Observatory Build Underway

[malc-c]

In Malcom's design one side of the roof seems to rest completely on the fold-down panel. It would have to be rather strong to support that weight and still be foldable. Also, you need to make absolutely sure the panel cannot fold down when the roof is closed.

Trust me the panel is well built and quite capable of supporting the estimated weight of the roof, which is around 40kg (the felt alone is 18KG !). This weight is spread over ten rollers giving approx 4kg per roller.

At the moment there is no locking systems in place, but the intention is to have a sliding bolt like that used to retain the drop down side panel to lock the ROR in place.

[Gina]

Looks like a marvellous observatory.

Beautiful job - something to be proud of

I noticed that your south facing flap folds inwards - just playing devil's advocate here: is there sufficient room so that when you fold it down it won't hit any part of the scope/mount?

I wondered that too, but it's not a very big flap. All the same, mine will be opening outwards. Edited June 15, 2011 by Gina

[yesyes]

Trust me the panel is well built and quite capable of supporting the estimated weight of the roof, which is around 40kg (the felt alone is 18KG !). This weight is spread over ten rollers giving approx 4kg per roller.

Oh, I do trust that your panel is strong enough... ;-)

My post was more directed towards Gina who seemed to consider that idea... ;-)

Edited June 15, 2011 by yesyes

[Gina]

I thought about it but decided I didn't want any more complexity. I looked at raising my track but with the way the roof slopes it would still be a roll off top section rather than just roof since it would be below the warm room roof. And since I would still want the end flap, it would mean two flaps. The joint at the wall to roof junction could be lighter but the advantage doesn't justify the extra complication. Of course, I could change the roofs to slope sideways but I don't really want to change my design radically, yet again.

[malc-c]

Beautiful job - something to be proud of :)I wondered that too, but it's not a very big flap. All the same, mine will be opening outwards.

Thank you, and I am

I to be honest, there is no perfect design... for every advantage there will be a dis-advantage, so every build is a compromise.

[malc-c]

Well we've had a fair bit of rain this morning and I called home for the wife to do an inspection report for me..

Pleased to say that other than one small area around the door (which is expected as the door has no shuts fitted yet) the observatory is bone dry and rain water is running off the back of the warm room, so the slope seems OK - To say I'm chuffed to bits is an understatement !!

I can now start cabling the warm room, insulating the walls and roof and then line it out in 4mm ply this weekend

[yesyes]

I'm so envious... This is my favourite built so far (putting Wayne's obsy at number 2)

[malc-c]

I'm so envious... This is my favourite built so far (putting Wayne's obsy at number 2)

I am honoured (sorry Wayne )

[StevieDvd]

I'm just worried that the commissioning of your observatory will instigate a record breaking period of full cloud cover for Stevenage!

[yesyes]

I guess cloud cover can't really get any worse than it already is.. ;-)

[Gina]

It's the heavy rain that's stopping me - apart from lack of funds. My site is waterlogged I might have to provide ground drainage.

[pritc]

I am honoured (sorry Wayne )

Still honoured to get No2 fav. Build:D

Wayne

[pritc]

Well we've had a fair bit of rain this morning andp I called home for the wife to do an inspection report for me..

Pleased to say that other than one small area around the door (which is expected as the door has no shuts fitted yet) the observatory is bone dry and rain water is running off the back of the warm room, so the slope seems OK - To say I'm chuffed to bits is an understatement !!

I can now start cabling the warm room, insulating the walls and roof and then line it out in 4mm ply this weekend

Looking GOOD:icon_salut:

It is always a nice feeling to achieve a watertight build.

Without getting any time consuming little leaks.

Nearly time for the best part!!

Fitting out the inside......

Wayne

[Astrokev]

Fantastic build so far Malcolm. Really looking forward to seeing how you fit-out the interior. I'm filled with a mix of high admiration and envy!

[Astrokev]

It's the heavy rain that's stopping me - apart from lack of funds. My site is waterlogged I might have to provide ground drainage.

You should move to Bedfordshire. We're suffering a drought over here but, sadly, enjoying lots of cloud to go with it. Saying that, it's sunny at the moment....but then the sun hasn't set yet!

[Gina]

You should move to Bedfordshire. We're suffering a drought over here but, sadly, enjoying lots of cloud to go with it. Saying that, it's sunny at the moment....but then the sun hasn't set yet!

It's probably going to be clear tonight now that the lunar eclipse is over! Edited June 16, 2011 by Gina

[malc-c]

Thanks guys for your continued support and praise.. When I set out to start this project I had no intention of making this "better" than anyone else's build, and in fact it was Waynes build thread that I've really followed and inspired me to seriously contemplate such a project. Fortunately I arranged the funding and the time off work (combined with the bank holidays) to get the build this far in around six weeks, but then I'm impatient so doing the project over six months as and when funds came available was not an option

Wayne, yes I'm looking forward to doing the fitting out... whilst the construction has been fun, it's been tiring, especially given that I picked some of the hottest days of the year to do it in !

