Anybody use a surveyor's tripod?

[pakarinen]

Been reading some chatter about surveyor's pods as a less expensive / more robust alternative to photo pods. Heavier in many cases, so maybe more stable? Maybe I should just buy one of everything and try it all out.

[Bigzmey]

I have considered those but never tried myself. My concern was that one have to come out with some sort of adapter to fit the mount.

Also, surveyor tripods range in price quite a bit, and my suspicion is that the cheaper ones are not that stable.

[Lady Fraktor]

They are a popular alternative to heavy tripods and are usually very stable but as Bigzmey has said the price of a good one can be expensive and may require some modification.

[JayTee]

I use one as the tripod for my parallelogram mount holding my 25 x 100s binos. It's very stable, it's very beefy, and if you can figure out an adapter for the top plate, it will work great.

[pakarinen]

Stellarvue has an adapter, but I think it's for use with their M2C column (only?).

[JayTee]

Here is the one I own. Prior to covid it was less than $70.

[Lady Fraktor]

Stellarvue has an adapter, but I think it's for use with their M2C column (only?).

I would contact Stellarvue, they used to sell a surveyor style tripod before so may have some advice.

[Unitron48]

I have used a Universal Astronomics Super Deluxe mount on a surveyor tripod as my grab and go for the past 8 years. It held my SV110ED very well and on occasion even my 4 inch Unitron (f/15) refractor. A really good one is expensive though.

Dave

[OzEclipse]

I have considered those but never tried myself. My concern was that one have to come out with some sort of adapter to fit the mount.

Also, surveyor tripods range in price quite a bit, and my suspicion is that the cheaper ones are not that stable.

Surveyors tripods have a bigger thread than the 3/8" BSW used on tripods. The adaptor is very simple. Just remove the 1/2" thread from the builders tripod and insert a 3/8" thread with some sort of washer. I often use a drilled piece of wood and a long 3/8" set screw. A set screw is a bolt threaded along its full length. I use a 3/8" wing nut to tension it. Very simple adaptor for camera heads and tracker wedges.

An EQ mount, depending upon the base fitting could be a little more complicated however, I assume we're talking about camera heads or small trackers. You wouldn't consider mounting an EQ mount on a camera tripod. A builders/surveyors tripod is a step up from that, even the cheap ones are considerably more rigid than most camera tripods, but not nearly as solid as a telescope mount.

I've had a set of four of the 4" long 3/8"BSW fully threaded bolts, one of which can be seen in the photo, since the early 1980's. Haven't lost them in all that time. Not sure if you can still buy them like that. Lot's of cheap rough stuff around these days.