Some design ideas for a new Observatory

[Bizibilder]

I've been toying with the idea of upgrading my observatory for a while now and I think I have finally convinced myself that it would be a good idea! My first thoughts were to rebuild using my "chicken shed" design (http://stargazerslou...-of-a-pint-pot/ ) which seemed OK but was actually quite complicated to make.

I've had another go with Sketchup and have come up with the following for a 7' x 9' all wooden design, incorporating a small "warm room" (or more correctly a "protected area" as it won't be very warm!). My original rule of no more concrete has gone as I will now need to extend my base by around 4 inches to the East and just over 2 feet to the North to cope with the larger footprint.

The design has been made using only three sizes of timber - one for the studding in the walls, one for the roof beams and one for the shiplap that will cover the walls. There will also be some OSB for the floor and roof panels (probably to be rubber coated - as Gina's design). I have left off the roof panels and interior panelling to allow the structure to be seen.

After quite a bit of thought and sketching I have put the roof runners outside the building and made the roof "big" so that the overhangs should help with weatherproofing without having to use all sorts of seals on the roof/wall joints. There will only be the minimum of gaps all round. Wind lift should not be a problem as I intend to have the roof close onto four steel pins (one in each corner) that will securely hold the roof in position (copied from my current observatory).

Below are step-by step stages of the design. Last of all is a little "walk round" video. If you have any ideas or comments please ask away - the idea here is to iron out any design bugs before the thing is built (assuming it gets that far!).

[The Sailor]

That looks good Roger, how long before you start?

Jim

[Gina]

That looks nice and simple Are you sure it give you enough sky cover lower down?

[Bizibilder]

Gina - I'm on a housing estate so the walls are designed to cut out as much "neighbourly" light as possible! They are the same height as the current Observatory and that seems to do the job.

Jim - I have started - designing!! (I always have huge inertia problems when starting a project like this )

[JamesF]

Hmmm. Putting the main door at the opposite end to the "warm room" is an interesting idea and one I'd not thought of. All of my possible designs have had the outside door entering the warm room with a second doorway into the main observatory. I think yours makes much more sense in many ways -- the lack of requirement for a second door and walkway through the warm room means it can use space more efficiently whereas the observatory itself has to have walking space all around the pier in any case.

The one thing I would do differently from your design above is have the roof sloping to the side rather than to the warm room end, so rain from the infrequent light showers we get here in the UK doesn't run off onto the tracks for the roof as that could be quite a nuisance, especially if it then froze on the tracks.

James

[andyboy1970]

I have a "warm area" at the opposite end from my OBSY door and it works fine but I wish I had put the door on the side so I don't have to carefully limbo round the mount/scope/counterweights when I go in and out. My OBSY is 6x8.

The "warm area" is nothing more than a small desk for my laptop but it is covered which does make a world of difference when setting up for imaging.

A curtain of some description (mines made from heavy vinyl material) also improves things too by cutting out a bit of the breeze and also protecting the scope/cameras from stray light from laptops etc...

[laser_jock99]

Having large overhangs and the runners outside and below the walls is a great idea. Should help with the weather proofing.

[D_Mike]

have you thought about something more like this?

err... seriously.. looks good

[Bizibilder]

James - thanks for your thoughts on the door position. I had placed it there because that's where the door on my original metal shed was! Seriously - it more or less has to go there as the other three walls (with the roof rails etc) would not allow the height. As it is the door is only 5 feet high.

Andy - I currently have a 6'6" square obsy so I know what you mean by limbo dancing! Plus the fact that as Bizibilder is not as slim as he once was (especially in several layers of wollies and a thick coat) the time has come where he needs more room - hence the expansion project. The mount will stay where it is and the extra width of the new structure will all be on the right as you look at the door from outside. This should give me an extra foot to get past things (the numbers do add up as the old obsy has an internal frame which takes up some space).

Mike from the Moon - Norfolk is unfortunately just a little flatter then that!

I've just done some rough calculations and frightened myself with the weight of the proposed roof! As it stands it will be well over 100kg. That is a lot of weight to keep up in the air! (It works out as 80Kg for the timber/OSB sheets and 20Kg for the EDPM rubber). Ive had a look at the weights of metal sheds and, assuming the roof is 1/3 of the total (2walls, 2walls, 1roof - a third each), the roof will only weigh 30Kg max - including a frame. I'm seriously thinking of a 7x9 metal shed again - at least I know how to build one!

