Monolith
I have been the watching with great interest the development of the Monolith Pier ever since they first appeared on the market. I thought from the beginning that they were a beautiful design, more like a piece of modern art. Well I broke down and sold my rather pedestrian, but very functional, AP pier and JMI wheelie bars to place an order with Particle Wave Technologies (PWT) for a new Monolith. I got to pick it up in the middle of February 2004. I settled on the 10" diameter 42" tall model. This size seems to the most universal in terms of supporting:
I struggled a long time with the color selection (I hate to consider color in anything). Initially I thought I wanted black anodizing, but I was concerned about the tendency for black to fade and become "brassy". I finally decided against the black in favor of a light gray, almost clear color and a few black accents. Clearly this is a personal preference, but after all the struggling - I'm happy with the look.
One of the many very nice features of the Monolith is the Full Index Adapter (FIA) shown to the left. While the FIA is listed as an optional component by PWT, I can't imagine buying the Monolith without one. There are several nice features of the FIA. The one I ordered (and is shown) is for an AP mount, and because I ordered the 10" pier, the FIA supports either the AP900 or AP1200 mount. It has four built in levels as well as a compass for easy set-up. Finally, the wonderfully simple process for leveling the pier on uneven ground would made much more complicated without this device. The FIA lets you rotate the mount to align to North independent of the orientation of the pier and legs. On level ground, this may not be a big issue, but when the ground is sloped, the advantage becomes huge.
On sloping ground the set-up and leveling process is simple. Position the
Monolith so that the carry handle is facing the downhill, or lowest, side of the
site you are using. Fully extend the two legs that are on either side of the
handle by simply releasing the lever on the locking cams of the leg stays (shown
in the picture to the right) and pulling the leg away from the center section of
the pier. Then extend the third leg far enough up the slope to level the pier.
The leg opposite the carry handle has been designed with several degrees of
additional extension. This permits the Monolith to be leveled on significantly
uneven ground without reducing the footprint and reducing stability. You can
check your progress by using the four built-in levels, and make then minor
adjustments in the extension of each leg to achieve an acceptable level.
The picture below shows the Monolith set up on the slope of my driveway.
All the legs are fully extended, and pier sets nearly perfectly level.
Make sure to check each locking lever on each leg as the final step in extending the legs. Now you can release the four locking screws on the FIA and align the plate to North using the built-in compass. Retighten the locking screws (about ¼ turn past snug) and you are set. Total time to set-up the Monolith to this point is maybe two or three minutes – it doesn’t get easier than this unless you hire someone to set your mount up. If you aren’t going to do a very critical polar alignment for imaging, this is likely all you’ll need to do.
If you were going to spend the time to closely polar align your mount in order to take long duration images, I’d consider some additional steps. Assemble your mount, counterweight system, and OTA on the pier to fully load the Monolith, and then use the fine adjustment capability designed into the shoes of the Monolith to complete leveling of the full assembly. Each shoe has about 1 ¼” of adjustment available to really get the mount level. With the mount and Monolith assembled and level, you can start the polar alignment process of your choice. How important is achieving a very accurate level of the pier with a GEM? Past a certain point – not very……...but the Monolith makes it so very easy to do, why not nail it?
The workmanship and quality of the Monolith, both in the design and manufacturing execution, are very evident. This is a very solid, stable, and attractive system! Every moving part operates smoothly, and without excessive clearances. When the moving parts lock down, they too become solid. The tight manufacturing tolerances and proper mechanical and structural design also means that deflections caused when loads are applied are kept to an absolute minimum. I understand the Monolith has been successfully load tested using load values that far exceed anything the mounts the Monolith was designed to support could handle. I suppose a permanent pier has the possibility of being more solid and stable, but not with any loads I could place on the Monolith. I can assure you that the Monolith will be the more portable system!
While we’re talking portability, let me tell you how easy the Monolith is to moved about. The handle is positioned on the center section at a nice balance point. When you pick it up, the feet of the pier fall naturally to a slightly lower position creating a comfortable angle for the hand. The handle has a comfortable shape, and the weight is a manageable single hand load of under 50 lbs for this size Monolith. I also added the soft case to protect it during transportation. While the case seems to do a good job protecting the finish from scratches and abrasions, the Monolith is easier to carry by the handle.
Particle Wave Technologies is owned and run by Shahin. Before I decided to invest in a Monolith, I wanted to meet Shahin, to find out about him as a person and if the wonderful stories that I have seen posted about him are true. Since Particle Wave Technologies is in San Rafael, about an hours drive from my house, it seemed like a prudent thing to do. It’s a shame that all prospective buyers can’t have this opportunity, for he is a joy to talk with. His enthusiasm for the Monolith, or any of his products, is contagious, and there is no doubt about the level of thought that went into the designs. He has a level of personal commitment to the quality of his products that is just refreshing to experience, and he shares his vision for future products as long as you can stay to listen. When you get a chance to see a Monolith in person, the design and quality of the product will sell the hardware – after spending some time talking with Shahin, it is easy to begin believe in what he is trying to do, and become an advocate for it. PWT is the type of company I like to support; small, innovative, and committed to product quality and customer satisfaction.
So what about the cost? There are certainly cheaper options to the Monolith out there, and it seems like you couldn’t really finish a write-up about the Monolith without asking the question: Is it worth the price? Well, for a growing number of people that have decided to order one, it is. But that doesn’t answer the question does it? The AP Portable Pier is a completely adequate pier at 25% the price, and I wouldn’t begin to argue that point. So maybe the best way to for me to try to structure and communicate my thoughts is this: I recently acquired a C9.25 SCT, a perfectly adequate longer focal length scope. But I will remain on the waiting list for an AP Mak-Cass, and I'll wait (not so) patiently for it to become available, and then I'll be pleased to spend more than 10 times the price of the C9.25 to own it – in my opinion, the Monolith and the AP Mak-Cass are similar values.
The Monolith offers a well conceived design that is extremely stable, convenient to set-up and transport, loaded with features. It is beautiful to look at, and the whole package is executed with uncompromising quality. This is the type of equipment that you become happier with after you bring it home and use it........I wouldn't expect to see an ad for one of these used on Astromart anytime soon.
Thanks for dropping by to visit!!
