Gina's Observatory

[Gina]

WOW!! You've certainly been busy! That's a lot of work.

Just ordered 2 bulk bags of ballast and 12 bags of cement ready for my next stage. It'll be more than I need I'm sure but there are other jobs around the place that need concrete. Half that might have been enough for the obsy job but I don't want to run out.

[Gina]

Just been digging a bit more out of my pier base hole which is now about 30"x27" and I think about 20" below the level of where the bottom of the joists will come. I'm down to very solid red Devon clay which I think is what might be considered the "bedrock", not actually rock but the alluvial deposit from the last ice-age. Below man-made changes. I'm thinking this will do. I'll tidy it up and undercut a bit tomorrow and try to get more accurate measurements. I'll also see about the footings for the six floor support pads.

The ground is drying up now - we've had a mostly dry day with just a very light shower this morning and it's been good for drying with a nice breeze and reasonably warm. Temperature reached just over 17C this afternoon. We just want a few more days like this

[malc-c]

Sounds like you are making progress.. I've not seen the forecast for the next few days, but lets hope it stays dry for you

[Ransu]

Well done Gina, i'm sure you will get your observatory, if we want something, we will find a way to get it

[Gina]

Sounds like you are making progress.. I've not seen the forecast for the next few days, but lets hope it stays dry for you

The forecast isn't good but could be worse. Yes making progress gradually

Here's a couple more photos, taken this evening :-

1. The pier base hole.

2. the ever increasing spoil heap. This is all hand dug out of the pier base hole.

[Astrokev]

The forecast isn't good but could be worse. Yes making progress gradually

Here's a couple more photos, taken this evening :-

1. The pier base hole.

2. the ever increasing spoil heap. This is all hand dug out of the pier base hole.

Looks nice and sunny in the pics (and is that the root of a gum-tree I see down there?!).

We've had a scorcher over here in the East. Almost had to take my shirt off whilst clearing out my workshop (it's a dilapidated shed really, but in my minds eye....)

[Gina]

Looks nice and sunny in the pics

Yes, been a nice sunny evening

(and is that the root of a gum-tree I see down there?!).

Err... NO! A great big stone that won't budge and which I'll leave.

We've had a scorcher over here in the East. Almost had to take my shirt off whilst clearing out my workshop (it's a dilapidated shed really, but in my minds eye....)

Max 17C this afternoon. Quite pleasant.

[Gina]

Overcast, dull and drizzling this morning I've put a piece of old plywood over the pier hole but the rest is getting wet again. In fact we had rain overnight judging by the grass and ground. Don't know how much, my rain gauge remains to be repaired! I might tackle that today.

[Astrokev]

Sorry to hear that you plans are scuppered once again. We're basking in sunshine again. (Sorry - not trying to rub it in !)

[Gina]

Sorry to hear that you plans are scuppered once again. We're basking in sunshine again. (Sorry - not trying to rub it in !)

The drizzle has stopped and I've done a bit on one of the pad holes but the soil is too wet really - sticks to the spade So I'm doing other odd jobs and will see if it's better later.

Been working out cost by stages.

Observatory Build Stages

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Approx Cost - Notes

Stage 1 - Dig out ground - £35 - - - Petrol & Tarp

Stage 2 - Concrete - - - - - £170

Stage 3 - Floor - - - - - - - - £180

Stage 4 - Wall frames - - - £235

Stage 5 - Roofs - - - - - - - - £120

Stage 6 - Shiplap - - - - - - - £510

Stages 3 - 4 combined - - - £415

Stages 3 - 5 combined - - - £535

Miscellaneous items - Felt, Screws, Bolts, Nails, Tacks etc. not counted yet.

[Gina]

The rain forecast for later is here already Drat!! Still waiting for the tarp to arrive - it's out for delivery.

[Gina]

The rain stopped for a while so I was able to dig out a bit more mud - from the first two footing holes.

The tarp arrived this afternoon and I unwrapped it and attempted to cover the workings. The idea of an arrangement like a tent flysheet was a total non-starter!!! Like... Gina and tarp last seen at a height of 50ft over the A303 heading for London!! I eventually got it under control and pinned down with large rounded stones and large pieces of timber! Of course, the rain came with the wind and I got soaked. Never mind, dry clothes on now and warmed up.

[Gina]

The tarp collected something like 50 gallons of rainwater. It took some effort but I managed to pull the water to one end and empty most of it onto the ground and into the next field. It obviously saved a lot of water in the holes and it's drying out quite nicely now (in spite of a short, sharp shower this morning) with sunny weather and a brisk breeze. I'm hoping to do some more site preparation this afternoon.

The cement and ballast arrived this morning, so as soon as I have a hole or two dug out and reasonably dry, I can start concreting.

[Astrokev]

Hoorah! Destruction phase nearly over - Construction phase about to begin! Looking forward to the next set of pics.

[Gina]

Drying up nicely now Been tidying up the pier base hole. I've checked the measurements - 27" square at the top, with undercutting at the bottom to 30" square and 27" deep below bottom of joists. That should be enough I reckon.

Also dug the first of the six footing block holes - 18" square and 10" deep to the bottom of the beam. Down to solid ground.

Indoors, I've set up my XP box with one of my weather webcams. I've moved ithe webcam round a bit to show most of the obsy site. I need to modify the weather hood to see further left. This camera is live on my main weather site with 2 minute updates.

Direct link to page :- Webcam - See me at work (when I'm out there ).

[yesyes]

The weather is nice and you're not out there?

[Gina]

The weather is nice and you're not out there?

I have been! Got second hole of the six dug out now But I might have been "off camera".

[Gina]

Just dug out hole 3 of 6

[Gina]

Here's some more photos :-

1. Pier base hole - finished - 30" square (at bottom) x 27" deep.

2. Hole 1 of 6 for floor supports - 18" square by 10" deep.

3. Hole 2 of 6 for floor supports - 18" square by 10" deep.

4. Covered up for the night - rain forecast.

[Gina]

Rain stops play!! Again! Forecast says it should stop midday - we'll see. Still, managed quite a bit yesterday

[Gina]

Well... There was an enormous amount of rain overnight and this morning - the tarp is laden down into the holes with what must be at least 100 gallons of water. I have tried to lift the tarp and move the water but it's far too much for me. Some of the water has spilt out into the holes but most of it is still in the tarp. Gonna have a cuppa then see if I can find the stirrup pump and pump it out.

[yesyes]

we'll be watching ..

[yesyes]

the tarp has been lifted!

[yesyes]

oh, and the cat is helping you ..

[yesyes]

One question... Why does the hole look so big? I thought the idea was to dig a nice square hole for the pier base and leave the rest of the soil well alone. If you dig it all up and then put the soil back, you would have to compact the soil again to make the pier base stable.

Or does it just look like that on the webcam? Looks like the tractor is half inside the hole...