Steve, sorry.... I'm sure that when it gets commissioned the weather will improve - I'm jammy like that

[malc-c]

It's been raining hard here for the past four hours so I thought I would check how water tight the observatory is, and to be honest I was expecting a leak around the door as I haven't had time to finish off the door frame, and sure enough there was a large wet patch around the door. A temporary fix has been made until the rain eases off, but I was also soaked and very cold to boot, but at least this should stop it getting any worse. The good news is that its only the warm room that's affected, and the obsy is dry as a bone, so the seals are working well.

Obviously until the warm room is 100% dry the fitting out will have to wait, so in a way I'm thankful the rain has come down as hard as it has as it pointed out where further work is required. I much rather discover a small leak now, than once all the ply lining has been fitted !

[Gina]

Very good Malcolm

[Mav359]

Hey Malcolm excellent job very envious...

It looks very professional, are you a tradesman or just an entusiastic DIYer. I'm relativly handy but am concearned that when i eventually start that my level of building knowlege & carpentry won't be up to it.

Also once you hammered the rebar into the ground did you have to level them before the pier went on or does the pier adaptor correct for the level? I want to make sure any pier is level.

Cheers & well done.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Mav359
spelling

[malc-c]

Thanks for the comments Alan.

No I'm not in the building trade, and I don't know about enthusiastic, but I can turn my hand to most DIY things. To be honest up until this project I had never laid a brick in my life before. I had help an guidance on that, with my neighbor laying the 1st course so it was all square and level. From then on it was quite simple

As for the carpentry skills, if you break it down into simple steps it's really quite easy. Just use a chop saw to keep all the edges square and then screw the timber together to make frames. Make a second frame in the same way and then bolt them together... repeat that and you have full frame..

The pier had rebar hammered into the ground and then concrete was poured into the tube. Then the three 500mm lengths of threaded rod (with ends bent) were bolted to the bottom plate of the pier head and sunk into the concrete. The nuts on the studding between the bottom plate and top plate of the pier head allow the top plate to be leveled - all works very well to give a level platform for the EQ5 mount

[malc-c]

With all these heavy showers we're having (peaked at 14mm per hour) it has been a testing time for my observatory build, and it found a small weakness with a small dribble appearing in one corner of the warm room. It's really hardly worth worrying about but when things dry up I'll go up and take a look and fix it.

Today has been spent inside the observatory, running in the electric cables for the sockets and light, and installing the insulation in the walls. Must admit, having gone for the cheapest polystyrene based product there was a lot of mess ! The non functional patio light was removed and the armored cable re-directed into the observatory. The previous owner has this cable terminated with a plug which plugs into a socket in the brick shed, but as this shed will be having the electrics overhauled as part of the project, the cable will be connected via a garage consumer unit.

I managed to get one wall lined with ply before calling it a day... hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow and I'll get the rest of the lining done, and sockets fitted, having first fixed that small leak.

[Astrokev]

Just had a peek at your hobby website Malc. 3 points -

1. The menus at the sides go below my screen and I don't seem able to navigate to them. Probably something up with my set-up?

2. Very impressed with the quality of the 1/12 scale houses. They could benefit from a 1/12 scale observatory to compliment them though !

3. How the heck d'you cram everything in to a normal 24/7 week ? !!

[malc-c]

Hi Kevin,

I'll take a look at the site to see why there is no scroll bar. What screen res are you running at??

The 1/12th house is ment to be my wifes project, but I seem to of done most of what you see there, she just sets the tables and dresses the rooms - We've not done much to that recently, probably dropped off around the time I got my scope

I must admit I do wonder how I've managed to do all this stuff, and hold down a full time job that has a 43hr week ! - getting up at 5am most mornings probably has something to do with it !!

It's been a productive day. I've spent the morning fixing the leak. The problem was a slight overlap of the shiplap caused the water to puddle and not drain off, this then crept up the 5" overlap of the felt and dribbled down the inside wall - sorted now. Then it was back to the lining of the warm room, and pleased to say that I have all three main walls done, plus the ceiling. I now need to build the internal door before I can line the dividing wall and complete this phase of the build. I now also have mains power in the warm room

I'm off to wickes tomorrow to get some paint... I know that most people pain their rooms black, but I want something a bit lighter, probably a pale green or something similar

Edited June 19, 2011 by malc-c

[Astrokev]

Hi Kevin,

I'll take a look at the site to see why there is no scroll bar. What screen res are you running at??

1366 x 768 (on my lappy. Haven't tried it on my big monitor desktop).