Gina's Observatory

[Gina]

Looks like a mammoth effort there!

Certainly felt like it to me

Will you leave the pipe and plant pots in place or remove them? They look difficult to remove.

Yes, I had planned to. Better than bare concrete

[Gina]

Looking good Gina

I'd leave the cardboard tube in place for as long its not getting in the way as it will keep the moisture in which will aid curing to full strength.

Thanks George Yes, I'm leaving the cardboard tube in place.

[Gina]

No obsy build today but three nanny goat kids in view at times Been taking it easy today except for a bit of clearing up. I'm hoping to order timber in the next day or two.

There are one or two things I can do before starting the carpentry - sort out the pier top and fit the adapter, for instance. But I want to leave the pier concrete to harden before messing about with the pier top fitting - don't want to disturb the threaded rods.

[Gina]

Been working out what wants doing before starting on the floor. I've taken out the beams ready for cleaning off and painting with creosote. The soil below beam 1 needs digging out so that no soil touches the beam. Once the creosote has dried I can put the beams back with DPC between them and the concrete blocks. Then I'll fasten them down with wood screws in the loops of the wall ties. Then they'll be ready for the joists.

[Gina]

Talking of joists, I'm wondering whether to go up a size to 5"x2" or 122x47mm. I'll see what the difference in price is between that and 100x47mm. It might not be that much.

[malc-c]

Gina, I opted for 150mm x 50mm - they have proved nice and solid in my build - spaced at 16" centres - £2.58 +VAT per meter

[Gina]

Gina, I opted for 150mm x 50mm - they have proved nice and solid in my build - spaced at 16" centres - £2.58 +VAT per meter

Yes, I know you went for the "really strong and solid" approach I was going for 4x2 in fact 100x47x4.8m, £1.62pm + vat for treated timber. Also at 16" centres. That works out at £75 for the joists. If I paid the same price as you it would work out just below £120, an extra £45. Something between the two would be acceptable.

[Freff]

Hi Gina how are you feeling today, I bet you are stiff as a board.

I see the site is all squared away now, easy going from here on in.

[Gina]

Hi Gina how are you feeling today, I bet you are stiff as a board.

Not too bad, thank you Though I've been feeling tired.

I see the site is all squared away now, easy going from here on in.

Yes, pier covered up with plastic bag and site cleared up a bit. Cement mixer moved to back of house ready for it's next job. Not everything has gone quite according to plan. I was all set to sand off the beams (removing loose paint and other rubbish) ready to creosote but found the arbour on my sanding mop had sheared it's splines and was no longer being driven by the electric drill. So I moved the beams into our big shed ready to work on later, maybe tomorrow when we have rain forecast.

[fwm891]

Hi Gina, I've just posted photos of my observatory (Fitzroy Obs - shed). I have RoR but like you dont have the room for fixed run off rails so I've made 'clip-on' rails that attach to the shed end when I need them and store inside obs when not needed. Simplifies the roof structure. Francis

[Gina]

Hi Gina, I've just posted photos of my observatory (Fitzroy Obs - shed). I have RoR but like you dont have the room for fixed run off rails so I've made 'clip-on' rails that attach to the shed end when I need them and store inside obs when not needed. Simplifies the roof structure. Francis

Yes, I've just looked at your post. Interesting idea

[yesyes]

Not much happening at the moment on the webcam apart from the flap on your weather station being open now... ;-))

[Gina]

Yes, just noticed that myself. I'll go and shut it when the rain stops. The rain (showers) is also one reason there's nothing happening outdoors

[Gina]

The showers seemed to have turned into continuous heavy rain propelled by a strong wind! It's not blowing directly into the weather station screen so I'll leave it until the weather improves.

[Gina]

Found a gap in the rain

[Gina]

I think I might take the shuttering off the pier base this afternoon when it's dried up a bit. I think it should be long enough now. Looks like we might get away without rain today, with luck Some dark clouds about but no rain so far.

[George]

Should be fine now Gina, TBH you wont have to leave it covered either.

[yesyes]

Gina, while you're out there, your webcam seems to have gone a bit out of focus...

[Gina]

Thanks George

Gina, while you're out there, your webcam seems to have gone a bit out of focus...

Ah yes, so it is - I'll check it out. Thank you

[Gina]

I think the focus is better now.

[Gina]

The unveiling of the concrete pier base is about to begin...

[yesyes]

I think the focus is better now.

yes, much better, thanks !! ;-)

[Gina]

Good

Base block uncovered and all the shuttering removed except a couple of bits of wood that are wedged into the ground. I'll dig those out later. Photos taken - I'll post them shortly.

[Gina]

The pier base block didn't come out quite as planned but I think the pier is OK. It's upright and in about the desired position. The base doesn't matter much as long as the top is below the joists (I was careful to make sure of this), it'll be below the floor out of sight. It's a good solid block anyway!

Photos attached :-

1. All covered up.

2. Pier cover removed.

3. Top shuttering unscrewed and taken off.

4 to 7. Most of the shuttering removed from the pier base. Various views.

[Gina]

Been clearing cement out of the threads of the 4 threaded rods that protrude above the top of the concrete. And here I can give advice to those building a concrete pier... use something to protect the top inch or so of the threads from cement/concrete, because however careful you are, you are bound to get some on the threads. Several nuts or nuts and washers, masking tape or whatever or even a thick grease. Then you won't have to clear the threads afterwards. So it's a case of "do as I say not as I did"! <blush>

I've found also that despite my efforts to provide strong supports for the rods, a couple of them moved off station when I poked the concrete into every corner. Fortunately, I quite expected this and haven't yet drilled the holes for them in the bottom steel plate of my pier adapter. So I now have to copy off the exact positions in order to drill the steel plate with holes in the right places for the threaded rods. For this I plan to use a scrap bit of perspex (transparent acrylic sheet) and a marker pen. Then drill the perspex and check it fits, so I can use it as a template for drilling the steel plate.