It's that time again! - Observatory Build afoot

[Whistlebare]

A few more pics to show how the progress is going...been raining a lot the last couple of days....

Hopefully tomorrow I can get the pier in place, fill the remainder of the base with hardcore and then lay the concrete floor before fixing my shed base down.

[Gina]

Good start

[Whistlebare]

Well the base and pier is all set for the concrete tomorrow, gotta mix and barrow it up hill a 4ft hill to get it to the base!! about 8 trips should do it

Wind and rain dependent, I hope to have the floor and sides of the obsey up over the weekend, then on to the roof!!

Stay Tuned......

[Whistlebare]

Strong winds and scattered showers could not stop me! Base and Pier done today and I'm cream crackered, Well I can have a day off tomorrow so that the base dries ok before I put the floor down.

I even made the dinner, washed and wiped up tonight...If only to soak my rough hands in some fairy liquid

[Gina]

Coming on nicely Just one point - I don't see any vibration insulation between the floor and the pier.

[Whistlebare]

Coming on nicely Just one point - I don't see any vibration insulation between the floor and the pier.

With the amount of concrete in the pier and the depth it goes into the ground, will there actually be any chance of vibrations?

[Whistlebare]

With the amount of concrete in the pier and the depth it goes into the ground, will there actually be any chance of vibrations?

I have a stihl saw, I can cut a channel out around the base of the pier and put in some insulation. The concrete should still be soft.

Thanks for the heads up.

[AstroMadBloke]

Hi Craig your build is looking good.Gina I built my floor in the same way and have tested for vibations and there is little to none so I'm sure you will be OK craige.

Have you worked out how you will attach your scope to the pillar and how you will level the mount?

good luck with the rest of your build,

Pete

[Gina]

Mount levelling isn't necessary, it can all be handled wity the mount inclination and azimuth knobs.

[Whistlebare]

Hi Craig your build is looking good.Gina I built my floor in the same way and have tested for vibations and there is little to none so I'm sure you will be OK craige.

Have you worked out how you will attach your scope to the pillar and how you will level the mount?

good luck with the rest of your build,

Pete

Hi Pete, I decided to leave the floor as is and did not bother cutting out a section for insulation, unless i host a barn dance in there I cant see the pier being affect by vibrations. The obsy base is made from 3x2 CLS trusses and 20mm floor boards and is laid on top of the concrete base and fixed down using 150mm masonry screws, there is no movement in the floor whatsoever.

I left a 300mm sq cut-out around the base of the pier and will make a template and fit a hatch neatly around it allowing enough clearance so no vibrations travel up the pier.

As for fixing the scope to the pillar, I have a pier mount which Gary1968 made for me (like this one)>

I set 4 M10 1m threaded bars (bent at the bottom to give extra grip) into concrete. I have some 10m thick heavy duty rubber to cut and lay under the pier mount to compensate any bumps in the concrete at the top of the pier. The mount is adjustable so will help with levelling.

Here's a few pics showing how its looking so far (inside shots are a little Rubbish, they were taken with my phone...I have fixed the roof down at present whilst i await delivery of some 90degree angle steel lengths to use as a track for the rolling roof. It started to rain so did not have time to lay the felt on...That's tomorrows job!

[Whistlebare]

Mount levelling isn't necessary, it can all be handled wity the mount inclination and azimuth knobs.

That's good to know, thanks...

[Whistlebare]

Been a slow couple of days waiting for bits to arrive in the post, but I have put felt on the roof...only after some rather blue words were said when some wind from nowhere blew a 15ft length of nice thick expensive felt off of the roof and into a heap on the floor It was a typical scenario, when i started it was a lovely warm day with not a single breeze, I cut and laid the 3 lengths of felt and laid them on the roof for half and hour before fitting and Whoooooooshhhh off one of them went, landing on the floor with a big whole in the middle.....I was not amused!!

