Homemade parallelogram mount

So comfortable! No matter where in the sky you look, you bring the binoculars to your eyes.
Quick to make and so cheap, made from offcuts and various items from hardware store.
If only it had a cup holder - I can’t find the eyepiece tray for the secondhand tripod!

[@tjzambonischwartz]

I think a parallelogram mount is one of the most worthwhile DIY astronomy projects. I love mine. It holds 25x100 binoculars and it's a great way to observe.

[@RefreshingViews]

You're right, big binos on parallelogram mount with a comfy chair are a very relaxing way to explore the night sky.

[@stevel7310]

You have a knack of making folk think you are about to start talking, ... and then don't. I appriciate that. :-) I enjoyed the video. Thanks.

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it, Steve.

[@peter7624]

Nice job sir! This is the only way to comfortably observe with binoculars without paying the exhorbitant price for the Orion Monster, and a tripod you already have! Thanks for posting.

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it, Peter. I'll get round to making a hinged joint one day and really finish it off.

[@darwintea]

I'm going to make one of these tomorrow! Thanks for showing me how.

[@Spiceyspiney]

This is fantastic! I really want to make one now 😁 I could watch woodworking videos all day long so I really enjoyed watching this 😊

[@RefreshingViews]

That’s so kind Mary. It was great fun - well apart from when I realised the head didn’t fit on! And yes I enjoyed the tea ☕️

[@AstroNerd]

Great video Mark, thanks for sharing!

[@RefreshingViews]

Thanks, Mike.

[@Baldharlow]

Well done! Inspirational. Now I must make one for myself. THANK YOU!

[@RefreshingViews]

Please do and send me a picture when you're done, Lester.

[@davidbentley1391]

I love your humor, including the importance of rewarding yourself with an occasional sip of TEA!!

[@RefreshingViews]

Always need a cup of tea, David!

[@msromike123]

I think that talking in an instructional DIY video is very underrated.

[@petericaza938]

😭

[@adamgardner1097]

Just what I'm looking to do, with my new celestron 25x100 binoculars, fantastic work Mark , off to the hardware store now!

[@RefreshingViews]

Nice one Adam, let us know how you get on.

[@adamgardner1097]

@@RefreshingViews basically all done , although I'm going to make a tripod for it, as the current tripod is not really man enough.

[@RefreshingViews]

@@adamgardner1097 thanks for sending the pics over. Cracking build - and I’ve just replied to your message with a link to our club night in Grateley tomoz.

[@davedave8277]

Great craftsmanship!

[@RefreshingViews]

Thank you!

[@williamhayden-power4186]

Hi, I live in the UK. Recently made this piece of kit and it works like a dream. 25 x 100 Binos. Big thanks Mark.

[@RefreshingViews]

Fantastic! Glad it worked for you. Send us a picture on instagram.com/mark_radice/ - I'd love to see your set up.

[@fo76]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂

[@RefreshingViews]

Thanks for watching!

[@kathrynradice1030]

Loving the bloopers 😂

[@RefreshingViews]

Good job I found the beep!

[@marianobzera4683]

good job..thanks for posting

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it Marian.

[@omenaccipio]

Nicely done. Is there any possibility you facilitate measurements of pieces and maybe a diagram? I want to try to make one myself. Nothing like this happens to be imported in uruguay. You make if yourself or you have to observe without something like this.

[@Spiceyspiney]

You earned that cup of tea 😂

[@toddkroll321]

Thanks for the video share. Brilliant!

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Astro_Gardener]

Excellent video again Mark, love the speeded up bits! You have a lot of power points in that shed, do they all get used ?

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi Peter thanks for your kind words. They are old work benches from work - I saved them from landfill. I’m not sure I have that many power tools to be honest!!

[@paulmurphy2583]

Damm, the first beep had me looking for my phone thinking it was a nuke attack alert. Anyway, I have the same skywatcher tripod lying spare since I upgraded it, some 15x70 binos, some wood and tools. This will be a great project for cloudy nights, thanks.

[@RefreshingViews]

Fantastic Paul. Let us know how you get on.

[@paulmurphy2583]

Hi, I got delayed as I realised I needed a drill table with fence and stop block for accuracy, so I got a new bench pillar drill (PBD40) and with some modification, added a table. With that sorted I got to work and now have a rather heavy chunky prototype using cls timber about 65x40. It works, Im changing bits here and there, adding/removing washers etc, to improve friction control, I found that a washer on the bolt head only works best for mine. Im working on mounting now, my tripod top is for an EQ3/2 mount, so I have that lump (for the polar fine adjustment screws) to work around, cant use a block as you did, but I have some ideas Im going to try. All good fun and learning too.

[@praveenk2026]

Great Job. This should save me 100$. Thanks!

[@RefreshingViews]

Glad it was useful Praveen. Send us some photos.

[@paragmahajani1609]

Super. Thank you

[@RefreshingViews]

Welcome 😊

[@caraclark6118]

This will be so helpful. I already have the wood cut and sanded! Where do you get the apparatus that attaches to the binoculars?

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi Cara, I would suggest searching for a camera tripod head, either pan & tilt or a gimbal head as you wish. As you can imagine, there are a whole variety of prices and performances - I just bought the cheapest yet robust, unbranded pan & tilt from my local camera store.

[@ccaepc2]

Sir, at 10:02 into your video you attached a grey looking part to the underside of the center post. Can you tell me what that is. Also when you are rotating the parallelogram, does the center post screw not come loose? Thanks

[@ShreyasBhaskar]

can i get the specifications like materials required and length as such so that i can apply thm into my project

[@TheStevecas9860]

@Refreshing Views Mark I have made one before but am starting to make a new one as of 27/09/23 for my 20x80 Greenkat Binoculars! Also Mark you need to put a cup holder for your Tea and can use it as a counterweight;- )? BTW what are those binoculars I love the eyecups?

