Anybody know anything about parallelogram mounts

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    Parallelogram
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the use and construction of parallelogram mounts for binoculars, particularly in the context of astronomy. Participants explore different mounting options, including commercial products and DIY solutions, while addressing the challenges of stability and comfort during use.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses interest in purchasing a commercial parallelogram mount and questions whether it is the best price compared to a small tripod.
  • Another participant proposes building a custom mount and questions the use of counterweights versus springs for balance.
  • A participant highlights the advantages of a parallelogram mount over a standard tripod, noting increased flexibility.
  • Concerns are raised about the effectiveness of springs for balance unless they are cleverly mounted to maintain consistent tension.
  • A participant shares a detailed description of a DIY binocular mount they created, emphasizing its comfort and functionality, particularly for high-angle viewing.
  • Responses to the DIY mount praise its simplicity and elegance, while also reflecting on the challenges of viewing conditions such as haze and light pollution.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of opinions regarding the best mounting solutions, with some favoring commercial options and others advocating for DIY approaches. There is no consensus on the effectiveness of springs versus counterweights for balance, indicating ongoing debate.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss various mounting techniques and their implications for usability, but the conversation does not resolve the technical challenges associated with balancing binoculars or the best materials for construction.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in astronomy, binocular usage, DIY projects, and those seeking solutions for comfortable viewing at high angles may find this discussion relevant.

Saladsamurai
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My girlfriend bought me some sweet astro-binoculars from Orion for Christmas (20x80s) and I would love to use them but they are heavy as hell (and shaky). I was looking around for one of those parallelogram mounts. I found a couple like http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=bino_accessories/~pcategory=binoculars/~product_id=05374" for about $230. Is this the best price I can get on these? Or should I just get something like a small tripod for like $80?
 
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F it...I'll just build some. I was wondering though. . . why a counter weight? Why not a spring to balance the binos?

That is how I plan to make mine. . . with a nice spring.
 
The parallelogram mount is nice in that it gets you away from the tripod a bit, and gives you more flexibility than a standard tripod with photo-head.
 
turbo-1 said:
The parallelogram mount is nice in that it gets you away from the tripod a bit, and gives you more flexibility than a standard tripod with photo-head.

Cool. Thats what it looks like. Any thoughts on the spring idea?
 
Springs are not that great unless you are pretty darned clever in mounting them to keep them reasonably consistent in their tension over the range of motion that the mount will be used in. Counter-weights are very simple, easy to adjust, and can adjusted if you should decide to mount a simple spotter on your mount to facilitate finding fields more easily.

As an option to tripod mounts, here is a binocular mount that I made. I was tired of getting a stiff neck when looking at objects high in the sky and settling for shaky views when my arms and neck got fatigued. Plus, it was hard to show people what I was looking at when they asked. Here is the solution, using an adjustable 12" x 12" front-surface silvered mirror from an ophthomologist's/optometrist's exam room. I found the mirror at an insurance-salvage place nearby. You may be able to get one from an outfit that salvages and resells medical equipment. Ask your eye doctor and he or she may be able to tell you where to get one, or they may even have an unused one kicking around. The metal uprights are cut from a 12x12 shelf bracket. I fount metal tabs to hold the wooden platform and used bolts washers and wingnuts to make the platform pivot friction adjustable.

I put two strips of felt on the platform to protect the binos, and installed two dowels that are spaced so that the bino's objective tubes cannot slide backward should the platform be tipped backward, not can the binos slip out of the bungie and slide toward the mirror. All you have to do is set the mount/mirror base/binos on a picnic table, adjust the mirror angle to acquire the area you want, aim and focus. It's nice - you can sit comfortably at a table and look down at the reflected image, like using a microscope. No more "kinks" in the neck, and if someone wants to know what you are oohing and aahing about, just back off and let them take a look through the eyepieces.

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/2990/binomount1iq1.jpg
 
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Very nice, simple and elegant mount. Most of the best views are at high angles anyway. Not sure if that's due to Murphy's law or haze/light pollution.
 
chemisttree said:
Very nice, simple and elegant mount. Most of the best views are at high angles anyway. Not sure if that's due to Murphy's law or haze/light pollution.
Thanks -that's why I built it.
 
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