@Zimmerframe What a day! Just joined today and speaking about A4 bolts and TIG welding!
Thanks m8, I'm new here but not a complete newbie, I did the 1.2m polar mount refurb, last year, A4 bolts all round
but took a short cut and used Hammerite instead of getting it galvanised, it's still bugging me.
I like your polar mount too, some nice touches.
@martin-f , that looks very good too, lots to look at and lots to digest.
I'm a pretty competent stick welder, and the dish plate or pole mount should not be too much of a problem.
One of my original "thinking out loud" very loose plan for the "bit in between" was two solid shafts maybe 40mm ? with 2 pillow bearings for the horizontal axis and two taper bearings on the vertical axis. I was then hoping to use a heavy duty short actuator connected to my remote control manual positioner for elevation adjustment and finally utilise my still in the box 24" heavy duty actuator.
My second plan was just "copy" someone else.
My third plan involves my m8 and stainless. If I lay it all out, cut to perfection, and marked he will weld it all perfectly no hassle, but don't ask him any for any advice, cos he doesn't know or care what you are trying to do, he just welds .
The usual result of my plans is nothing at all happens, but in the next couple of weeks my garage will be started and then the location of the 4.5" vertical pole will be decided and after that then surely I will put something on top of it.
P.S great forum and lots of great info here.