Time for a new Obs!

[SnakeyJ]

I've been in my new house now for almost two weeks and have had the OO Europa and HEQ5 out on three nights, setting up, polar aligning and taking down each time.   The results have been frustrating and the whole process is way too much like hard work.     The sky has looked good, but the results on Jupiter have been way below par and I suspect the scope needs some tweaking to recollimate after the move, but by the time everything is setup, it all feels too much.   I'm definitely missing the accustomed luxury and convenience on my observatory and it's time to do something about it!

The question is what exactly.    My old obs is a 6x6 yardmaster steel shed, donated by Roger (Bizibuilder), and is now flat packed at my business unit.     Although I have space for this, I am unsure of the tenure on this new house and not sure I want to go the whole hog on rebuilding it for what may only be one year at this address.     I'm also not sure that the owner will consider the four square meters of concrete for the base.

So I'm toying with the idea of building something smaller and quicker to errect that can still house the Europa's 1100mm  length, but probably controlled from the comfort of the conservatory from 30' away.    The big tube still needs some protection from the wind (especially mounted on the HEQ5) and I will still need a sufficiently weather tight structure to keep it setup and ready to go at the flick of a switch.

I like the idea of a small dome, but not sure I can spare the time for such a one off design and the challenge of driving and automating this and probably need to keep it quick and simple so I can get back to the pleasure of just opening up and firing up the laptop.

Any suggestions on a sub £ 500 budget would be most welcome!

[Gina]

WOW!  That's tight   Good luck

[JamesF]

A roll-off shed, perhaps?

James

[gooseholla]

The trouble I see is that you have the solution you need but don't want to - and quite understandably - erect it for a. an unknown length of time and b. have to go through the hassle of concreting and most likely removing the concrete and restoring to grass.

Surely a small dome would be no different? That would need concrete and erecting. It is hard to suggest something when you're renting. I know, I'd love a larger shed or dome but cannot simply due to practicalities involved with renting. An observing tent is about all I can think of!

John

 

[SnakeyJ]

WOW! That's tight Good luck

Me or the budget? ;-) I'll try and salvage and scrounge as much as possible, but other than reusing the pier and electrics, will keep the old obs intact.

[SnakeyJ]

A roll-off shed, perhaps?

James

These look good and simple, but I would need to keep some screening around the sides to minimise windage. Perhaps, if I mothballed the Europa and went for a 130pds or small ED....

[SnakeyJ]

The trouble I see is that you have the solution you need but don't want to - and quite understandably - erect it for a. an unknown length of time and b. have to go through the hassle of concreting and most likely removing the concrete and restoring to grass.

Surely a small dome would be no different? That would need concrete and erecting. It is hard to suggest something when you're renting. I know, I'd love a larger shed or dome but cannot simply due to practicalities involved with renting. An observing tent is about all I can think of!

John

Wise words, though not convinced a tent will offer sufficient protection over a whole year, at least not on this budget.

I don't mind the work too much, it is definitely the potential reinstatement cost/effort.

I think I will sink a pier foundation, as this can easily be concealed and landscaped over once any bolts are ground off. I could always leave a carefully placed large potted shrub behind ;-)

[SnakeyJ]

Continued...

I'm thinking I could level the ground with gravel and sharp sand, or sink posts and build up from a raised deck.

This saves the bulk of the concrete and will be much easier to remove. Maybe I could put down some slabs.

[alan potts]

Jake,

Goodness, just goes to show the difference between here and the UK. It is true to say I had balast sand and re-bar from other work but the cost of that in small. I don't think all of mine was more than 300 quid, it's 2.5 X 3.6 meters and I think the dearest thing was the roof tiles which are the fabicated type. I also did the whole job myself and still have to render the outside, it don't leak but it don't look pretty at the moment. I am thinking of another for the new Dob as it will not fit the design of what I have already.

Alan

[gooseholla]

I think the idea of a deck and slabs, with minimal concrete sounds perfect for your situation. If you concrete in far enough down for the pier, no one will ever know if you shove an inch of soil on the top ;-) I bet you not even the landlord knows what is under the grass!!

