Wetherview DIY obsy build begins

[pritc]

Hi All ,

Finally got round to start a thread on my R.O.R obsy build

To start at the beginning.

My SW200P collects dust in our spare bedroom and is a right pain to bring downstairs,through the anti-collimation hazard maze that is commonly called the living room and kitchen,then into the garden!!

While flicking through a copy of the Sky at Night magazine,the wife looks over my shoulder to see the DIY pier build I was reading and says 'Couldn't you do something like that down the garden to help you out'

I didn't need asking twice:p

So began my R.O.R obsy design plan.

Utilizing a shady piece of land down the bottom of the garden,my plan was hatched

My obsy room will be 2m x 2m with a adjoining warm room 2m x 1.6m

(available room dictated my warm room to be smaller:mad:)

First up: Pier Adaptor for my EQ5 (Photo 1).

A big Thanks to Gary for supplying and producing a well engineered bit of kit (Highly recommended)

Photo 2&3: Basic marking out to square things up (Originally Obsy room & warm room was going to be 1.8m x 1.8m/6ft x 6ft and 1.8m x 1.2m/6ft x 4 ft )

Photo 5: Pier hole dug 2ftx2ftx3ft deep

Photo 6: 1.5m galvanized steel angle,driven 0.5m approx into ground to add a bit of internal support to pier (£15 from E-Bay:Caravan electrical post)

Next up: Pier Build

Wayne

[Steve 1962]

Watching with interest in Somerset!

Good progress so far Wayne. I'll be interested to hear how you get on the pier head - it looks really well made

Keep up the good work

Steve

[Herakles]

Nicely laid out , envy the space you are making for the warm room !

Clear Skies

Pete

[pritc]

Hi All ,

Copied the Sky at Night mag pier and a few other pier build posts by using a 160mm x 2mtr pipe (Again from E-bay:o)

Photo 1: I cut the pipe subtracting pier adaptor/ parked scope/mount from my calculations of the overall height of my obs,to give me approx 24 degrees viewing from horizon.

(Thanks to Gary and Bizibilder for their advice:icon_salut:)

Photo 2 : Two lengths of rebar and a old rebar stake,driven into surrounding ground and into pier to add a bit of strength once concrete is poured.

Photo 3,4,5 :Solvent weld Condiut added for Webcam USB,Goto,Auto focuser from obs to warm room. Power conduit for pier to be added at a later date.On the opposite side of computer cable run,so as not to cause any signal interference.

Next up: Pier adaptor fixings, pier & pier foundations concrete pour (15 bags Ballast )

Wayne

[Bizibilder]

Wayne

Have you remembered to run a piece of string through the conduit pipes? Its easy to do before the pipes are cemented in place and makes a good "pull through" for your wires - always pull each new wire AND a new bit of string through (ready for the next wire) - makes life easier.

[pritc]

Wayne

Have you remembered to run a piece of string through the conduit pipes? Its easy to do before the pipes are cemented in place and makes a good "pull through" for your wires - always pull each new wire AND a new bit of string through (ready for the next wire) - makes life easier.

Yes,I have Bizibilder.

If you look at the photo's you can just make out some yellow nylon cord at both ends.

Wayne

[gary1968]

Looking good Wayne. I wish SWMBO had sanctioned a full obsy here but I had to make do with a pier. Your obsy will make life soooo much easier.

Gary

[pritc]

Hi All ,

Pier foundation and pier are concreted in......

14 and a bit bags of ballast and 3 bags of cement later....

4:1 mix used (nice and strong)

Photo 1: Pier adaptors 10mm threaded rods,bent slightly at end to fix into concrete a little better.

Photo 2: Pier foundation all finished and pier adaptor threaded rods sunk into pier cement.

Photo 3: True north lined up(with a little play available on the mount ) with a one inch gap approx left at top of pier to be filled level later with rapid set cement.

Photo 4: Pier foundation showing conduit concreted in.

Wayne

[lukebl]

Neat! That's looking really good.

Wish I'd thought of installing a conduit for my wiring.

[pritc]

Hi All,

Photo 1: Apart from paint my Pier is now complete

Photo 2: As said in my previous thread the last inch of the pier was filled and levelled with a rapid set cement mix (a lot like floor leveller)

Photo 3,4,5 : I could not resist test fitting Gary's SUPERB pier adaptor

Thanks again Gary

Next up: Base

Wayne

P.S Photo's not in real time.

