Gina's Observatory - The Build

[Gina]

Very strange Gina. You could try a hair dryer or heat gun on a lower setting working up to a hotter one so the acrylic doesn't damage.

Yes, that's a good idea. I thought of using a steam cleaner but hot air is probably a better idea

[Yendor]

maybe a phone call to the supplier might yield a safer way of removing the coating/film.

[Gina]

maybe a phone call to the supplier might yield a safer way of removing the coating/film.

That's a good idea

[Gina]

Today's Progress.

Very cold start with a frost but warmed up later with plenty of sunshine and calm to light breeze. More work on the windows today.

1. Trimmed off excess rubber from warm room gutter.

2. Cut (larger) acrylic sheet for window to size.

3. Fastened acrylic sheet in place temporarily.

4. Cut wood strips to hold sheet at top.

5. Screwed wood strips to warm room roof to hold acrylic sheet in place.

6. Cut smaller piece of acrylic and fitted it in place held at the top with the wood strip.

7. Drilled acrylic sheet from outside at bottom.

8. Carefully screwed acrylic to inner wooden gutter support. (Screwed near top of gutter to avoid leakage).

9. Added small block of wood to top end of gutter to hold rubber up at the end to stop water being blown up and off the top end into the obsy.

10. On to the obsy windows - acrylic sheets trimmed to shape.

11. Holes drilled in sheets to take small screws to hold sheet in position.

12. Spacer pieces screwed onto obsy roof framework.

13. Sheets screwed onto obsy roof framework.

14. More holes drilled and screws put in to secure acrylic sheets. The sheets will be secured later with beading and other pieces of wood.

Photos and webcam images to follow...

[Gina]

Photos now ready... Took several DSLR photos of the warm room side gutter and some overall views. A selection of webcam images too.

[Gina]

Nice weather today but didn't do much to the observatory build. Instead I took Tim (my OH) out to Peco model railway shop and exhibition at Beer in east Devon and bought him some model railway stuff for his birthday. We topped it off with tea and cakes in their cafe, in a restored Pullman coach. Nice trip out

Just time to measure up and cut some bits of wood to hold the edges of the acrylic sheet on the obsy roof.

And just a handful of webcam images :-

[Anweniel]

Really looks the biz with the acrylic windows Gina, just waiting for the shot now, a night shot with the ROR back and the scope just peeking out onto a star soaked sky! wont be long now im sure

[Gina]

Really looks the biz with the acrylic windows Gina, just waiting for the shot now, a night shot with the ROR back and the scope just peeking out onto a star soaked sky! wont be long now im sure

Thank you

I think the structure will now keep most of the weather out (unless propelled by a gale) Basically a matter of going round adding bits of wood here and there and brush strip on the moving/opening gaps. Got some more guide rollers to fit too, to keep the roll-off on track.

There's the inside to finish, of course, but I'm aiming to get the shell weatherproof first and then I can keep my scope mounted and get things set up and mount polar aligned etc. Then on any clear nights I can do some observing and maybe imaging whilst I can do the insides in the daytime without any pressure :)

It's raining tonight but forecast to stop before daybreak tomorrow so should be able to do lots of weatherproofing tomorrow and I shall be able to see if any of the overnight rain got in, and if so, where.

Yes, shouldn't be long now before I can actually start USING the obsy

[dark knight]

Just want to say it's been a real privilege to follow you on this amazing journey, it truly is inspirational what you have achieved. If your imaging skills are anything like your construction skills we are in for some real treats to come.

[Gina]

Just want to say it's been a real privilege to follow you on this amazing journey, it truly is inspirational what you have achieved. If your imaging skills are anything like your construction skills we are in for some real treats to come.

That's a lovely comment, thank you very much

[malc-c]

Oh dear... Gina you've posted too many images from photobucket and exceeded your bandwidth.... no wonder why this thread loaded up so quick - and I'm on a 20M connection

[Gina]

Oh dear... Gina you've posted too many images from photobucket and exceeded your bandwidth.... no wonder why this thread loaded up so quick - and I'm on a 20M connection

Oh dear, so I have Fixed it - upgraded to Pro account Paid by Pay-Pal so should take effect pretty soon.

[Gina]

Photobucket shows my account as Pro so everyone should be able to see the photos and now without adverts (I don't know how annoying they were because I didn't get them).

[Gina]

Now to today's progress...

Good weather today so been getting on with it. Screwed on wood pieces to hold acrylic sheet for the obsy windows and been fitting various blocks of wood and weatherproofing brush strip to the numerous gaps where the roll off and obsy end wall flap fits to the fixed part. I believe the building is weatherproof now But the proof of the pudding...

The end of the daylight period was cloudy and I didn't expect to have any clear skies tonight. However, when I went out later, the clouds had dispersed and there were stars and Jupiter to be seen. So I went and got my scope and set it up on the mount. No power arranged as yet so couldn't do polar alignment or use the mount's motors. However, I did point the scope manually at Jupiter, got my lowest power eyepiece and tried to see Jupiter. Focussed over the entire focuser range and couldn't see a thing! Tried pointing scope at street lights across the valley - nothing other than a dim glow across the whole field, unable to focus the image. So I decided to leave it until daylight and try pointing the scope at a distant tree as I've done before to check things.