John

 

[kirkster501]

I've been in my new house now for almost two weeks and have had the OO Europa and HEQ5 out on three nights, setting up, polar aligning and taking down each time.   The results have been frustrating and the whole process is way too much like hard work.     The sky has looked good, but the results on Jupiter have been way below par and I suspect the scope needs some tweaking to recollimate after the move, but by the time everything is setup, it all feels too much.   I'm definitely missing the accustomed luxury and convenience on my observatory and it's time to do something about it!

Tell me about it.....  Lots of opportunities to image past winter that I have not taken because setting up and tearing down is so much like hard work and I frankly CBA.  I am about to start my obs build.  I have an ideal practise project in applying a new roof on my garden shed.

[kirkster501]

Continued...

I'm thinking I could level the ground with gravel and sharp sand, or sink posts and build up from a raised deck.

This saves the bulk of the concrete and will be much easier to remove. Maybe I could put down some slabs.

I am thinking along similar lines.

The base for the obs can be a rectangle of neatly laid slabs with gravel in the middle.    The concrete of the pier can finish below ground level as well.   When you move just disassemble the obs , saw the corners posts below ground, lift the slabs and kick gravel into the resulting hole sand space left by the slabs. All left nice and neat. 

I might start a new thread with those thoughts.

[SnakeyJ]

Tell me about it.....  Lots of opportunities to image past winter that I have not taken because setting up and tearing down is so much like hard work and I frankly CBA.  I am about to start my obs build.  I have an ideal practise project in applying a new roof on my garden shed.

Having the obs before completely changed the way I could get out and take advantage of conditions, being up and running in about the time it took to boot the laptop and open the roof and if Lou or the kids needed me I could be packed up and in with a quick park and slide the roof back over.   Once you've enjoyed this there is no going back, certainly for any form of imaging.

[SnakeyJ]

I went out and measured up today and there's easilly enough space for a 2.2m square of concrete slabs.   I've spent the evening doodling designs for a 2m dome - just spent the evening doodling away of paper and a little web research on bearings and retaining design.   Not looking too daft, though I need something decent to do the drawings and check the dimensions on.    Getting the measurements right first time to ensure clearances for rotating and centering bearings and making sure there will be enough space to swing the big newt is in a different league to building a roll off shed - I'm not going to be able to plan this one in my head.     Once I can validate and properly draw the design, I'll post the initial design and a quick BOM up here.

[SnakeyJ]

My daughter came down this morning and 'improved' my design by adding a chimney (with smoke) to my dome - In Ink!

I've just been out braving the wind and rain to transplant a buddleia tree out of the prospective site area.    I didn't get a lot of the root ball, but hoping it will survive and bring some butterflies in the summer

Here's a picture of the site, roughly marked out in red.   I've also added a north marker to give an indication of aspect.

Will need to grade and level the area, but hope to get this done and paved over Easter.

[Davey-T]

Hi Jake, did you see the Keter plastic shed obs'y threads ? can be easily flat packed to move house.

Mine is on a square of slabs with the pier mounted on 3" X 3" steel angle legs buried in concrete, if I move house I can cut the legs below ground level and rebuild with new ones and even replace the slabs with turf and no one will ever know I was there

Quite fancy moving to the I.O.W, lived there until I was 10yrs old.

Dave

[gooseholla]

Just hope they don't play football and get one into the obsy and down the tube!!!

John

 

[Tinker1947]

If i were renting and wanted a Dome or Roll-Off building it so its removable means no concrete, my present Obby i could remove Pier included in half a day, the whole structure is built around 4 Posts stuck 4' in the ground and held in place with pea single, the front and back has 2 posts in between the ends have 1 all are 2' deep with shingle, so renting doesn't mean no Obby, just a bit of thought and space required......I might convert to a proper roll-off this summer now the van doesn't need to get bye.........

[SnakeyJ]

Hi Jake, did you see the Keter plastic shed obs'y threads ? can be easily flat packed to move house.

Mine is on a square of slabs with the pier mounted on 3" X 3" steel angle legs buried in concrete, if I move house I can cut the legs below ground level and rebuild with new ones and even replace the slabs with turf and no one will ever know I was there

Quite fancy moving to the I.O.W, lived there until I was 10yrs old.

Dave

Davey - Cheers, I will have a look around for the Keter sheds and related threads.

If i were renting and wanted a Dome or Roll-Off building it so its removable means no concrete, my present Obby i could remove Pier included in half a day, the whole structure is built around 4 Posts stuck 4' in the ground and held in place with pea single, the front and back has 2 posts in between the ends have 1 all are 2' deep with shingle, so renting doesn't mean no Obby, just a bit of thought and space required......I might convert to a proper roll-off this summer now the van doesn't need to get bye.........