[gary1968]

Looking good Wayne. You'll be looking forward to next winter to get right into imaging.

Oh, and thanks again for the vote of confidence mate.

Gary

[pritc]

Hi All,

For the base,I had toyed around with a poured concrete slab but in the end, price and a permanent fixture swayed me away from this.

Racking my brains on an alternative,I came up with this: Medium density concrete blocks(Cheap,easy to move and non-permanent)

Photo 1 : A wooden frame was made and then a 2 inch layer of sharp sand was compacted down before laying the blocks.

Photo 2,3 : Warm room base finished

Photo 4 : 15mm polystyrene slabs were fixed around the pier foundation before sharp sand and blocks were layed.Kiln dried sand was then filled into gap between poly-slabs and block base to aid dampening.

Photo 5 : Finally kiln dried sand was filled into all blockwork gaps.

Pier foundation is 20mm lower so wooden floor beamwork will not touch and hopefully not transmit any vibration

Wayne

[Bizibilder]

That is a neat solution!! Are the outer blocks cemented in place or will the shuttering remain?

[crowlord]

I am sooo jealous.

I get black looks for spending 20 quid on a filter though so obsy=nyet!

[Earl]

Coming on really nice.

I like the flooring, nice idea.

[pritc]

That is a neat solution!! Are the outer blocks cemented in place or will the shuttering remain?

The shuttering is to remain Bizibilder. 3 coats of creasote!! so should be good for a few years, plus a yearly coating to the outside.

So hopefully?? No rot

Wayne

[Bizibilder]

Sounds good!!

[Herakles]

This is looking the business mate, well ahead of mine . Clever use of the concrete blocks as well.

Clear Skies

Pete

[pritc]

Hi All,

Floor bearers are done.

I have used 47mm x 75mm sawn treated wood with 3 coats of creasote for good measure,as I probably will not see them again once the floor is down....

As you can see from the photo's I also nailed on top,strips of Damp proof course.Which I first cut in half as it was the perfect fit to lay ontop.

Just adding a bit more protection from Damp rising.

I also plan to add a whole sheet of damp proof membrane before fixing the T&G flooring.

Might be over the top but it should remain damp free:o

Wayne

[JamesM]

Hi Wayne,

Why not put the damp proof membrane on top of the blocks but underneath the floor joists? It's better to stop any dampness at source rather allowing any possibility of it entering the timbers no matter what coatings have been applied. Dampness will eventually work its way through the sand and the blocks, so with membrane sitting next to the block surface will prevent any dampness or even condensation etc ever touching the timbers.

Hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in! To be truthful I'm like everyone else - JEALOUS!!!:D:D

James

[zhgutas]

looking good, looking really good, Wayne! following this with interest

Marius

[pritc]

Hi Wayne,

Why not put the damp proof membrane on top of the blocks but underneath the floor joists? It's better to stop any dampness at source rather allowing any possibility of it entering the timbers no matter what coatings have been applied. Dampness will eventually work its way through the sand and the blocks, so with membrane sitting next to the block surface will prevent any dampness or even condensation etc ever touching the timbers.

Hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in! To be truthful I'm like everyone else - JEALOUS!!!:D:D

James

Hi James,

I had thought about that, but then I thought that any rain that did enter from the sides or drip down from the shiplap cladding would pool ontop of the DPM with nowhere to go??

At least with the DPM cut and stapled to the underside of the flooring that should not be a problem:icon_scratch:

Wayne

[George]

I love obsy builds Yours is looking very good and once built you will never be out of it even when its cloudy.

[gary1968]

Thats looking sooo good Wayne. I would love a permanent obsy but SWMBO wont sanction that.......................... yet......................

Gary

[pritc]

Hi to All,

Quick update.

Added 20mm conduit for power to the pier (opposite side to the computer feed conduit)

Tease photo of the Obs-side framework,that I have been making out of 38x63mm timber studwork.

I have had to give it a couple of coats Chestnut brown timbercare paint as it will be outside and open to the elements for a while,untill I can finish and make my obs weatherproof.....

Next up: T&G flooring (Weather Permitting)

Wayne