Working with Metal Again
I got a little more accomplished on the metal telescope pier adapter. Today, I drilled holes for 1/2 inch stainless steel bolts (running thread, actually) which will be used to enable fine leveling of the mount.
At this point, I'm running out of oil for keeping the drill bits cool while drilling. I only have about five more holes to drill... and two of those holes will require tapping... maybe I do need some more oil. We'll see...
The drilling went well. I was left with two pairs of four holes perfectly aligned with each other. I will have 1/2" stainless steel threaded rod in these holes. The running thread will separate the two halves of the adapter... top and bottom... about four inches apart... and stainless steel nuts will allow me to level this adapter.
Here is the top of the telescope pier... this metal adapter will bolt directly to this wooden top plate through the four holes around the circle scribed into the wood. The two diagonal lines are the direction of magnetic north and true north. I will want the adapter lined up with true north which is the darker line.
Before securing this wooden top plate to the top of the wood pier in the yard, I will lightly sand it and add a couple of coats of spar urethane to seal it up. It will be covered when not in use but I want to seal it as best as possible anyway.
After drilling and tapping the rest of the holes I need in the metal adapter, I'll paint the top and bottom halves a gloss white. I want this completely sealed with paint to avoid rust. All the stainless steel parts, however, will remain unpainted.
This project is coming along slowly... very... slowly...
At this point, I'm running out of oil for keeping the drill bits cool while drilling. I only have about five more holes to drill... and two of those holes will require tapping... maybe I do need some more oil. We'll see...
The drilling went well. I was left with two pairs of four holes perfectly aligned with each other. I will have 1/2" stainless steel threaded rod in these holes. The running thread will separate the two halves of the adapter... top and bottom... about four inches apart... and stainless steel nuts will allow me to level this adapter.
Here is the top of the telescope pier... this metal adapter will bolt directly to this wooden top plate through the four holes around the circle scribed into the wood. The two diagonal lines are the direction of magnetic north and true north. I will want the adapter lined up with true north which is the darker line.
Before securing this wooden top plate to the top of the wood pier in the yard, I will lightly sand it and add a couple of coats of spar urethane to seal it up. It will be covered when not in use but I want to seal it as best as possible anyway.
After drilling and tapping the rest of the holes I need in the metal adapter, I'll paint the top and bottom halves a gloss white. I want this completely sealed with paint to avoid rust. All the stainless steel parts, however, will remain unpainted.
This project is coming along slowly... very... slowly...
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