Having given up on the scope, I thought I'd take a long exposure with my DSLR and record some star trails, as I've done in the past. So I attached the camera to the tripod screw on the scope ring and pointed it at the sky (with Jupiter in the frame). Guess what? I couldn't get the camera to work on Manual with long exposure! It was almost as if the battery were flat but the battery level display was showing it as almost fully charged. Furthermore, when I set it back to auto, I had no trouble taking a flash photo of the mount and scope.

So... I had a successful day but a totally unsuccessful evening in the obsy!

Today's progress then. I don't think it's worth itemising all the individual jobs, suffice it to say I fitted various pieces of wood and plastic trim plus brush strip to fill all the gaps around the roll off section and fold-down flap.

I took several DSLR photos of the brush strips etc. and the selection of webcam images shows me in various places around the building.

[Gina]

Hope everyone can see the pics now that I have a "Pro" account with Photobucket.

Found out what I did wrong with my DSLR - had it on AF (AutoFocus) rather than MF (Manual) - senior moment I'll check the scope later - wonder what silly thing I did wrong there!

[carastro]

Hi Gina, wonderful work has gone into this.

However one thing puzzling me, that is the in and out of window perspex one minute it's there, the next it has gone.

Also is the perspex in the apexed window actually broken, or is it the plastic covering partly removed. I remember you writing about having problems removing it. So therefore is that piece just in there as a temporary fix?

Possibly I have missed an earlier post.

Carole

[Gina]

Hi Gina, wonderful work has gone into this.

Thank you

However one thing puzzling me, that is the in and out of window perspex one minute it's there, the next it has gone.

It's so clear you can only see it by the reflection.

Also is the perspex in the apexed window actually broken, or is it the plastic covering partly removed. I remember you writing about having problems removing it. So therefore is that piece just in there as a temporary fix?

Possibly I have missed an earlier post.

Carole

It's plastic coating partly removed. I'll take it off and remove the rest or replace it with another piece. ATM I'm concentrating on getting the place ready to use. I know that remaining coating looks untidy but at least it's weatherproof.

[Anweniel]

I know that remaining coating looks untidy but at least it's weatherproof.

I guess its one of those frustrating jobs where a large amount of elbow grease results in a little progress.

Good idea with those draught excluders to fill the gaps:icon_salut:

[Astrokev]

Hope everyone can see the pics now that I have a "Pro" account with Photobucket.

Yep, photos by the dozen - more on this below!

Great job your doing there Gina. Haven't been posting much lately due to general fatigue brought on by my new(ish) job, but still watching your build with interest, and really pleased that it's coming together. Looking forward to seeing the interior outfitting.

Back to the photo's - great to see your build in pics, we all love to see these - but if I'm honest I do find the long string of webcam images somewhat repetitive with often very little difference, if any, between them. I don't think it would do any harm to cut the number down a bit. Love to see the DSLR pics though!

Keep up the good work.

[yesyes]

I tend to agree... ;-)

[Aoraki]

Glad it's all coming together for you Gina, I seem to have hit a bit of a brick wall recently.

[Gina]

Yep, photos by the dozen - more on this below!

Great job your doing there Gina. Haven't been posting much lately due to general fatigue brought on by my new(ish) job, but still watching your build with interest, and really pleased that it's coming together. Looking forward to seeing the interior outfitting.

Thank you I'll post pics of the interior as I do it. Hope you like your new job even if it is tiring

Back to the photo's - great to see your build in pics, we all love to see these - but if I'm honest I do find the long string of webcam images somewhat repetitive with often very little difference, if any, between them. I don't think it would do any harm to cut the number down a bit. Love to see the DSLR pics though!

Keep up the good work.

I tend to agree about the webcam images - I'll cut them down a bit. Thanks for the feedback

[Gina]

Glad it's all coming together for you Gina, I seem to have hit a bit of a brick wall recently.

Thank you Hope you manage to climb over that "brick wall" and get going again. Perhaps you need a bit of a break from it. I've found that myself. Dead keen to get it done but then overdo it and get fatigued.

[Gina]

Today's Progress...

Weather basically fine today after overnight rain and a heavy dew.

Not a great deal of progress today but satisfactory enough :-

1. Screwed a strip of wood onto the edge of the door. Had to be a temporary short piece as I'm running low on timber.

2. Cut small pieces of shiplap that go between door and corner post.

3. Nailed shiplap pieces onto framework.

4. Cut a notch in one piece of shiplap to form the warm room guttering rubber membrane into a spout to direct rainwater away from the wall.

5. Shaped top piece of shiplap to fit round the roll off running rail and provide clearance.

Several DSLR photos taken today including a couple taken through the scope. I don't know if you'd call this "First Light" for the new obsy or is that accolade reserved for celestial objects? The first two photos were actually taken last night of the scope on the mount and pointing upwards towards the sky. Firstly with roof and flap open and then with them closed. Following is a selection of today's webcam images.

Here is a photo taken with the DSLR on my scope with 1.5x Barlow. Contrast enhanced in GIMP but no other processing.

Another telescopic shot about half a mile away on the next hill. Similar contrast increase.

Shiplap near corner.

Closeup of above showing drainage spout from warm room side gutter.

Now a few webcam images of today's jobs.

[malc-c]

Back to the photo's - great to see your build in pics, we all love to see these - but if I'm honest I do find the long string of webcam images somewhat repetitive with often very little difference, if any, between them. .

Have to agree.... the DSLR images are good, and IMO all that's needed. Cutting out the web cam images would also make this thread load up quicker to the new posts.