[@RefreshingViews]

Cheers Steve. They’re the 15x50 canons - amazing optics. The eye cups are a bino bandit. Amazing piece of kit. Not sure I can use tea as a counter weight. As your drink it, the weight will go down so you’ll need a moveable cup holder.

[@jerryscheneman2581]

Good afternoon young fella this is Jerry speaking over here in Oregon. I just saw your video on your mount for your binoculars and I was wondering do you have prints on those or could you send me some measurements I’d appreciate it.

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi Jerry thanks for your message. I’m afraid I just built it with what I had to hand. I’m planning a repeat of this video with details and plans.

[@FocusKnob]

I've got to make me one of these

[@RefreshingViews]

You won’t regret it.

[@TejasRS]

Could u be able to share me the dimensions and materials used and everything that was required for this mount as i have some project on this and am interested in doing this so could u please give me the required info

[@user-yx2ri3xk8u]

Where did you buy the bracket for mounting the binoculars to your wooden parallelogram mount? Would it handle a pair of 25 x 100 Celestrons?

[@RefreshingViews]

It was from my local camera shop - just the cheapest robust head they had.

[@kiritengineer7506]

Excellent ☕☕

[@RefreshingViews]

Thanks Kirit

[@illyushen9856]

How much is the counter weight you put? Are there any constraints for this? I have a bino that weighs 2.1kg, thanks for the constant replies though! Also is there any other way to connect with you(insta,discord,telegram etc)?

[@RefreshingViews]

I think from memory it is a few kgs say 5lbs. You can always reduce the distance from the pivot to the binos and you'll need less counterweights to balance? Drop us a line through this: facebook.com/mark.radice.10/

[@NatSatFat]

Brillllllllllllllllllllllllllll! what a good contraption, just the job for heavy Bins? looks perfect, Problem? you have not showed the timber lengths? (yes I cab guess?, but with you dimensions, you seem to have the balance great, so can you include the timber dimensions please or just put them in comments , would be superb to finish off this correctly like you did, well done that man.

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi NSF - you are right, I do plan to redo this video later this year with more detailed plans / dimensions - oh and a proper binocular head in place of the camera head.

[@jlions72]

@@RefreshingViews Please Hurry ....I am going to start mine very soon ...Thanks..!

[@paragmahajani1609]

Hey the holes (for decoration purpose) on the mount weakens the mount, right?

[@RefreshingViews]

Technically yes but just make sure you space out the holes and don’t make them too large in diameter.

[@jlions72]

Hi, Mark I just tried to make a copy of your build and failed ...How precise do the holes drilled in the arm have to be, so this works ...? I got mine pretty close when I put it together, The only time it was up and down level was when the scope was high up and when i brought it down to chair level it was off a bit and looked like it was crocked...? why is this...? what did I miss and mess up ?...I am doing some new parts to check just how far it is off ..? this is driving me crazy trying to get it correct , and I am not going to drill holes until I hear back from you I hope .. ..HELP...PLEASE.....And thank you ..!...I am noticing that your short 2 x 4 has other holes drilled in it after you fixed the boards that were in the way to mount your pan and tilt head ..did you need more room for your 2 x 4 to stick out ...? or is this something that was needed to make the vertical stay vertical and not fold inwards like I was having trouble with as it went up and down ...? Can you explain please ...?

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi Jim - send us some pics on the FB chat and I’ll reply. I’ll also send you some close ups of my mount after work.

[@jlions72]

@@RefreshingViews sounds good thanks .......Have a Nice Day ...

[@tombouie]

Thks buts1 wrong part; Coffee/sugar/cream Instead of Tea (I likes-lots of cream ;) PS: Oh, ?Perhaps attaching a balance arm spring to assist the counter weight?

[@RefreshingViews]

Urgh - not coffee!!

[@Goku61001]

Can you buy these ready made somewhere?

[@RefreshingViews]

There's a few on the market: letmegooglethat.com/?q=buy+parallelogram+mount

[@garyhendrick4391]

What mount are you using for the bins?

[@RefreshingViews]

It's one of those generic aluminium tripods that comes on the EQ3 type mounts - bought second hand some years ago.

[@garyhendrick4391]

@@RefreshingViews My bad, I should have been more specific. I wanted to know what you are using to mount the bins to the end of the levers. TIA

[@illyushen9856]

Great i need this! Any dimension constraints?

[@RefreshingViews]

That’s up to you! I used scraps in the garage so those were my constraints (ie cheap!).

[@illyushen9856]

@@RefreshingViews Thanks also i just have a hand held drill machine, can i use that to make it?

[@RefreshingViews]

@@illyushen9856 so long as you hold it straight. No need for anything fancy - it will just take a bit longer if you use hand tools.

[@illyushen9856]

@@RefreshingViews thanks !

[@darrentaylor4248]

Do you have any link to plans?

[@RefreshingViews]

Hi Darren, no plans as I used the scraps and off cuts I had in the garage. I suggest using what you have or whatever is available in the hardware store.

[@jack_3.5mm]

Easy to make if you have all the tools needed 😅 I'll pay you if you can make me one 😊

[@RefreshingViews]

It’s not that hard but yes, having tools does help. Where are you based?

[@281cu6]

Bleeps are too loud. Holy cow.

[@RefreshingViews]

Apols - Im going to make a fresh copy one day.

[@boblflef]

16:55 bless you

[@RefreshingViews]

Thanks Boblflef- dusty work 🤧