Today's the day we started the Obsy!

[Mikyg]

Well today was the start of the new project guys.

For a while now I've been getting advice on here and elsewhere on building an observatory for my dad and we made a decision on an obey with warm room attached. We originally was going to control everything from my dads conservatory and use camera equipment so he can see whatever the scope see's from his computer screen along with another screen for astronomy software etc. The observatory is probably 20mtrs away from the house and with problems with power loss over that distance from the computer and the fact that if he's in the obey he can see everything working.

We decided it would be better and easier to build a warm room attached.

This is the basic idea...

[Mikyg]

[kalasinman]

Nice design! I saw elsewhere that Gina had considered using a garage door opener to roll the roof. Seems like with angle iron tracks, that could work. What do you plan?

[Mikyg]

So day one and we got quite a lot done. In the place where the observatory is going was my 8ftx10ft concrete panel shed on a flagged base. 

With the help from my bro we set about taking everything down, so with some back breaking work and 8 hours later we had cleaned the shed out which had a lot of old bikes\engines etc, taken the old shed down, took all the old flags up and burnt a lot of old wood from the rotten roof on the shed (Can't beat a nice camp fire to keep the day going)

We even had time for a little fun but thats another story haha

https://fbcdn-video-l-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xap1/v/t43.1792-2/10865459_10152761425966775_1353176036_n.mp4?oh=d48da67979ed9b20ee92a73e9e4df111&oe=54D6C688&__gda__=1423362163_1a611183fcfc917f0c24dee3c5a2176a

So the old sheds down, the flags are up and a lot of old Rubbish is gone lol.

[Mikyg]

Me too, i'm watching one on ebay at the mo with a remote key fob too

Nice design! I saw elsewhere that Gina had considered using a garage door opener to roll the roof. Seems like with angle iron tracks, that could work. What do you plan?

[fondofchips]

Nice design, some minor details could be changed: -

I would put the desk on the side where the window to the observing room is, just in case a shower arrives when you are not looking and soaks your astro gear.  (Yes I have had a close call with the short sharp shower which came from nowhere when the sky was clear).

You could put the outside door in the same corner as the door between the warm & observing rooms, just have it opening outwards.  This gives more room for shelving etc, you cannot have too much as then it is easy to separate everything & easier to find it in the dark.

Brilliant start though.

How big will your obsy be & what type of pier are you thinking of using?

Cheers,

Fondofchips.

[Dave Lloyd]

Good luck, it looks like a great project. I wonder if I can get my kids to build me one.

[Mikyg]

Nice design, some minor details could be changed: -

I would put the desk on the side where the window to the observing room is, just in case a shower arrives when you are not looking and soaks your astro gear.  (Yes I have had a close call with the short sharp shower which came from nowhere when the sky was clear).

You could put the outside door in the same corner as the door between the warm & observing rooms, just have it opening outwards.  This gives more room for shelving etc, you cannot have too much as then it is easy to separate everything & easier to find it in the dark.

Brilliant start though.

How big will your obsy be & what type of pier are you thinking of using?

Cheers,

Fondofchips.

Thanks for the tips, i am putting a rain sensor on the roof so that when it feels a drop an alarm will sound and lights will turn on. I can't have the door on the other wall as that is against a fence, i might however put the window further over and the door to the warm room on the opposite side.

All together the obey is going to be pretty big. The scope room will be 10ftx8ft and the warm room will be 6ftx8ft. 

I am doing the pier in concrete, my plan is to dig hole about 4ft deep and put a 9ft pipe in it but also put a 1m box of concrete around the base then fill the pipe up with concrete and use steel rods to strengthen. The pipe is 12" in diameter. Thanks for the tips guys.

Good look dave lloyd on getting your kids busy building lol

[Mikyg]

This is the basic idea for the pier and it will be completely separate from the base to limit any vibration.

[Julian Hands]

Love this thread, after recent wind damage to our garage that we purchased with a rotten roof, I'm thinking of doing something similar. Would love help with getting to grips with the sliding roof concept and any designs you may have. I've seen the sheds but would like to convert the garage as it needs a new roof no matter what.

Thanks,

Julian

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gina]

WOW!   That is some pier!  "That ain't goin' anywhere"   That's what I call Engineering with a capital E

[Mikyg]

Lol gina abit over kill i know but i plan on teaching him long exposures etc so the more sturdy the better really.

Thanks julian, i will defo help where i can.

Heres a couple of pics of where the old shed was

[Gina]

You'll be able to put an EQ8 or even bigger mount on there with no problems at all   That is well future proof   Have to say I've never regretted over engineering stuff.  My pier is solid but a lot smaller than yours.  I though mine was a bit OTT for the NEQ6 it was built for but I'm glad now I have an EQ8 well loaded up with imaging gear

I can see I might have a rival here   Great stuff

[Mikyg]

You'll be able to put an EQ8 or even bigger mount on there with no problems at all   That is well future proof   Have to say I've never regretted over engineering stuff.  My pier is solid but a lot smaller than yours.  I though mine was a bit OTT for the NEQ6 it was built for but I'm glad now I have an EQ8 well loaded up with imaging gear

I can see I might have a rival here   Great stuff

Lol we just didnt want to do it and end up with problems further down the line.

Really excited about this project and im sure ill learn a lot during.

[Gina]

I'm sure you will   It's hard work but very enjoyable   Good luck

[r3i]

Hi Mike,

Best of luck with the build.  Looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

[Mikyg]

Thanks mike

[zedds]

Great plans there!! Looking forward to seeing this build. Don't forget the rules.....pics,pics and more pics!!

[Mikyg]

Oh don't worry about that zedds lol. Will be taking hundreds of pics, you'll get fed up of seeing them eventually

[SacRiker]

Subscribed -- good luck!

[Mikyg]

Just ordered the joist hangers, twisted galvanised nails, a new swanson speed square and a bosch digital angle finder. Getting excited now. This time saturday nighti'm hoping to have the boxes for the concrete supports made and the holes dug and maybe even filled if we're quick enough lol

[kalasinman]

Just a suggestion...Why not use screws instead of nails? If you ever need to move it.....

[Mikyg]

Im using screws on the rest of the build just in case but was gonna use nails on the floor hangers. I don't know if u can fit screws in those joist hangers thanks for the advice, any advice is hugely appreciated

[Gina]

I used screws to construct the wall and roof panels for mine and for the joists and noggins, then the wall panels were bolted to corner posts with coach bolts.  Makes for a nice strong construction and could be dismantled if necessary - not that I ever envisage doing so but one never knows...

[kalasinman]

A screw gun will fit where access to drive a nail is difficult. Drywall screws are strong enough, and a coat of paint weatherproofs.