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Inside pod
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Comment by David Klooz on January 7, 2011 at 2:35am
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Very roomy Spike. Hoping roomy enough once the tripod legs are spread.
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You'll have fun setting it up....put your pod hat on, watch the video and go crazy. Let me know how the pier goes once you have it in and how much difference it makes. Prices went up.
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Comment by Charles Dunlop on January 6, 2011 at 4:57pm
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Klooz, my pod should arrive anyday. You totally inspired me to pull the trigger and super stoked on it. Can't wait. Pier should be like three weeks behind it. I seriously can't wait.
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Comment by spike77 on January 6, 2011 at 2:33pm
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wow man that is cool home away from home total sweetness !!!!!!!
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Comment by Philip A Cruden on January 5, 2011 at 11:01pm
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Hey Man, so cool, I looked at your images on the other site with you going through the stages, really great man, congrates
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I'm sure you will so let me know. No instructions for the pier, but on their website there's a section for piers that gives you a diameter and which pier you need for which scope. I went for the one with a small SCT 8" and a small to medium apo....something like that as I remember. I think the diameter was around 4.5 or 5". I ended up getting a sonotube about 4' long, dug down 3' and the deck frame sits about 6" above the ground. Poured cement into the sonotube and stopped just short of the deck. I had already cut a hole in the deck. So I cut the sonotube off and peeled back the cardboard on the part above the ground and just short of the deck frame where the cement ends. That way I was able to replace the deck 'cap' that I cut out. When you take that out, the concrete round base sits about 1" below the decking. As I recall I gave myself an inch to spare so I got a 6" diameter sonotube. Let me know how the tripping and vibrations go. Also, let it rain a couple of times with some wind especially from the direction where your primary dome overlaps the secondary dome. If it does, you'll have to remove the secondary dome and apply a 1" gasket wrap. Also make sure your measurement for your tracking plate is pretty accurate. Try to get it as close to the center as possible 'cause the walls may appear round when you do your diameter measurements, but when you start rotating the dome you may be off center. Have fun!! I'm sure your pier instructions will be with the pier. But read the site before it comes. Make sure you wear your pod cap and send Wayne some photos.
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Klooz i will be on tripod for a few weeks until i cement in the pier so i might have insight as to the differences in a short period of time.
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A cemented pier would be a lot more stable. Im going for the pier. Klooz did they send you instqll instructions for the pier?
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Hi guys,
At this point, no pier. I dug a hole and put in a sonotube with cement and cut a hole in the decking. I'm going to try this season with a tripod and see how it is for room - if I'm tripping over the legs and the vibration - since it's on decking although I've nailed it as thoroughly as possible. If I get vibration or it gets difficult tripping over things and screwing up shots, I'll order the pier or drive up and pick it up. It's around $400 for the one I need and about a 3 hour drive so doable to save a bunch of shipping costs. Looking forward to taking everything out and leaving it. Wayne suggested (owner of Skyshed pod) waiting until March to leave it out. So looking at a season from about March to mid December without touching it. Love the thought of it. Right now most nights are about 15F and soon will get much lower than that. Just too cold for the stuff to sit and a heater running just costs too much.
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Klooz inspired me, I've got this same pod showing up this week. The Pier is being made as well, today I'm going to plot and plan on how to install the pier as I will have to dig a whole and break the cement out. Pretty stoked on it.
But the pier alignment lasts a few months, because the cement needs to settle. It takes a while until it's really perfectly packed in the soil.
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