Gina's Observatory - The Build

[jbk44]

It's nice to get in out of the wind Gina. With the shiplap up it will be a different world.

Watch when you step back, the dogs left you a message. (image 3)

I just laughed so much it hurt.

[Gina]

The rain seems to have stopped now and the wind dropped. Forecast is better for tomorrow with sunshine and showers, so I may be able to get a bit more done.

Currently trying to get the saved images into video. Done a shortish sequence and now doing a longer one - 13,000 frames. Copying and processing that many takes quite a while

[Gina]

Weather fine this morning with just a light breeze - what a change from yesterday! Should be able to make some more progress with the build

Strange problem with the webcam time-lapse video. The short sequence is fine but the long one shows only the top part of the image If it were just the bottom it'd show the obsy building!! All the imported image frames are fine but the AVI starts with a full image then changes to a part frame after a fraction of a second. I'm investigating...

[Gina]

Just been out and removed the corrugated bitumen sheets and piece of timber I had to wedge them in position (which didn't work for long with all that wind last night). Put the sheets out flat on the grass to (hopefully) straighten out.

Quite cold out as yet and everything is running with water! It'll be warming up though and drying out.

[Gina]

I think I might move the webcam onto the back porch wall. The morning sun shines right into the webcam where it is and makes it difficult to see the obsy build. There are several days in the saved images where I've been working on the build but it's difficult to see what I'm doing. Of course, the best place for the webcam would be in our neighbour's field pointing northwards but that isn't practicable

[yesyes]

Bear in mind that changing position will cause a jump in the time lapse video later... ;-)

[Gina]

Bear in mind that changing position will cause a jump in the time lapse video later... ;-)

Yes, I am aware of that. We had a change earlier in the build when I moved the webcam from the porch to the corner of the house. If I move it again I'll do it after dark to minimise the problem. Apart from half the morning it's alright where it is. And then it's really only when the sun's out early morning.

Anyway, it was just a thought - are there any other opinions on this?

[fwm891]

Put up a second webcam and we can watch in stereo :D!

[yesyes]

In my honest opinion, it is nice that we can watch you doing the build (for when there's not much going on at work). But I think it is far more important for you to finish the build than us being able to watch you from any angle...

[Gina]

Put up a second webcam and we can watch in stereo :D!

There's a webcam on a pole on the porch pointing north that isn't connected at present. I was thinking of connecting that up again anyway sometime - just not got round to it. Could run it off the netbook put in the porch to save running yet another USB cable into the lounge. I could quite easily turn the pole so that the webcam pointed south. OR I could just rig up one of my several Philips webcams in the porch window. You wouldn't see much when it's wet but OTOH I don't do much outdoors when it's wet

I might see what I can do tonight after dark when I've stopped work on the build itself.

[Gina]

In my honest opinion, it is nice that we can watch you doing the build (for when there's not much going on at work). But I think it is far more important for you to finish the build than us being able to watch you from any angle...

Absolutely! Quite agree - the build takes priority over webcams (if not lunch ).

[Gina]

Rain stops play!!! AGAIN!! Gutter back up. I must try and find that down spout I bought a while back! Have guttering and down pipe.

[fwm891]

Put up a second webcam and we can watch in stereo :D!

I must stop making comments like this Gina is taking me far too seriously - build the obsy forget the webcam:o

[Gina]

I must stop making comments like this Gina is taking me far too seriously

Nah - not really

build the obsy forget the webcam:o

Obsy build is getting my full attention. Today's progress report coming up later

[Gina]

Fine weather this morning with sunny periods but the afternoon brought increasingly heavy showers. Had to pop out this morning for groceries but reasonable progress made today.

1. Removed support piece of timber and two rather crumpled up pieces of corrugated bitumen sheet which had failed to stay put in the very strong winds yesterday.

2. Adjusted the floorboards to their correct positions ready to be fixed later. With all the water on them they would be at their maximum swollen state so pushed them up together.

3. Fixed the warm room end wall framework to the sides with coach bolts.

4. Fixed the dividing wall frame to the north wall frame with coach bolts.

5. Various jobs on the roll off framework, south side.

6. Guttering put back up to cope with heavy showers in the afternoon. Last image cropped to show heavy rain on the warm room roof and rain water flowing from the end of the guttering.

