Astrokev

I do plan to do imaging aswell. Maybe I should've posted in the imaging forum instead / aswell

Doing the maths, I guess 2000mm FL is pushing it a bit for full disk imaging.

Hi All

Just playing with ideas to inform a decision -

Has anyone used the Quark with a SkyWatcher Esprit 100 ?

The scope is a 100mm f5.5 APO triplet. With the inbuilt Quark x4.2 magnifier, I'm wondering whether I'll be able to achieve full disk? From what I've been able to find, this could be a struggle?

Also, I believe I'll need a UV/IR cut on the diagonal nosepiece due to the size of the objective.

Any thoughts, experience, suggestions regarding this combo would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Excellent job. Looks really smart 🙂

19 hours ago, JamesF said:

That sounds like a fine plan.  I shall give it some thought.  I've probably got something lying about (don't I always that will do the job.

James

I imagine you'll find something suitable in your pile of old broom handles waiting to be re-purposed in the back of your workshop  

A while since I posted on my thread, so this is to let you know I'm still here 😉.

Eventually started work on the step and path. Not much to show yet, but think I've figured out what I want it to look like and have most of the materials. Just starting to prep some sort of foundation cement layer. Much easier laying bricks when what you're laying them on is level!

Yes that looks very neat!

My tiles expanded hugely when I was doing some solar earlier this week. It was like walking around on a bouncy castle. 

I need to measure the expansion and decide how much to trim. 

Re: the discussion a short while ago about floor tiles expanding, or not....

I said my tiles are laying completely flat and show no obvious sign of expanding. This statement clearly annoyed the observatory gods, as today I did some solar with a good friend. Once in the sunshine, the floor tiles buckled up like a bucking bronco. Hmm, me thinks I’m going to need to trim some off the edges!

Looking really good James. It feels good to get the flooring down doesn't it! Looks like you've done a great job.

The post support feet sound a great idea. I've seen these in a new housing estate near to where I live, supporting the posts used to construct front porchways. I wish I'd used them for my posts now, mine being embedded in concrete. I've resorted to painting the bottom of my posts with about half a gallon of creocote, so hopefully I shouldn't have anything too much to worry about regarding risk of decay!

Wow, only just seen this thread. Great build and those domes look fabulous. 

Good luck with the rest of the project. Looking forward to seeing the finished article!

Just noticed that my build thread has hit 40,000 views. That’s pretty crazy 😳. I hope some have found it an interesting build to follow so far. But I’m not quite finished yet. There’s a current lull in activity at the moment while I focus on other needy things, but hoping to give it the final push in the near future. I’ve got the materials to start doing some exterior tidying up and path laying, and hope soon to be installing the electrics. 

So, if you can stand the suspense - please keep watching this space, and thanks for your interest so far 🙂. 

On 08/05/2019 at 22:49, Yawning Angel said:

They’ve been up to 40degree in direct sun. Even without sticking them, they didn’t seem appreciable effected. I’m just thinking of them not lifting and becoming an unseen trip hazard ?

That said, the grab on that tape is quite aggressive, as I found when I tried to lift a carpet tile I’d laid wrong! It can only help

For what it’s worth, my rubber tiles are not stuck down, and they lay perfectly flat with no edges riding up to create trip hazards. 

I’ve not experienced thermal expansion of the tiles so cannot comment on this from experience but, if they do expand as many claim, it strikes me that sticking tiles down may inhibit tile movement to accommodate the expansion, which may cause the edges to buckle up slightly. This may actually exacerbate the risk/ problem. 

I only sealed the underside of the floor, using some left over varnish. 

Sounds like you’ve been busy. Lighting looks good, but a bit concerned with the issues you had with the corners as I still haven’t bought my LED strips. Looks like you got round the problem though. 

8 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Struggling not to get very sweary at my father-in-law this evening

Oh, and the builder had a look around the observatory and was quite impressed, which was pleasing.  He also said that by sheer chance he happens to have the rack and drive gearing from a stair lift at home on his pile of scrap to go to the tip.  But it might well fit rather neatly into the roof space as a means of opening and closing the roof mechanically.  So he's going to stick it in the van and bring it over later in the week.

James

Some compensation for the frustrations with the father-in-law perhaps!

Beautiful model!

Looking excellent Alex. Shelving looks very professional - is this in the warm or scope room?

I haven't given too much thought to shelving for equipment, other than recognising that I probably need some. Once I've got the electrics in, I'll see how best to use the space I think.

Some good progress James. Pier looks great. I assume that’s the lavender cupcake in the warm room?  Looks more pink on my phone....Suits you Sir!

On ‎21‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 20:03, Yawning Angel said:

Yep, it’s a sun trap and then some! Cooled to 30 a bit later, with the lid on. 

I think I'll have to get myself a couple of the temp/RH displays. My experience of humidity sensors at work was that they require periodic calibration, but I suppose for the accuracy we need for observatory use, they should be fine.

52 minutes ago, Yawning Angel said:

Ooh, I just remembered a thought I had - have you considered not making an obvious path, but instead use the hex grid ground reinforcing stuff in the grass? 

 

Good idea, but I'd need to plant some grass seed first! ?

48 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Almost certainly, Kev, but I really wanted to see what the other paint looked like

 

I can understand that. Lavender Cupcake has a certain appeal!

Been suffering blocked sinuses over the last several days so haven’t felt like doing much at all. Bit of a waste of the fantastic weather over Easter, but when you feel like your head’s about to explode, all you really want to do is curl up in a ball. Starting to feel more human again now so hopefully will be able to at least start the path etc!

Sounds like a plan James, but wouldn’t it have been easier to paint the ceiling first? You’ll now have to be careful you don’t drip or splash ceiling paint down the walls!

2 hours ago, fwm891 said:

 

New sleepers have an expectancy of 10-15 yrs, I'm just about 68 now so if they rot in 15 yrs time I'm not sure I'll be too worried...

I guess that makes sense ??

Here are a few pics from my build thread which show more clearly what I was trying to describe above. All joists around the edges rest on EPDM acting as a DPC.