Cruise the Milky Way with Comfort and Stability in a Custom Binocular Chair
This binocular chair offers a highly rewarding experience as you pilot your way through the galaxy and beyond. Effortlessly rotate the chair with one hand, while fine-tuning the viewing elevation with the other hand. There is full functionality compared to using a tripod or parallelogram mount or virtually any other method. Steady viewing of the entire night sky (or daytime nature viewing) for as long as you like, without the shaking and the neck pain, and without the need to shift equipment around. This proven bino-chair is easy-to-construct and is low cost.
We provide downloadable 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 plans cover parts acquisition, step-by-step construction and attachment to your chair. We have gone through two years of development, testing, and user approval. The components are designed to the dimensions of your reclining chair, and the design ensures an easy nighttime setup that fully supports mid-sized binoculars.
A Bino-Chair in Operation
Start by leaning back in your chair to gain some viewing elevation. The binocular holder follows along….
….. slowly turn the azimuth drive wheel, while fine-tuning the elevation with the other hand. The binocular holder has a pivoting cradle, which optimizes positioning of the binoculars to your eyes. When you let your hands go, the viewing direction is maintained.
The chair tilts back to bring the binocular holder up quite high. Then this holder (called the teeter) can be tilted further for viewing near the zenith. The nape of your neck is supported with a large cushion. Slightly arch your neck if viewing up very high. You can always shift the binoculars away from your eyes, in order to look at a star chart, or to just look naked eye. The chair returns upright using a few pounds of leg pressure.
Component Plans
The downloadable binocular chair component plans include those for Azimuth Control and for Elevation (Altitude) Control. They contain parts and materials sourcing, step-by-step construction guidelines, exploded parts diagrams, photos, and finally some assembly and testing guidelines. Both metric and imperial. The plans are found under the “Downloadable Plans” heading at the top of this page. Technical support is provided. Free 5-page samples taken from the introductions to the plans are also available in the “Downloadable Plans” area.
1. Azimuth Control:
Rotating Base and Drive Wheel
Your chair sits on a stable wide rotating base. Easy 360° panning is done with a hand-driven wheel. Used in combination with the elevation control component, you have access to the entire sky.
The rotating base: this section has two main parts, the octagonal ground board and the chair platform. The chair platform just sits on top of the ground board, as shown in this key video link.
The other parts of the base are a large turntable bearing, a simple friction mechanism, a rubber track and leveling legs.
The drive wheel mount: this section is mounted on the side of the chair using two nylon wingnuts. It automatically conforms to the geometry of the chair’s frame, and self-adjusts to the required height off of the base track. It allows for very enjoyable smooth panning of the view.
This azimuth setting can be continuously controlled with a light touch of the hand. When letting go of the drive wheel, there is no drift or bounce-back, due to the added friction. This also means that the base does not need to be set up perfectly level.
2. Elevation Control:
Teeter, Cradle, and Stability Rods
The elevation control provides stable and comfortable viewing all the way up to zenith. The teeter holder, mounted on the backrest, can be preset for user height and for neck cushion thickness. The binocular weight is balanced using weights at the rear of the teeter.
The binoculars can be tilted up out of the way when getting into the chair, or later when using a star chart while viewing. Begin by sitting in the chair, and then tilting back the chair’s backrest to select the coarse viewing elevation.
Fine control: At the front of the teeter is a binocular cradle. It holds the binoculars at their center of mass. This cradle has many benefits for quality viewing. It allows for finely positioning the binoculars to your eyes. When sweeping through the night sky, you would typically moves the teeter and the cradle at the same time, together with one hand. The hand can be released at any time with the view remaining stable. An extension handle is often attached to the underside of the cradle.
Stability rods, are attached to the cradle mounts on both sides. They help to reduce view drifting and any vibration.
Reclining chairs will use a counterweight at the front of the chair. It compensates for the weight of the loaded teeter, and eases the tilting of the chair’s backrest.
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