Keter shed obs'y

[Davey-T]

Thought I'd add my effort to this forum. The shed is a six foot by six foot Keter plastic one.

I decided to use this after an article in Sky at Night mag using a Keter plastic shed but when I went to buy one they'd been discontinued but as it turned out the new one was better.

The whole thing apart from the pier can be built in a weekend and other than the shed all parts are easily available from electrical wholesalers and builders merchants, No special tools or skills required although I did weld the roof lifters but they could just be bolted.

I've seen the shed on EBay for £200.00 Sec/hand.

They also come in bigger sizes which could be adapted the same way if only I had the space to fit it in.

I think the great advantage of this design is that it retains the original integrity of the shed which is basically a sealed plastic box when closed, I've had no problems with leaks even in this drought and theres no timber to cut up.

Attached photos pretty much self explanatory, the pier I made from 8" steel tube, 3" steel angle iron buried 2ft in the ground and raised with a car scissors jack

I use it in the down position for imaging, unless doing somthing low, and up for visiual, and it maintains polar alignment up or down.

To open roof just unscrew roof bolts and it raises itself up on the springs and then rolls open easily .

[nytecam]

OMG - the world's fallen over - only joking nice work ;-)

[Gina]

Interesting Different I considered using sprung wheels for my ROR but rejected it as too difficult with my design. Mine relies on rubber tyred wheels for suspension. Have to say it works well enough

[Davey-T]

OMG - the world's fallen over - only joking nice work ;-)

Yes sorry about that should have rotated pics

Davey-T

[Davey-T]

Interesting Different I considered using sprung wheels for my ROR but rejected it as too difficult with my design. Mine relies on rubber tyred wheels for suspension. Have to say it works well enough

Hi Gina, saw your build, looked like a lot of work.

Made mine with plastic shed for speed . The roof is really light and before I figured out the spring lifters I could lift it off by hand and lean it aginst the fence.

Davey-T

[Gina]

Three strong men needed to lift my roof (bit more than a roof though as it's also the top part of the side walls) Even so, with 4 x 4" rubber tyred wheels on the lighter side and 5 on the heavier side, it can be moved with one hand Yes, it was a lot or work, an enormous amount of work, but well worth it. I'm very pleased with it

[Davey-T]

Hi Gina

Did you do a materials costing on your obs'.

I'm trying to do a comparison between the material costs of various obs' types

Davey-T

[iapa]

On 13/06/2012 at 17:53, Davey-T said:

 

To open roof just unscrew roof bolts and it raises itself up on the springs and then rolls open easily .

 

How strong are the springs? - I'm thinking of the effort to pull the roof down against the springs to close and lock

[Davey-T]

1 hour ago, iapa said:

How strong are the springs? - I'm thinking of the effort to pull the roof down against the springs to close and lock

No effort at all and after it springs up it can be rolled open with one finger because it doesn't weigh much, before I made it roll off I used to lift it off and lean it at the side.

Dave

[iapa]

14 hours ago, Davey-T said:

No effort at all and after it springs up it can be rolled open with one finger because it doesn't weigh much, before I made it roll off I used to lift it off and lean it at the side.

Dave

Thanks - I just love effortless

 

[Beulah]

Really like what you have done with this humble shed!

[JemC]

21 hours ago, Beulah said:

Really like what you have done with this humble shed!

me too  given me food for thought,

[JemC]

On 13/06/2012 at 17:53, Davey-T said:

To open roof just unscrew roof bolts and it raises itself up on the springs and then rolls open easily .

any chance you remember where you got those roof lifters from,

[Davey-T]

1 hour ago, JemC said:

any chance you remember where you got those roof lifters from,

Made them myself from a bit of building strap, some springs, 10mm threaded rod and other bits from Screwfix.

Dave

[gtis]

I know this is a old thread

but before you fitted the lifters you say that you lifted the complete apex roof off and laid it against a fence was it a one man effort and was it heavy I can't find  6x6 pent roof shed only a 6x4

 

[Davey-T]

Well I'm old and decrepit but I managed OK on my own, I fitted 2 bars across the inside to carry it by, there is another member on here who is still lifting his on and off I believe.

It's £450.00 in Argos but you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere.

Dave

[wxsatuser]

Do these plastic sheds sweat inside?

Looking for a shed about that size but don't want to go for wood.

[Beulah]

You still have the usual problems with condensation, depending on the climate. Plus it acts like a bakehouse in the summer if obs is placed in a sunny spot.

[Davey-T]

Just now, wxsatuser said:

Do these plastic sheds sweat inside?

Looking for a shed about that size but don't want to go for wood.

They're made of twin wall polycarbonate so some natural insulation but still get a bit of condensation when the conditions are right, I have a USB fan mounted on the ventilation grill.

A major plus point in my opinion is the speed with which they can be erected by one person, and disassembled again if you move house.

It's a lot better than a metal one.

Dave

[Ceramus]

I'm seriously considering this Keter 6x6 shed for the much-needed shelter for my Skywarcher 300p Flextube. I would want to convert it to a roll off shed, rather than RollOff roof though. For that I will need to cut a square off the floor at the door side to slide the shed away from the scope. Probably set the shed on a wooden frame with maybe 6 or 8 75mm castor running on a concrete base.

I'd like to know the difficulties in cutting this aperture off the floor and possible structural implications?

[Davey-T]

Just now, Ceramus said:

I'm seriously considering this Keter 6x6 shed for the much-needed shelter for my Skywarcher 300p Flextube. I would want to convert it to a roll off shed, rather than RollOff roof though. For that I will need to cut a square off the floor at the door side to slide the shed away from the scope. Probably set the shed on a wooden frame with maybe 6 or 8 75mm castor running on a concrete base.

I'd like to know the difficulties in cutting this aperture off the floor and possible structural implications?

The floor is made from 2 X 6 foot X 3 foot moulded sections, if you want to walk on them after it's modded they need to be supported all over, the walls fix to the floor with bolts the same as the roof.

You'd need solid sheet of plywood to mount it on and cut out a section for the pier but you'd need a bit at the front for the doors to close on so could be tricky unless possibly you have the pier far enough back to roll the shed nearly clear without coming right out the front.

A 6 X 4 would be easier to convert to roll off, see Jonks build here on the second page

Dave