right on under the deck and underground of course. 4. It fully cures in about a month, I guess. I cut the sonotube off after about a week, I think. Then, I let the cement harden real good before I put the mount on it. 5. You only really need to get the jig pointed close to north. I knew that my mount has plenty of adjustment to fine tune it and polar align. Just get the jig pointed as close to North as you can. GOOD LUCK with your project!
Fabulous video, thank you! I want to install a pier in my backyard for a CGEM - I have a house under 6.9-7.0 dark skies. I don't think I need anything as substantial as what you've done, could you make a recommendation for me? The largest I will have on it might be a 14" SCT one day, but only for visual. My STF camera rig has an 80mm APO. I was thinking of a concrete base, and an actual pier like OPT sells.
Hello Michael. Before I started in Astrophotography, I used my tripod for observing and it was fine. If you are planning on putting in a pier and plan to put in a foundation anyway, then using the Sonotube and pouring a concrete pier is the cheapest option. I don't know how much the OPT pier sells for but I have seen others that are priced for several hundred dollars. If you are planning on getting a 14" SCT someday, then a nice pier would be great. That's a pretty big scope. The reason I went with a 12" sonotube is so I could put in my J-bolts and not have them too close to the edge of the concrete. Of course, if you have the money to buy a pier, then that is fine too. Good luck.
Yes cat litter buckets are very strong. You just can't beat a good cat litter bucket! About building stuff .... I see it, I want it, I build it. My wife calls me a spendaholic! Can't help myself. lol
By far this was the best detailed design and implementation I have seen. Thank you and Clear Skies
Thanks!
I just recently found your channel. You do a great job filming and narrating your projects. I am really enjoying your videos. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks a lot Kitty. I enjoy making these how-to videos. I'm glad you found my channel. Keep in touch.
Agreed. His videos are awesome. Love the tiny house vids.
***** Thanks Elgato
Very nicely done I am just starting to do the same but where did you get the adapter plate? My biggest scope is a 11 inch SCT and a 6 inch Refractor so I might use an 8 inch sono tube here in Florida.
Great video! Couple of questions for you: What psi concrete did you use? Did you rod the concrete?
Thanks for the time and effort you put into this.
Sorry I didn't give a timely reply. 3000lb concrete and I put rod in the footer, not the pier. It works great. Very happy with it.
@@TimTools99 Better late than never. By the way, you did a very nice job. At the time of my original questions, I was pouring (9) 12" in piers for my 12 x 16 shed, which was being build on very uneven ground. I ended up mixing around 3,800 lbs of bag mix. I'm 68, so it gave me a bit of a workout. :) Your video helped me out! Thank you!
Great videos! Good luck with your observatory. Your documentary style reminded me of Dick Proenneke's Wilderness documentary :)
Ha! Thanks Michael. I'm not familiar with Dick Proennek but I bet I would like like his documentary!
Check it out Michael Galea is right. ruclips.net/video/iYJKd0rkKss/видео.html
I was thinking the exact same thing!
I was thinking the exact same thing!
Found your video looking for tips on pouring a tube, but now I want to build an observatory! Haven't checked yet, but I hope there's an "after" video
ruclips.net/video/uvoC3vYGsW8/видео.html
Nice documentary on your pier. Reminds me of when I put the footing for my tilt-over antenna mast in. Though the whole operation was not as well done and precise as your pier went.
Thanks! I put in a footer for a ham radio tower. Didn't have to worry about being to precise but I did try to make the top of the footer level.. Thanks for watching
I enjoy your videos. Thanks!
You are welcome. Glad you stopped by! I enjoy making these videos.
Awesome video. I am looking into making concrete piers and attaching metal beams for a cabin in the air, well 10 ft in the air. I got picked up some good info here.
Good luck with your project! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
@@TimTools99 I saw a few of your videos and one thing I like about my project is as a family we will be able to see the stars without all the city lights. I need to see if I can find sonotubes in 16 or 18 inch. Well your channel is awesome and that's why I share stuff on my channel too. Thanks
@@cutweldngrind Thank you. Stay safe and healthy.
Did you let the footer fully cure before you tamped and started the 12" pour?
Nice work man.
Tim...I have questions...hope you can answer them!
1) what is the name of the compass app on your iPhone?
2) the sonotube - I'm not sure if I missed it or not, but does it go into the initial concrete base with the metal struts?
3) do you remove the sonotube once the concrete is hard?
4) how long does it take for the concrete to cure (I have no idea about concreting)?
5) shouldn't the jig be pointing to celestial south and not magnetic south? Or do you just align to magnetic and then offset the difference between the 2?
Hello. 1. The compass was part of an "extras" app that came with my iPhone. 2. I poured the concert footer with the rebar sticking up. After that footer set up the next day, I slid the sonotube down over the rebar and the tube rested on the footer. I backfilled the hole with dirt and made sure the tube was plumb. Then, I filled the tube with concrete. 3. I marked where the tube would come through my deck and cut it off just below where the deck would be so the pier inside the observatory has no cardboard tube.. I left the tube right on under the deck and underground of course. 4. It fully cures in about a month, I guess. I cut the sonotube off after about a week, I think. Then, I let the cement harden real good before I put the mount on it. 5. You only really need to get the jig pointed close to north. I knew that my mount has plenty of adjustment to fine tune it and polar align. Just get the jig pointed as close to North as you can. GOOD LUCK with your project!
thank you!
Fabulous video, thank you!
I want to install a pier in my backyard for a CGEM - I have a house under 6.9-7.0 dark skies. I don't think I need anything as substantial as what you've done, could you make a recommendation for me? The largest I will have on it might be a 14" SCT one day, but only for visual. My STF camera rig has an 80mm APO. I was thinking of a concrete base, and an actual pier like OPT sells.
Hello Michael. Before I started in Astrophotography, I used my tripod for observing and it was fine. If you are planning on putting in a pier and plan to put in a foundation anyway, then using the Sonotube and pouring a concrete pier is the cheapest option. I don't know how much the OPT pier sells for but I have seen others that are priced for several hundred dollars. If you are planning on getting a 14" SCT someday, then a nice pier would be great. That's a pretty big scope. The reason I went with a 12" sonotube is so I could put in my J-bolts and not have them too close to the edge of the concrete. Of course, if you have the money to buy a pier, then that is fine too. Good luck.
It's been 5 years and I was wondering if the tube has rotted or deteriorated under the ground ???
Monty
Do you mean the cardboard sonotube?
Thank you for your sharing information.
Nice.....
Is there anything you can't build? Hahah, I use cat litter buckets for all my bucket needs.
Yes cat litter buckets are very strong. You just can't beat a good cat litter bucket! About building stuff .... I see it, I want it, I build it. My wife calls me a spendaholic! Can't help myself. lol