I like that Tinker - a very practical approach and not at all conspicuous (with the roof closed).    A fine looking brace of reflectors to boot

[SnakeyJ]

Just hope they don't play football and get one into the obsy and down the tube!!!

John

Cheers John, a good lot the local FC, but I do get to kick a few balls back over the fence.    Ball protection is definitely a consideration!

[wxsatuser]

Cheers John, a good lot the local FC, but I do get to kick a few balls back over the fence.    Ball protection is definitely a consideration!

Just hope they don't ever put floodlights in there.

[AustroNoob]

Here is a different approach as I have the same problems like you... Rented house and and long setup time for the gear. As the winter was long and cloudy I have played around trying to find a solution. This is the result, its for imaging only and I call it RoRoToGo

The idea behind:

Max cost of 700€

Quickly removable without leaving a trace 

The shed:

• As you can see the whole shed is moving.
• It sits on on bricks which are laying on a bed of gravel.
• Bricks are held together with some steel rail on which the wheels are rolling.
• Floor is made of concrete slabs layiing on gravel
• All four walls have the same size, e.g. 2 x 1,8 m held together with metric bolts and nuts
• Roof sits on a frame also attached to the walls with metric bolts and nuts for easy disassamble
• Walls are clad in shiplap (hope thats the right word)
• The lady in the right is 179cm tall

The foundation and pier:

• Top surface of the concrete foundation lies lets say 20 cm below ground level for easy covering
  with soil when all the stuff has to vanish
• Pier is made of a wastewater pipe, 20 cm in diameter
• On the bottom of the pier is a metal plate which is screwed to the foundation for easy removement
• Pipe is filled with concrete or sand... don't know whats better..

Hope its understandable what I wrote. Have not built this and I confess there are some more details to work out but maybe it gives you some new ideas.

Cheers

Martin

[DaveS]

Interesting idea.

The bottom rails would, of course have to be > 2x the length of the shed to allow for roll off, and you'd need some pretty massive tie-down catches, else the whole thing will blow away in a gale. There have been many threads on the subject of tying down just roofs to stop them blowing away, never mind whole sheds.

I'm also not convinced that shiplap will be strong enough, though it's OK for fences.

[SnakeyJ]

Here is a different approach as I have the same problems like you... Rented house and and long setup time for the gear. As the winter was long and cloudy I have played around trying to find a solution. This is the result, its for imaging only and I call it RoRoToGo

RoRoToGo.jpg

The idea behind:

Max cost of 700€

Quickly removable without leaving a trace 

The shed:

• As you can see the whole shed is moving.
• It sits on on bricks which are laying on a bed of gravel.
• Bricks are held together with some steel rail on which the wheels are rolling.
• Floor is made of concrete slabs layiing on gravel
• All four walls have the same size, e.g. 2 x 1,8 m held together with metric bolts and nuts
• Roof sits on a frame also attached to the walls with metric bolts and nuts for easy disassamble
• Walls are clad in shiplap (hope thats the right word)
• The lady in the right is 179cm tall

The foundation and pier:

• Top surface of the concrete foundation lies lets say 20 cm below ground level for easy covering

  with soil when all the stuff has to vanish

• Pier is made of a wastewater pipe, 20 cm in diameter
• On the bottom of the pier is a metal plate which is screwed to the foundation for easy removement
• Pipe is filled with concrete or sand... don't know whats better..

Foundation.jpg

Hope its understandable what I wrote. Have not built this and I confess there are some more details to work out but maybe it gives you some new ideas.

Cheers

Martin

Great ideas here Martin and looks a relatively simple build.   I think you would need a stretcher across the bottom of the doors, which would need to be removable for opening - I think you've probably allowed for this with the drilled stubs at the base.

I've ordered my slabs, sharp sand and ballast/cement to mix up for the pier foundation.    Just hoping the weather will be okay next week as I have a week off to get things started, though probably just as far as the pier and slabs.    I've got some more thinking to do on the design for the obs

[AustroNoob]

I thought about some steel bars in the ground, fixed to the concrete foundation, which can hold the shed...

Good luck with your build Jake. Looking forward for some pic's... im curious