Monolith Support System *Patent pending

 

Innovative, high tech, feature packed, and distinctively styled portable pier/tripod system

 

A brief background: Many different tripods, portable piers and stands have been available to amateur astronomers. Most offered good to excellent strength and rigidity at a reasonable price. However, as a long time amateur astronomer and photographer, and a CCD imager for the past four years, I felt there were features which were absent from the current tripod/portable piers - features which would maximize the use of both visual and CCD equipment without adding complexity to the equipment setup process. Beyond these features, I wanted a tripod/ portable pier which, simply stated, looked as good as the equipment it was supporting. To this end, I started the design work on the Monolith in March 2002.

The design Goals: The underlying design goals were simple. The new design had to be:

- equally useable by both the CCD imagers and visual observers
- self-contained, easily transportable and easy to setup quickly
- as light weight as possible
- very strong and rigid with no perceivable flexure in the system and no play in the legs
- precision build
- easily adaptable to different mounts
- rapidly manufactured and delivered
- manufactured from the finest material and using the latest fabrication technologies
- aesthetically very pleasing
- packed with necessary and useful features
- an excellent value

Introducing the Monolith *Patent Pending

The Monolith Support System is not just another tripod or portable pier. It is not made up from a collection of cast parts fastened to tubing material or tubing material cut to length and welded together, nor is it extruded aluminum cut and fastened together- Monolith is 100% engineered with fully computer optimized design. It is built from the ground up to be the finest and the best looking tripod/portable pier ever offered.

The Monolith is manufactured in Northern California in state of the art machine shop. It is manufactured with the finest materials and using the same technologies used in the aircraft manufacturing industry. Every part, except two stainless steel screws, are CNC machined from 6061 and 7075 aircraft quality aluminum and 17-4ph stainless steel. The top and bottom body segments are machined from 6061 aircraft quality tubing. Monolith has a modular design. The segments are joined together, not welded, using the one of the bonding agents used by NASA.

Every effort was made to make the Monolith as light as possible without sacrificing strength, rigidity and rapid damping of vibrations. For example, structural ribbing and reinforcing is machined into the legs and the segment to reduce weight without reducing strength or introducing flexure under heavy loads.

Monolith is a complete system not merely a tripod or a portable pier. There are an increasing number of accessories available to adapt the. Monolith to virtually any need whether photographic or visual observing. One example is the permanent pier column. With this accessory, Monolith is converted to a permanent pier in less two minutes, eliminating the need to have a permanent pier for observing at your home observatory and a portable tripod/pier for remote site observing. From leg lights to full index adapter to accessory table, the Monolith can be customized to fit individual viewing or imaging needs. Even without accessories, the Monolith is the most versatile tripod/portable pier available.

In short, the Monolith System is a no compromise tripod/portable pier of the highest possible quality and precision. It is meant to be fully functional yet, a work of Art.

"This is perhaps the best piece of astro gear I have ever purchased. The quality and attention to detail is superb. It changed the whole character of the mount. The mount now handles the Mewlon without problem. There is no vibration and the whole system is rock solid. If every one made their products to this level of quality I would be content. I feel it also makes the mount/scope look finished. My wife says it now looks like modern art and it is ok if I leave it set-up in the house. Like I said, the best gear I have ever purchased!"

Jeff

Some of the features:

• Fully engineered with computer optimized design for maximum strength, rigidity and weight savings
• Fully CNC machined from 6061 and 7075 aircraft quality Aluminum and 17-4ph Stainless Steel - machined to extremely close tolerances
• Modular design incorporating structural reinforced and ribbed for maximum strength, rigidity and weight savings
• Internally baffled to reduce dampening time
• Interference fit, Zero play leg pivots - teflon coated bearings for effortless opening and closing of the legs
• Legs adjustable in spread - can be locked in virtually any position
• Fully supported leg design - the leg stays, store out of way into the body of the Monolith
• Fine height adjustment built-into the feet for accurate leveling
• Four surface positive leg lock mechanism - no knobs
• Ergonomically designed carry handle - reversible in orientation to maintain center of gravity if an adapter plate is attached
• Interchangeable shoes for the feet - adapts to different surfaces
• Convertible to permanent mounting with the addition of the permanent pier adapter
• Extremely strong and rigid with no perceivable flexure in the system
• Low center of gravity
• Lightweight
• Superb machining
• Stunning looks
• Low maintenance and highly corrosion resistant
• Available in clear or black anodized - custom colors available as an option
• Available in 8" and 10" diameter and 24", 27", 33, 36", 39", 42", 48" heights (custom heights available)
• Many options and accessories
• Quick delivery
• Three year warranty

 

Monolith Construction:

A great deal of time and thought has gone into the design, optimization and manufacturing the Monolith. Quality and precision is evident through out. Beyond the stunning looks and the superb and precision machining, one finds a host of well conceived and executed features which elevate the Monolith to a class of its own.

