Tripod foot ground stakes

A set of stakes for your tripod to make repeated setup in the same spot quicker and easier. Levelling and polar alignment had been taking more time than I wanted it to, so I made these to place in the back yard. Setup now takes about a minute. To set the stakes up: After your tripod is set up, levelled and polar aligned, mark exactly where the feet hit the ground. Move the tripod and nail these stakes into the ground on those marked spots so that they'll be directly below the feet of your tripod in your setup location. Hammer them in so the plate is nice and flush with the ground. Place the tripod back in place with the feet in the divots in the top of the stakes and re-check your level and alignment. When you pack up, leave the stakes behind. They have a low enough profile to be safe to mow over the top of without hitting them. This method works best if you're able to move your telescope setup inside without packing up the tripod. Next time you set up, just place the tripod feet back in the stake heads after brushing out the dirt and grass. If you were able to leave the tripod and scope assembled, you shouldn't need to level again (but check if you want) and polar alignment should be a snap because the tripod head and wedge should already be within a hair of correct. I'm usually within a few arcseconds on placement so alignment is quick, especially with the alignment on the Origin. Place a set of stakes in all your favorite spots. I like the larger ones because they're easier to find in the dark when the lawn is a bit rough.