Cruise the Milky Way with Comfort and Stability in a Custom Binocular Chair
It’s now possible to stargaze the full sky with comfort and stability, by using a proven easy-to-construct, low cost binocular chair like this. Or enjoy comfortable seated daytime nature viewing from your porch or window. Just turn the azimuth drive wheel with one hand, while fine-tuning the elevation with the other hand. Enjoy full functionality compared to the use of a tripod or parallelogram mount or virtually any other viewing method.
We are rolling out low cost downloadable design plans, so that you can easily build the components for attachment to your zero gravity chair, or other chair style. These straight forward and comprehensive design plans cover parts acquisition, construction and attachment to your chair. We have gone through a year and a half of development, prototyping, testing, and user approval, so that you don’t have to. The components will accommodate your chair dimensions, can be quickly attached/detached from your chair, and will support mid-sized binoculars.
A Bino-Chair in Operation
Start by leaning back in your chair to gain some viewing elevation. The teeter with the binoculars follows along….
….. then slowly turn the azimuth drive wheel with your left hand, while fine-tuning the elevation with your right hand. The teeter and the pivoting cradle are adjusted together with the right hand. This optimizes the positioning to your eyes. When you let your hands go, the viewing direction is maintained. The tilting backrest of the chair can bring the binoculars most of the way up towards zenith, and then you can direct the binoculars straight up by tilting the teeter and slightly arching your neck. The nape of your neck is supported with a large cushion. At any time, you can push the binoculars up or down away from your head. When you’re done, return the chair upright using a few pounds of leg pressure.
Design Plans
Our downloadable binocular chair component design plans will include one for azimuth control and one for altitude control. These plans will include recommended sourcing for parts and materials, step-by-step construction with assembly diagrams, photos, and finally some assembly and testing guidelines, along with technical support. A free short-form version of these design plans will likely be made available in published articles at some point.
1. Azimuth Control:
Rotating Base and Drive Wheel
For easy 360° panning, your chair will sit stably on a rotating base. Panning is done with the hand-driven wheel. The design plans will accommodate your chair dimensions. Used in combination with the elevation component, you will have access to the entire sky.
The sturdy rotating base has two sections; one section just rests on top of the other. It includes a large turntable bearing, a simple friction mechanism, a rubber track and leveling legs.
The azimuth can be continuously controlled with a light touch of the hand. There is no drift or bounce-back, due to added friction. This also means that the ground doesn’t have to be perfectly level.
The wheel mount on the side of the chair has height options, and a self-adjusting mechanism that conforms to the geometry of your chair’s frame.
2. Elevation Control:
Teeter, Cradle, and Chair-front Counterweight
The teeter is clamped to the chair’s backrest and holds the balanced binocular cradle. This all assists with fine-tuning the elevation. It is adjustable for user height, body size, binocular size, and will fit your chair frame. The binoculars are balanced using adjustable weights at the rear of the teeter. The binoculars can be tilted up out of the way when getting into the chair, or when using a star chart.
The cradle has many benefits for quality viewing. It allows adjustment of the eye-to-ocular distance, and the angle of the binoculars to the eyes. This can be useful when one has large changes in viewing elevation.
For reclining chairs, a counterweight at the front of the chair compensates for the combined weight of the teeter and the binoculars. It assists when tilting the backrest, and also prevents any tipping back of the chair.