7. Took several pieces in to the shed and applied wood preserver (in the dry).

And now today's images from the webcam to illustrate the above :-

[Gina]

Been fine so far today with some sunny spells. Unfortunately I had to go out this morning and missed the best of the weather. The wind has got up now and it's turned very cold Done some work on the roll off framework but don't know if I'll be able to do much more today.

[Gina]

Just had a phone call from the timber yard. They will be delivering the shiplap tomorrow afternoon

[fwm891]

Remember - just a PM away... forecast lousy for thursday

[Gina]

Yes, thank you Next week I expect Weather forecast not nice at all!

[Gina]

Today's progress report.

Been fine today with some sunny spells. Unfortunately I had to go out this morning and missed the best of the weather. The wind got up during the afternoon and it turned very cold so didn't do much more.

1. Took pieces from the shed onto the site to put back in place.

2. More work on the roll off framework.

3. Measured up and cut pieces to form the interconnecting wall between the observatory and the warm room.

4. Measured and cut the end piece of the roll off section, including where it "meshes" with the running rail and warm room wall.

5. Fastened 4. above to the top of the roll off framework and re-attached the support upright for that corner of the roll off roof.

And now today's images, ending with a rare one of me actually facing the camera I was checking the guttering ready for tomorrow's forecast deluge!

[Gina]

Wet morning and it's been raining all night too. 10C with a light breeze. Forecast wet until late afternoon so doesn't look like much progress on my build today

[Gina]

The rain eased off for a short time and I was able to check a couple of things.

Measured the length of shiplap on the north wall - the one that covers both obsy and warm room. I found I have a slight misalignment or "out of squareness" somewhere as it measures 4250mm at the bottom and 4260mm at the top The rain has started up again now, but later I'll do some more checking and see where the error is. I would like to get rid of the difference as it's much easier to cut all the shiplap for one wall to the same length.

[GJBC]

only caught this thread last night for the first time . you are doing a sterling job i have enjoyed looking at all the pics. i also like the design of the building.

one question came straight to mind.

what are you thinking of doing on the eastern side of the roof to stop water dripping in the observatory as you open the roof, as the slop will Chanel the water down the roof and the vibration of the roof moving Will make the water move.

I get the same issue with my dome when i open the shutter the water drips onto the scope if i don't wipe it off first. especially if i attempted to use the obsy just after a wet front passes. just a thought and one you might not had though of yet.

In your pipes for the cables get a fish tape in there and left there just in case you need further cables through later. and after doing an obsy twice now and helped with another i have found you will need more cables and the tapes are an invaluable addition. got mine for around a fiver from Dart systems.

cant wait to see you getting the sides on ASAP b4 the weather turns for winter.

COME ON GINA the nation is behind you. well SGL nation anyway

[Gina]

The shiplap has arrived! :) Very wet of course! Mine was the second delivery. Been pressure treated so no problem.

only caught this thread last night for the first time . you are doing a sterling job i have enjoyed looking at all the pics. i also like the design of the building.

Thank you

one question came straight to mind.

what are you thinking of doing on the eastern side of the roof to stop water dripping in the observatory as you open the roof, as the slop will Chanel the water down the roof and the vibration of the roof moving Will make the water move.

Good point! I hadn't actually thought of that, but I agree, the roof could remain wet some time after rain or be wet from dew. I am having guttering along that side anyway with a down pipe outside the run of the roll off. When the roof is closed the water will be taken away down a spout and pipe attached to the obsy wall.

In your pipes for the cables get a fish tape in there and left there just in case you need further cables through later. and after doing an obsy twice now and helped with another i have found you will need more cables and the tapes are an invaluable addition. got mine for around a fiver from Dart systems.

Ah yes, tape sounds better than string

cant wait to see you getting the sides on ASAP b4 the weather turns for winter.

COME ON GINA the nation is behind you. well SGL nation anyway

Shouldn't be long now. I'll let most of the surface water drip off the shiplap before cutting. Then I'll cut it to length (have an electric bench mitre saw to make cutting easy) and soak the ends in wood preserver ready for putting up on the building.

[yesyes]

The shiplap has arrived! :)

Show us that pile of timber... ;-)