Ben's Observing Chair
I got together with a good friend of mine on January 4th and 5th of 2004 to create this astronomy chair. When moving a telescope around the sky, the height of the eyepiece changes from horizon to zenith. An adjustable chair is a must for comfortable viewing, especially during extended sessions. This chair allows the seat to be repositioned infinitly along the leg, and uses leverage and friction to remain where it's placed. The chair folds flat for easy storage and transport, and the front cross leg is shorter than the rear to help maneuver around tripod legs.
The design is based on a chair that my friend made for himself. The chair folds flat by pivoting the metal strip and attaching it to a knob along one leg, folding the seat flush to the other leg, and swinging the two legs together. The legs are connected by a door hinge on top.
We further enhanced the design to include removeable leg crossmembers that detach via a few knobs, and then can be stowed by attaching them to the flattened risers.
The seat is then attached to the pile of 2x4's by industrial strength velcro, which is strong enough to use the seat as a carrying handle for the entire assembly.
The chair was constructed using a very generous friend's ShopSmith Mark V. The proper tools always make the job easier, and this was no exception. The bottom of the legs and risers were cut at a slant to sit flush on the ground with the ShopSmith's table saw, and the bolt holes were drilled with the ShopSmith's drill press. The leg cross-members attach via two bolts and two dowels for added strength. The friction on the riser is provided by a strip of self-adhesive stair tred, and the back side of the seat is a 3/8ths bolt surrounded by 3/8th internal diameter reinforced PVC tubing, which fits very snugly.
We are considering selling these chairs at star parties as an affordable and portable alternative to the bulky, expensive slide-adjust chairs on the market. As a means of gauging interest, I would appreciate any feedback by email to ben.tiefert@gmail.com