Skipper Billy

My pier has the 'rat cage' but there are rat cages and rat cages. I have seen some using 150mm long x 3 bolts at full length - no matter how sturdy the pier the rat cage will wobble. The thicker the bolts, the more of them and the smaller the gap between top plate and pier the less it will wobble - simple physics. I am not saying mine is perfect but it uses 8 x 15mm bolts and the gap between top plate and pier is about 30mm This is my guide trace from a breezy night. For ease of adjustment and fabrication the rat cage takes some beating.

And a couple of stills - open and closed...

OK - framework finished - ready for dismantling and taking home where it will be substantially bolted down to the concrete plinth and the weatherboarding fitted and the roof boarded and the capping strip made. I will post details of the capping strip / joint sealing method for the roof apex joint as several people have asked and its kind of important !!!Opening - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZWYv2XRGIo Roof closing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuiNVJ0X0Us

Mav359 Its this one - http://www.uk.insight.com/en-gb/productinfo/network-accessories-and-misc-networking/0004374189-00000001?utm_source=Google+Shopping&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Feed&src=000093&&cm_mmc=Google+Shopping-_-Feed-_-Feed-_-Feed&gclid=CKiav-jovcoCFSfnwgodZ5AP2w I cant speak highly enough of it - just plug it in and it works - I have used it at 100 feet and no issues whatsoever - and thats with a 7 port powered USB hub plugged into one of its USB ports

Viv - its a fabulous view by day or night - Beinn Cruachan to the East, Beinn Lora to the North - nearest big town and its street lights 100 miles away!!!

The frame is now nearly finished - just the front to make and the roof - (ran out of wood !!! Its made from Maranti (hardwood) and all the joints are doweled, glued and screwed except for where the sides fasten together - they are just temporary fixings until its assembled on site.

A clear night last night !!!! The obsy is nowhere near complete but the pier is bolted down so not wishing to waste a clear night I jury rigged the electronics and went for it. I was very happy with the improvement in guiding (attached) and the Startech USB to CAT6 to USB extender worked sublimely - it all clattered away flawlessly for 5 hours until high cloud drifted in. Temp. down to -10º I am really fired up now to get the obsy finished - it will be a massive step forward in terms of ease of use, comfort and performance.

But wouldn't that would expose ungalvanised steel ????

Sssshhhh Olly - I was going to use the buried sub as my warm room !!!!! Well spotted though - the metal tube and flanges were liberated from Faslane nuclear submarine naval base (legally and with permission !!) - complete with X rays that match the flange numbers to prove there are no internal cracks or fissures !!!! No wonder subs cost so much !!!

Good idea Derek. I had imagined that when its time to remove it the services of an angle grinder might be useful but you just never know !!

Todays progress .... Managed to grab 10 mins of a clear enough gap between the clouds last night to polar align the pier and mark the position for the holes in the slab for the studs. It needs polar aligning roughly as the top part of the pier (which isnt fitted in the photos) only fits on one way round. Holes drilled for the 450mm long 17mm studs Dust and debris blown out of the holes - note to self - dont lean over the holes when the compressor nozzle is discharged down a hole 8-) Holes 75% filled with construction epoxy - studs worked in - pier positioned over the studs - nuts and washers fitted to keep all the studs at the right height - excess squeezed out all cleaned off just as it sets - the difference between liquid and rock hard is less than 3 mins even at 4º !!! Cleared up - stand back to admire handywork - pour large dram ! There wont be much more progress now for a week or so - back to work tomorrow but happy with what I have got done in the last 3 days. Next step a couple more coats of paint to repair the scratches from installing it and to stop the galvanised studs, nuts and washers rusting. The pier is 17mm thick walled high pressure steam pipe and flanges - filled with sand mixed with polyurethane - weighs 85kgs.

Update - big day today - trial run ! Put the pier roughly in place along with the mount and scope etc - plugged everything into the control box - went inside - plugged network cable into the laptop - fired up the laptop - 30 metres away from the scope in my nice warm lounge - positioned my wife where I could hear her but she could see the scope - clicked on an object in Stellarium - hit CTRL 1 - and you will never guess what happened !!!!! IT WORKS !!!!! Tried many slews with Focusmax, PHD2, Astrtortilla, APT, and anything else I could thinknof all running at the same time and it never missed a beat - spot on first time. Large dram required !

Cheers Derek - no alarm cable - but I did put a mousing line in - in case I want to add anything else at a later date. You can hold a reign of terror around here with a balloon on a stick and the local bobby knows everything and everyone !! (There will also be a rain sensor and alarm which will see FAR more action !!)

A bit more progress made - trench dug, data and power cables and spare mousing line all in the conduit and buried. Just need to drill a hole through the wall and connect up.

It can't go in the middle - that's where the mast is going to go !!!

2 men - 8 hours - 12 cups of tea - 4 bacon butties - 2.8 tonnes of concrete This post is sponsored by Radox and Highland Park............ I dont care how clear and dark it is tonight - I am sitting down and relaxing - I have decided my career path does not lie within the building trade !!!!! Sorry for the lousy photo - mobile phone and virtually dark!

Concrete party on Thursday!

I love the taste of humble pie !!

Hard to describe in words but one half will have a lip that overlaps the other half and faces away from the prevailing wind - the joint will also be sealed with closed cell foam tape and should be waterproof without the lip but better with belt and braces. We are boat builders so keeping a bit of rain out shouldn't be too much of a challenge !!

Little blighter's they are - I must leave some poisoned shortbread out for them !

Happy to take one for the team !!! Prior to last night the last clear night was 24th August!!!! My roof design is loosely based on the attached photos.

LOL - I am strictly a salt water chap but the Dawncrafts reputation is legendary - for all the wrong reasons !!!

Ah - I see what you mean. My roof will be hinged in such a way that the two halves drop down the respective sides and the inside of the roof stays next to the side of the shed - hopefully it will be OK. I can see now that with the inside of the roof exposed it would attract dew. Thanks for the heads up though.

Thanks Derek