[Gina]

I used 6mm plywood on my roof on a wooden framework of 120mm x 47mm main framework with 75x47 intermediates and 47mm square members between them. The actual roof is relatively light but strong enough for me to walk on (and I'm no "little" old lady). Plywood is much lighter than OSB for the equivalent strength.

[Bizibilder]

Maybe we should devise a proper loading test?

[Bizibilder]

A bit more Sketchup and a complete re-think! Maybe a metal shed design after all - these show the framing for the shed. The structure is quite lightweight as the shed panels strengthen everything up. The only parts of the shed used are the steel skins and the roof - all the internal bracing is replaced by this wooden framework. A 8' x 9' metal shed is under £250 at the moment (Sales are on!) and so is looking quite promising as a project:

[Astrokev]

I think I prefer the wooden design myself, but I take your point about the roof weight.

I also agree with Gina - I'd use ply rather than OSB. The latter is not reknowned for it's weatherproof properties.

I'm curious about the dimensions of your warm room - it doesn't look that wide on the drawing. Will it be wide enough to accomodate the jumpers?

Can't wait to see the build start.

[Merlin66]

Looks more like the Argos TSO I know......

[earth titan]

I agree with the comments about ply. OSB will last outside but it will swell and distort.

Think about a pitch on the roof. Although my roof has a very small pitch, I should have made it steeper.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[D_Mike]

Mike from the Moon - Norfolk is unfortunately just a little flatter then that!

awww, it'd look great as a centre piece of a nice rockery though good luck, i think i'll stop being 'helpful' now

[michaelmorris]

^{Why not use a hybrid design. A shiplap skin and re-use your present lightweight metal roof. The best of both worlds?}

[Davey-T]

Have you thought about using a Keter plastic shed ?, no more expensive than wood and can be built in a weekend. ROR is light so doesn't need massive rollers etc.

I know everyone seems keen to spend weeks building wooden structures, must be some sort of theraputic effect, nice to stand back and look at the result of all your hard work I know.

No worry about leaks as the shed roof bolts down as per original design, doesn't even have gutters.

No designing fun with plastic shed though.

Less condensation than metal shed and easier to mod.

Sizes from 6X6 to 11X8, usually a couple on EBay, easily flat packed and put in car.

Just a thought, don't want to upset the status quo of obs'y design of loads of timber , a ton of concrete and six months hard labour

Dave

[Bizibilder]

One reason not to use the plastic sheds is price - you can buy a metal shed plus all the timber and concrete for less than the cost of a plastic shed alone. Even on Ebay they are comparativly expensive.

[Gina]

I looked into ready made sheds when I contemplated an observatory and couldn't find anything I considered suitable and affordable. I already had a fair experience of carpentry having built sheds in the past so didn't feel phased by a self-build. The worst part was digging out the foundations and mixing/pouring the concrete - needed whatever type of shed. Particularly, I wanted something big enough - there's nothing worse than being cramped for space and bumping into things, particularly in the dark. And the site didn't limit the size. It was certainly a BIG job though But I did it - and I'm very happy with it - plus a great sense of achievement

[r3i]

It was certainly a BIG job though But I did it - and I'm very happy with it - plus a great sense of achievement

Having just completed my own bespoke build I couldn't agree more about the sense of achievement.

Yes it is more effort and, unless you can get your hands on the materials for little or nothing, it certainly aint cheap but I viewed it as a once in a lifetime project and I got pretty much exactly what I was hoping for with few compromises.

[Gina]

That's great - well done I had a small amount of used timber but most came from the local timber merchant. (Much cheaper and better quality than the DIY stores.)

[Davey-T]

One reason not to use the plastic sheds is price - you can buy a metal shed plus all the timber and concrete for less than the cost of a plastic shed alone. Even on Ebay they are comparativly expensive.

I've seen 6x6 Keter plastic sheds on EBay for £200.00 and decent timber gets dearer every time I buy some.

I think the main advantage of plastic is that the finished shed is a complete sealed box including the floor and can be assembled by one person in a weekend and then modded at your

leisure. And is maintainence free.

Dave