Re: [ATM] plans to build an adjustable observing chair - cheap!

["Scott Ewart" <scotte@frontiernet.net>]

    I built a chair very similar to the ones pictured at the Denver 
chair links below.  I made mine a bit taller, padded the seat, and 
used stain and urethane.  One other very important difference is that 
I shortened the spar reaching back and made the back leg nearly 
vertical.  Before, I found it very awkward to maneuver around the 
scope in the dark and easier to trip over.  After shortening it, I 
found it gave up no stability and is still rock solid.  Also, the 
front leg needs to be arched or have short feet installed, unless you 
will only be observing on very flat ground.

Scott Ewart

|
| Here is one version of the "Denver" observers chair:
| http://www.schlatter.org/Dad/Astronomy/chair.htm
|
| No long rip cuts on this one.  The long bits are all stock size.
|
| I'd go with varnish rather than paint, because all the pigment in 
paint
| adds noticeable weight.  I'd also choose the cheapest stud grade 2x4 
for
| the simple reason that they are less dense than better grades.  You 
can
| definitely notice the weight difference.  Use southern yellow pine 
if
| you need a workout.  Use fluffy fir if you'd rather skip the 
workout.
| Unless your personal gravitational attraction is really high, the 
cheap
| wood should be strong enough.  Even if you are "highly attractive", 
only
| the front upright and perhaps the rails under the seat, need to be 
good
| wood.  The rest of the structure won't be highly loaded unless two 
or
| three of your "attractive" friends sit on your lap.
|
| This page has two chairs, a Denver and another style commercially
| available: http://mpgf.net/buildit8.htm
|
| You can buy plans, or a kit for Jim Fly's "CatsPerch", or you can 
buy a
| finished chair:  http://www.catseyecollimation.com/cperch1.html
|
| If you are too cheap to buy the plans, the pictures on the web site 
are
| good enough to draw up your own plans from.
|
| Here is a modified Denver chair:
| http://www.tulsawalk.com/projects/denverobserverchair/index.html
|
| This page has pics of four different chairs:
| 
http://www.sctscopes.net/SCT_Tips/Items_You_Can_Make/An_Observer_s_Seat/an_observer_s_seat.html
|
| Another Denver chair modification:
| http://www.augustana.edu/users/psvincent/Denver.htm
|
| This one has the front "foot board" rotatable for more compact knock
| down: http://dbpeckham.com/Telescope/Chair/Index.htm
|
| This one slots the foot to make folding it simpler:
| http://dgilbank.freeownhost.com/chair.html
|
|
| -- 
| Mark Holm
| mdholm@telerama.com
|
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