Sod This!

 After researching and checking prices and availability of deck materials I came away with a decision to try another approach. The fact that Lowe’s had concrete pavers on sale for $1.20 made the decision for me. A paved patio will be the POD’s foundation. After checking the measurements around the site location and determining pier height (it’s really a guess) We went to the store and returned with a full pallet of pavers, five pressure treated 4x4x8’s and some hardware. When we were in southwest Idaho I had my mount bolted to a railroad tie pier. It worked so well I decided to try it here, just on a more substantial and laminated wood pier.

With PHD’s in hand (post hole diggers) I dug the hole for the pier about 45 inches deep, which is about as deep as the PHD’s would work efficiently. I figure that is about enough to prevent frost heave here in the Treasure Valley. When digging the hole I kept the sides straight and the loose dirt was all removed.

We chose posts that were from the middle of trees and obtained the straightest ones we could find. The first outside post was drilled on the drill press to provide a sufficient starter hole once it was clamped to the others. Having a good ship auger bit and a very strong half inch drill was critical - don’t skimp if you try this at home. All five were then bolted together with 5/8 galvanized hardware every sixteen inches. I cut the overall length afterward off the bottom with a chain saw - I try not to put this type of lumber through my woodworking saws if I can help it.

Getting this monster off my workbench and into the hole required some leverage and a hand truck. I estimate the trimmed pier to weigh about 150 lbs. Not something to try to handle yourself if you are slight of build or less than robust. I paid for it later that evening. Next we leveled the thing and poured some Sakrete into the hole, mixing with water about every 18 inches. I used a metal rod to plunge into the concrete and eliminate voids and air pockets.

That was enough for day one. I figured we would work on removing the sod over a week or two so as not to kill ourselves. WRONG! The next day I cut the sod layer and Karren hauled it off to stack it nearby. This was expected to be the most labor intensive part of the patio install and it did not disappoint. All my practice at work, leaning on shovels, came into play. It took us about four hours to strip off the sod using a flat shovel. Getting a machine in there would have torn the yard up and been difficult, so our friend Manual Labor had to suffice. Sod sucks to remove by hand, but at least it was drizzling today and the ground was soft. We covered the pier with a trash bag and crawled off to lick our wounds.

In the workshop I hand planed a plank of 8/4 walnut that I have had for about twenty years (can you say “adequately cured?”). I then planed the other side in the power planer and cut the piece I needed off the end.

It was then cut on the band saw to the same circular size as my pier plate, a 2012 Chevy Malibu rear brake rotor, that just happens to fit the bottom of my CGEM DX mount.

Yes, I realize that I am using wood in my observatory pier and that this is considered heresy in the astro world. Most people don’t know how tough virgin 2 inch thick walnut is. I can always replace it with another brake rotor if it doesn’t perform as expected. After rounding over and sanding to make it pretty I drilled the holes in walnut and rotor on the drill press for putting the “rat cage” together. I am going to wait and put the alignment pin hole in the rotor later after I have marked the location by sighting the pole star across it.

So that’s the status at this point. Next we will be installing electrical conduit, adding gravel, leveling, compacting with a plate compactor, adding bedding sand and placing pavers. Just another weekend of relaxation, right? Stay tuned…