Mark,

I built a concrete pier using some 10" Sonotube as a form. Yes I
removed the optics first! ;-> Reinforce the heck out of it, and embed
leveling bolts into the wet concrete.

The pier head has a base plate drilled to match the leveling bolts.
These holes (and leveling bolts) are roughly aligned north-south, and are
oversized to allow fine lateral adjustment. Each bolt has a nut above and
below the base plate for alt adjustments. A 4" diameter, 12" long pipe is
welded to the base plate. A second plate, drilled to match the three
mounting holes of the LX200, is welded to the top of the pipe. I cut,
rotated, and rewelded the pipe to point at the polar axis, but you would
omit this step for the Alt-Az mount. I have not found it to be clumsy at
all.
This method is simple to build, and as solid as a rock. Once
aligned, it doesn't move. I just bolt the scope to the pier head and I'm
ready to photograph. Several times since, I have tested the system at high
power for five minutes with no drift at all. To say I'm pleased is an
understatement. Whatever mounting you use, you're going to be ecstatic
about a permanent pier.

Bill

>I will be building an observatory this year hopefully.
>
>I have a LX200 AltAz mount and am happy with this. I have no wish to get
>into photography yet and therefore no wish to buy a wedge.
>
>I am thinking of a steel tube pier in concrete. But I am having problems
>getting my head around how to mount the LX200 onto the top of the pier.
>
>I can envisage a welded plate on the top of the tube drilled like the tripod
>head for when I do want a wedge. But how do I get the bolt up underneath into
>the LX200?
>
>I've thought about having another plate on top onto which the LX200 is
>mounted. This plate is attached to the bottom welded to pier plate by 4
>large bolts so that I can level it and maybe even adjust to true north. The
>gap between the 2 plates is sufficient to get a shortened bolt up into the
>LX200 base. All seems clumsy.
>
>Ideally I want a secure AltAz mount with the ability to mount a wedge
>sometime in the future. Also ideally some way of levelling (I'm sure I won't
>be able to get the pier 100% level).

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