I now have all the bits needed to fit the rolling roof, so hopefully i'll get it done over the weekend and I can then start lining the inside to make it warm and cosy!

[Whistlebare]

Rolling roof is now in place, I found these great fixed casters on ebay, £4 for 2. The measurements are on the image below.

I'm now looking at ways to seal the gaps between the sides and the roof...I'm scanning the web for some suitable rolls of rubber, 5mm thick x 100m wide...need to get around 14meters of it....Any suggestions?

[Whistlebare]

There are 7 Wheels on each side and in their 'home' position they rest above the vertical lengths of 3x2 CLS so as to avoid any stress on the horizontal CLS.

I'm waiting on 2 20ft lengths of 20mm x 3mm steel right angle, this will be installed under the wheels to provide a track so that the roof runs parallel.

[Foodfanatic]

Looking really good so far. Will you be able to open and close the roof singlehanded as it looks like it it's going to be pretty heavy and at an awkward height? Or do you have a cunning plan?

[malc-c]

I'm now looking at ways to seal the gaps between the sides and the roof...I'm scanning the web for some suitable rolls of rubber, 5mm thick x 100m wide...need to get around 14meters of it....Any suggestions?

]

I used a strip of damp course membrane as I needed a flexible medium to get passed the door porch

[Whistlebare]

Looking really good so far. Will you be able to open and close the roof singlehanded as it looks like it it's going to be pretty heavy and at an awkward height? Or do you have a cunning plan?

I've been in weight training for the last year so I can move it !!

But yeah it moves ok, and I will be rigging up a pulley system to make it easier...

[Whistlebare]

I used a strip of damp course membrane as I needed a flexible medium to get passed the door porch

Hi Malcolm, I did consider a roll of DPM, but wanted something a little stiffer/heavier. I got hold of a 5m x 1m roll of 5mm ribbed rubber matting...I'll cut it down to size and it should do all 4 sides.

[Whistlebare]

I now have lighting and power in the obsey, i've insulated it and lined the walls with OSB board. Got the floor and warm roof ceiling left to do and then it's on to fitting the track for the roll off roof and then weatherproofing it.

I've also fitted an alarm and 2 locks on the door....Just to be on the safe side!!

[Astrokev]

I've been impressed (and a little suprised) at the speed of your build. 2 days from laying wet concrete to having the main structure built and finished. Did you start building the shed before the cement was dry?

[Gina]

Quite amazing! It took me 9 months to build mine

[malc-c]

Just been looking over the whole thread again, and can say that you have done a really good job in a short amount of time. However I can't see any track or guides for the rollers to prevent the roof from coming off the runners.

[Whistlebare]

Just been looking over the whole thread again, and can say that you have done a really good job in a short amount of time. However I can't see any track or guides for the rollers to prevent the roof from coming off the runners.

Thanks for all the positive comments...The tracks were added a few days after i took the pics, I purchased 2x 20ft lengths of 20x20x3mm right angle steel. I must say I surprised myself how easily I fitted the tracks...I was wondering how I was going to lift the roof enough for me to screw the tracks into position. Luckily it was a nice day and i rolled the roof to its maximum opening and then fitted all the screws I could get access to and then rolled it all the way in the opposite direction to get the remaining screws.

I'm definitely going to have to fit a pulley system though as the roof does take some oomph to move it on your own.

[Whistlebare]

Quite amazing! It took me 9 months to build mine

Many thanks...I'm lucky as I work shifts, so I get time to get stuck in before I leave for work each day...I must say though when it is finished I will have to take the wife out for a nice meal, she has certainly picked up the slack whilst I've been working on my new hobby.

[Whistlebare]

I've been impressed (and a little suprised) at the speed of your build. 2 days from laying wet concrete to having the main structure built and finished. Did you start building the shed before the cement was dry?

Ha, yes it did go up rather quick Yes, the shed was built beforehand and then all I had to do was carry the sections up to the base and fix it together.