For example, with the 10" x 36" model, we start with a solid bar of aluminum measuring 40" x 8" x 2" and weighing 28 pounds. This bar is first machined down to the basic tapered shape, then the ovals are machined and next the structural reinforcing and ribbing. Once the machining (1.5 hours worth per leg) is completed, the finished legs weigh only 6 pounds.

The top and bottom segment begin as solid 12" x 3.5" and 10" x 3.5 " billets respectively. These disks are then machined down to less than 25% of their original weight. These segments are the load carrying portions of the Monolith and due to the structural reinforcing and ribbing machined into them, are many times stronger than the the tubing often used in constructing conventional tripods or portable piers. An added benefit of this design is that the structural reinforcing and ribbing extends into the main body of the Monolith and functions as a vibration dampener.

 

The upper and lower body sections start life as 10" diameter 6061 T6 tubing material. The tube ends (contact points) are only machined a 0.005" but the remaining tube surface is machined down, from the taper to 0.125" thickness. This not only aesthetically enhances the Monolith but it removes over 40% of the tube weight.

The leg stays are 0.55" thick round bars. they are machined to a fit perfectly within the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is a revolutionary design by itself. It is capable of locking the leg stays positively in any extended/spread position.

Almost all support systems in the market support the legs in the middle or by connecting them to each other at the bottom. Unlike these arrangements, the Monolith's legs are supported by the leg stays which connect the bottom of the legs to the bottom structural segment of the Monolith. This design forms a triangle with the main body, the stays and the legs which provide unparalleled support of the legs. An additional benefit is that, the legs are always connected to the main body which not only prevents accidental spreading of the legs but makes it easier to setup the Monolith in the dark. The stays retract into the main body and away from the internal storage area when the legs are closed. The legs can be locked in virtually any extended position. Each leg is individually adjustable in spread and height. The leg opposite the carry handle provides and additional 8 degrees of adjustment to facilitate leveling on sloped or uneven ground.

The locking mechanism is operated by levers rather than a knobs. The lever itself is very similar in design to the bicycle seat adjustment levers. It requires little force to operate and it locks and unlocks positively. It rotates to an easy reach position as the legs open and rotates out of the way when the legs are closed. There is no need to tie down the legs with rope or bungee cord when transporting the Monolith. Simply lock the legs in the closed position with the lock lever.

The feet swivel about their axis to provide even contact with the ground. The feet have built-in fine height adjustment to facilitate accurate leveling of the Monolith. The feet can accept various shoes to allow Monolith to be used on varied surfaces for example, rubber shoe to protect delicate surfaces such as hard wood floors.

The carry handle is positioned above the center of gravity for balanced carrying of the Monolith. The carry handle is reversible in orientation to compensate for the shift of center of gravity if the Monolith is carried with an adapter plate attached. The carry handle is also ergonomically shaped to provide excellent grip with and without gloves.

The attention to strength and weight and by the use of carefully selected material and optimization of the design, Monolith has achieved a 18:1 strength to weight ratio. This degree of strength approaches that of a perm. pier.

These are only a few of the features of the Monolith. Many other features and subtle attention to details not mentioned, such as the adapter plate bolt holes tastefully faced off, hollowed out feet retaining rods and many more, make the Monolith the most sophisticated portable pier/tripod at any price.

These features and the attention to details, along with the finest material and superb machining, place the Monolith in a class by itself. If you want the best there is only one choice - The Monolith Support System

"I got a Monolith pier last week and I am stunned at the quality and attention to detail that has gone into the pier. The way the legs move, the way the top plate rotates, the way I can level the mount using all three feet, the 4 liquid levels, the compass, the finish, the fit, the list goes on and on and on.

Vince

 

Options and Accessories:

• Standard diameter and height - 8" and 10" diameters and 24", 36" and 48" height (29", 33", 42" and other heights available on request)
• 12" diameter available on especial order
• Standard finish is either black or clear anodized
• Paramount ME color scheme (anodized) as well as other colors available per request
• 6", 8", 10" and 12" extensions - adds up 12" to the height of Monolith
• Permanent pier column
• Spiked and flat shoes
• LED warning lights for the legs
• Custom adapter plates to mount virtually any EQ mount or fork mounted telescope (come standard with bubble level and compass)
• Soft and hard case for Monolith
• Case for internal storage area
• Shipping brackets
• Skates (similar to wheelie bar) with 6" lockable wheels
• Accessory tray for the skate

We may offer a fully height adjustable version in future (no date has been set but probably in 2004). Both center post and adjustable legs designs are being considered and evaluated