sloz1664

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Thanks Nigella. Just hope it works. If it doesn't, at least I have a nice smooth manual shutter

Steve

Motor assembly has been built & installed in position with the Observatory Dome:-

Next.....To bond the drive belt to the base strip & initial test.

Steve

Cut-out completed on the Dome to allow the insertion of the motor assembly:-

Barrier fitted to stop any water ingress getting inside the Dome:-

Steve

Fabulous refurb on the old Gal. I do like the new green livery, although will it like you in the dark

Steve 

Hi Mike and a very warm welcome back to the Lounge

Steve

Congratulations Adam, on a fine capture & the credit it deserves.

Steve

Hi Robert and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Side supports have now been fitted to the rear roll off section of the Dome and does it need a clean 

Next is to build the Shutter Motor Assembly:-

Unfortunately, installing the motor requires a cut-out in the roof of the Dome. A barrier will need to be built to stop any water ingress.

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Hi Steve and a very warm welcome to the Lounge, from another Steve

Really nice image, well captured, framed and processed.

Steve

That has been finished to high standard and looks fabulous John. Just in time for the onset of  astro darkness

Steve

Hi Nigella, That looks too good to live in  

Just a suggestion. Is that, what looks like a wooden shelf, permanent. I would be worried my telescope may clash with it, especially looking up at the zenith.

Steve

So sorry for your loss Agnes. Never easy losing a very dear friend. 

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Can't believe it's been nearly two months on this relocation. Sanded the outside of the dome today ready for painting next Tuesday (the next dry). My partner said I looked white, not sure how to take that.

🤣 🤣 It will be well worth the wait Nigella come astro darkness 👍

Steve

Hi Colin and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

Hi Jeremiah and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

You will get oodles of help here

Steve

After automating the dome on my Pulsar Obsy which has been a revelation, I have spent a considerable time researching how I could automate on what is a very basic manual shutter. The existing shutter slides on the aperture side of the dome and supported by two curved aluminium rods at the rear. What I will require is to create a runner system to allow the shutter to open & close smoothly, be aligned & contained to enable attaching a motor and drive system, thus allowing software automation.

The rollers are 30 mm dia nylon roller bearings, four per side of the shutter opening. This will allow the shutter to slide smoothly over the open aperture.

The rear side of the dome needed to be built up so I could affix tracks to enable the shutter to slide smoothly to the rear of the dome. This was relatively tricky as I had to build rear track support blocks to line up with the existing shutter. I plumped for wooden supports as I had to mount the on a sloping curved dome and as they had  to be mounted vertically, creating some rather complex compound angles and curves. These were bonded in place and further secured with stainless screws from within the dome. Then having formed the arc in which the shutter will run I attached UPVC strips to complete the assembly. The sides will be cladded with UPVC.

The calculations had to be quite precise as I didn't have much breathing space 

To be continued...........

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge 

Steve

Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge 

Steve