Jump to content

NLCbanner2024.jpg.2478be509670e60c2d6efd04834b8b47.jpg

SkyShed POD Arrived!

fatwoul

By fatwoul
in Discussions - Cameras

Recommended Posts

fatwoul

fatwoul

Posted
Posted

My POD arrived this morning! It's now sat in pieces in the garden while I watch the videos and work out how to build it.

It arrived sooner than I expected, which is great because I'm off work this week. :)

I'll post some pictures when I get back on my own computer.

BTW, if the Taunton guy is on here, hope your dome arrived safe too!

(Before anybody asks, yes, I am wearing the cap. :eek:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 81
  • Created
  • Last Reply
fatwoul

fatwoul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

As requested, here are some pictures. Sorry that it's not a complete "build blog" of photos, but still gives an idea of size, etc:

POD04.jpg

POD01.jpg

POD02.jpg

POD03.jpg

Dave - the video really was fantastic. The actual production quality of it was rock-bottom (shaky camera, etc), but we don't need an Oscar-winner, just an informative video, which is exactly what you get. It's clear, explains everything you need to do, and more importantly, reassures you about the imperfections in the rotation molding being normal. As you can see, I haven't fitted the sponge seals on the flange either side yet, but the weather is good and I was anxious to get some photos up! I also haven't had chance to get any Lexel yet, so the roof isn't sealed. I'll try and get some this weekend, so the dome may have to come off again to apply that, but I might be able to do it with a ladder. If I can apply it in-situ I'd prefer to, as this is the position it will rest in during its working life. I also haven't yet screwed the walls down to the deck yet. It needs a little shuffling about, and I want to make sure its circular before making it permanent. I haven't installed a shelf in the bay, and I may just put a small table in their instead, as I don't know what configuration of equipment will eventually live in the bay.

cgarry - Time from ordering to delivery would be a couple of months at least. I paid for it about 5 weeks ago, but they are only ordered in batches of 10 or so; Altair basically wait until they have sufficient orders before arranging a shipment. I originally placed myself on the waiting list about 6 weeks before I paid, so altogether about three months ago I think. I was lucky that I was 9th in the list so they only had to fill one more slot before the shipment took place. If you're earlier in the list then you might find the wait longer.

I have to say, that for all the negative comments Altair get (including my own in the past), they did a great job on this occasion. I know communication is cited as their biggest weakness, and Ian was great - he let me know when it was all due to happen, and kept me well informed.

As for the dome, I'm really pleased. I think I made the right choice in colour (will reflect the sun better and is already demonstrating this and staying quite cool). The construction seems as solid as it needs to be, but will be easily dismantled should I ever need to move it. The locking bolts are a bit difficult to align, because of the assembly not being "perfect" - I doubt perfection is possible with a POD, but that's just the nature of the fabrication. My only real gripe is the metal pieces that hold the dome on the rails (the ones inside the dome with sideways wheels in them). I bashed my head on one! I need to put some foam on them for my own safety.

The cat also likes the dome very much. I will need to check she isn't inside every time I lock it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fatwoul

fatwoul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Nope, no UFO comments (yet), but the neighbours to the east, which the dome overshadows, said it looked like St Pauls Cathedral was being erected next door. Fortunately, they were amused by the whole thing, rather than irritated, because they're the best neighbours you could hope for. I've invited them around to see it when its finished. The neighbour the other side is another story, but as long as I keep the dome movements to as quiet a rumble as possible, she'll leave me alone.

My mother said it's an igloo, and fully intends to put plastic penguins around it in the winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carastro

carastro

Posted
Posted

Congratulations Fatwoul, it will revolutionise your Astronomy.

Did you only get 1 bay?

I want to make sure its circular before making it permanent
Yes definitely do that, I made the mistake with mine of shifting it after it was erected (to make it offset) and assumed because the dome was on top it was still circular and I now get a bit of dome bracket clash with the walls from time to time. I decided a couple of days ago to take the screws out and try to re-circularise it but fixed down with Lexel that is impossible and the Lexel is so firmly fixed it would be almost impossible to cut that away too, so I'm stuck with it.

You might find doing the Lexel at the top of the dome difficult in situ as reaching accross the dome from a ladder is deceptively further than you think. I know because I made myself a dome cover (for the frost and really bad spells of driving rain) and I could not reach accross.

Enjoy.

Carole

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fatwoul

fatwoul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Carole - Yeah, only 1 bay. That's all I had room for, but I'm happy with that: enough space for a computer and dehumidifier is all I need. The more bays I had, the more junk I'd fill my observatory with. I have the same problem with camera bags.

You probably right about the roof being deceptively difficult to reach across, so I may have to lift it off again, but that's not too serious. It wasn't overly difficult to put on in the first place.

So you've put Lexel around the base too? Have you also put it up along the wall joints? I'm going to Lexel the roof as soon as I can, but I'm not going to do any other seals until I'm happy with the location and shape. It isn't quite circular right now. I know because the only wheels that ever meet the walls are the two end brackets.

Despite that, having originally only fitted three of the brackets, as suggested in the instructions, I then fitted the other two. My thinking is that anything that can help bring the structure into shape is a good thing, regardless of a little extra noise.

Mikea - Thanks. Even though we've had a couple of clear nights since I built it, I've not actually done any observing yet! I spent the first night sleeping and resting my back (!) and last night building my scope and trying to arrange cables a bit. I'm hoping first light will be tonight. (Do observatories have first light?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fatwoul

fatwoul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Gina - Too expensive, IMO, especially when you know how much Canadians/Americans pay for them. But I wanted to set my scope up permanently, without doing too much building/woodwork, and needed something that I could move fairly easily in the future (if I ever move house), so for all those criteria, there weren't a lot of alternatives. A conventional dome was similar in price, perhaps a little cheaper, and could be motorised/automated more easily, but those things don't travel very well.

Anyway, I'm really pleased with it. Ask me again if I'm happy with it in a year, though!

Olly - I agree, I think it looks neater and (forgive me) more "sciency" in white. My main reason for the colour, though, was reflectivity, and it seems to be working very well in that respect.

One thing I did discover last night was that acoustically, it's a bit of a pain on the eardrums being trapped in a confined space with an EQ6 whistling away. The dome was closed at the time, and I'm sure it's less of a problem when open, but I'm thinking of those rainy nights when I am in there working on stuff. I think I'll need to invest in some earplugs, or maybe just take my Sansa out with me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gina

Gina

Posted
Posted
One thing I did discover last night was that acoustically, it's a bit of a pain on the eardrums being trapped in a confined space with an EQ6 whistling away. The dome was closed at the time, and I'm sure it's less of a problem when open, but I'm thinking of those rainy nights when I am in there working on stuff. I think I'll need to invest in some earplugs, or maybe just take my Sansa out with me.
Do you really move your mount/scope around when it's raining and you have the roof closed? :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
carastro

carastro

Posted
Posted
So you've put Lexel around the base too?

Yes if you don't the rain runs through the grooves of the decking into the POD.

Another tip as you have a white roof.

After I have finished imaging in the early hours I leave the camera running doing darks while I go to bed and in the morning I still have the camera in place and can do my flats through the dome roof. I have noticed those with different coloured domes are not able to do this.

Carole

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Horus

Horus

Posted
Posted

Nice one Fatwolf ..... Mow I'm really jealous , if wasn't for the fact I'll be moving very soon I would have bought one by now. They are soooo cooool

Well done and enjoy !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.