Upon receiving the Baader Planetarium Hardwood Tripod for Mach-1 mount, I admired it's strength and rigidity and almost immediately disliked the accessory try and how it is attached. The tiny thumbscrews and even smaller bronze washers are the first thing to get lost in the field. Therefore, I have designed a simple yet effective solution - set of 3 braces attached permanently to the shelf hinges and attached together via a single, large bolt and knob. While the knob surely can fall into the grass, it is large and as a last instance can be easily replaced.

The braces are made from 10mm thick water resistant plywood, 60mm wide. They are approx. 28cm long. The central bolt is M8x50 stainless steel. Braces are attached via M5 bronze screws with bronze washers and nuts (stainless steel would be a bit stronger but I had these bronze parts at hand).

The setup process takes just few seconds.