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A "Yard Cannon" refractor mount - page 2

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Since the scope/box/5 lb weights assembly weighs about 30 lbs, I have counterbalanced this by placing a 25 lb weight on the opposite side of the azimuth assembly (and slightly further out, balancing it all rather well).

Since I realized that I couldn't juggle a 25 lb weight on one side and a 30 lb scope assembly on the other, I placed nylon gliders underneath the azimuth assembly to brace it "up" to avoid putting too much strain on the Lazy Susan bearing when placing the weight / scope in place.

At the moment, there is a minor issue of them causing the scope to vibrate when turning it in this orientation, so I may remove the nylon bearings on the "scope side" of things. That should help it move more smoothly. And since I put the weight on before the scope, the strain on the bearing won't be an issue.

Eyepiece height when pointed at the zenith is 42". At full level, I can almost look directly into the eyepiece if it is placed in the focuser without a diagonal. Given that I have very little ability to see stars below 20 degrees where I live, the eyepiece is always in a "viewable" range.

My hope is that this kind of project will inspire others to be creative about designing their own mounts that are stable and user-friendly. This isn't an ideal mount for everyone, but if it helps get the creative juices flowing for someone else, I'll feel good about that.

Best of luck with your projects, and clear skies!

One last thing: Please be sure to turn off your outdoor lights, or if you must have an outdoor light on, be certain it is a full cut-off fixture, and the minimum wattage required. No sense in lighting the underside of planes at night - it just ruins the night sky for everyone else! Besides, doing so really will save you money on your electric bills. For more information about light pollution, please visit the International Dark Sky Association.