Astrokev

Thanks. Fortunately it's the latter! I painted the timbers around the base framework with creocote before I put the vapour barrier and cladding on. This does look like wet wood and has caught me out more than once!

Yes that's a thought, although because the window faces due south, I'd be staring straight into the sun during the middle part of the day.

Quick update on today's progress. Finished the panelling on the warm room ceiling and installed the first wall panel under the window. After putting the insulation into the wall gap, and taking the picture, I secured it in place with a strip of the sticky-backed foil tape to ensure it doesn't slip down over time. I don't think this would have been a problem as it's a pretty snug fit, and the roughish surface of the ply grips the rockwool fibres quite well, but I had the tape lying around so it's really just belt and braces. Now that the warm room is starting to look like a room, I've started considering where to put the small "desk / bench" to sit at. I was originally going to put it under the window, and so had put the cable conduits under where this will be. Now I look at it, I'm wondering whether putting the desk across the far end may be better use of the space, which means the bigger conduit pipe is a bit in the way. Will need to give this some thought ?

Yup, eyes, glasses, been there, done that....

Didn't get as much done today as I hoped. For some reason, the observatory gods conspired against me. First of all I broke the last of the drill bits I use to make pilot holes. I didn't have anything else of a suitable size, so ended up with a trip to Wickes to replenish stocks. Then I had to go to Tesco's to get some food in for the evening meal. Then my sister in law popped over to say hi, which delayed me by half an hour. Once back outside, I was then rushing to catch up lost time and ended up making stupid errors. Some days things just don't go your way! Finished lining another wall in the scope room, which didn't take long. Then I started on the warm room ceiling. After cutting the first piece square and checking for fit, it was apparent that the room was slightly out of square as I had a 1cm gap between the ply and the end wall at the corner nearest the scope room. Not sure which bit isn't right but the bottom line was I had to trim the ply sheet opposite the door at an angle. In my haste, stupid me then goes and trims it the wrong way round, so I then had a 2cm gap at the scope room corner! Grrr. Long story short I eventually got it to fit OK although the light had pretty much gone by then. The one good thing I found, though, is that although the warm room ceiling is a bit lower than I'd like (my head clears it just, but my son has to stoop!) I can hold the ply in place with the top of my head whilst I mark out and drill the pilot holes

For my conduits I'm going to drill a small hole in the side of the tube at each end and simply tie the string off. At the moment I've got temporary strings tied to blocks of wood that are too big to fit in the tube

Great, thanks Ray

All magic to me ? . im guessing having a separate supply to the mount gives a more consistent supply without risking fluctuations caused by other kit? (As you can see, I'm slowly trying to assimilate knowledge for when I plan my electrics set up!)

My turn to be dim - so do these supply the hub I can see on top of your scopes, with the mount and everything else being supplied from the hub?

Thanks. As I've said many times, I'm a bit of a numpty when it comes to electrics ?

If I can be nosey, In your warm room pic, what's the function of the electrics on the left?

Great to see your pics there Ray. Giving me some ideas. Yes, just to be clear, I won't be putting lighting in the roof. I can put it on the walls since they are quite high. It was@JamesF who is considering this. His obsy has knee-high walls ? so roof lighting may be a better solution.

Too posh for me! It's @JamesFwho is considering this ? I'll just nail the cables to the wall!

Different coloured LED's to suit your mood! Yes that's another good option for roof lighting. While I agree that flex of cables is best to avoid if possible, drag chains are specifically designed to deal with linear moving parts. In the robots in my last work place, drag chain cable failure was measured in months/years and that was with them operating with a < 1 minute cycle time, 24/7. A ROR roof will only cycle a few hundred times a year at most (probably much less with British weather ?) and I wouldn't have thought would be a problem.

Dimmer switches sound a great idea. Thanks for the link

@Yawning Angel @RayD RGBW - great thanks. Looking forward to getting some lights in. Installing some electric first would probably be useful then ?

James - thinking about your idea, you could use an energy chain cable carrier, sometimes called a drag chain? We used to use these in some machines in a previous place I worked and would work ok

Thanks Ray. They look good. I assume there is a white option too?

Yes, I briefly thought of doing something similar but decided against because my walls are pretty high. Thinking of how to wire it up will be really interesting

Great update James. Looking really good.

Yeah, I was undecided. In the end I opted to line it, really just to neaten it up and make it a little easier to clean. The nooks and crannies in exposed studding makes a lovely home for the creepy crawlies ?

Not in any detail. I want red and white lights - thinking maybe an LED strip around the scope room. I think you can get them with selectable colours? If not then 2 strips. Not sure about warm room, but obviously need both red and white. Interested to hear what others gave done and any recommendations :)

Few more pieces of the jigsaw put up this afternoon. The cold gets to you after a while though and destroys your motivation, so packed up while I was ahead. Only a few more bits to finish in the scope room, then will start on the warm room, which is starting to feel quite cosy now the internal wall is going up.

You're not alone

Yes, I tend to agree with you for his TV shows - either that or staring into the middle distance from a mountain top. Still better than EastEnders though. Of those I've read, his books are pretty well written in my opinion. The one I'm currently ploughing through is Universal - A Guide to the Cosmos. The one about quantum theory I've yet to complete is The Quantum Universe: Everything that can happen does happen. Maybe I should try Hawking; apart from Brief History... I've not read any of his work.