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Gina's Observatory - The Build

Gina

By Gina
in DIY Observatories

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malc-c

malc-c

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Is this project ongoing or is there a point where you'll say that'll do.

To be honest I don't think you ever get to that point... I'm always adding things to my Obsy.. Just purchased some white LED strips to give some light to the scope room so I can do maintenance etc with the roof closed... something I overlooked in the build.

I've recently added a microwave - nothing like a tin of tomato soup warmed up at 2am to wash down a hot pastie :(

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MikeWilson

MikeWilson

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To be honest I don't think you ever get to that point... I'm always adding things to my Obsy.. Just purchased some white LED strips to give some light to the scope room so I can do maintenance etc with the roof closed... something I overlooked in the build.

I've recently added a microwave - nothing like a tin of tomato soup warmed up at 2am to wash down a hot pastie :(

LED strips and a microwave? What's next, a pool table? :o

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Gina

Gina

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I'll be quite happy when I've got mine fitted out so that I can use it for it's intended purpose, conveniently and without tripping over tools, bits of wood, screws and cables :( But I have one thing extra to astronomy and that's a set of speakers - I like to listen to the radio and play music.

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Gina

Gina

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Having covered the white polystyrene insulation in the warm room ceiling with plywood it seems a lot darker and the ceiling feels lower. I guess it's the colour - it's only 6mm lower! Wants painting white I reckon (just a bit of a shame to cover that nice wood grain :()

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Armsoft

Armsoft

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Gina,

For what it`s worth - I painted the walls and ceiling in my warm room Black, its so much better to get your eyes light adapted (for those odd moments when you leave the warmth and comfort of your warm room to actually look through the eyepiece of your scope Lol, as opposed to looking at you computer screen).

Build looks really good, well done, you won`t regret the effort

Mark

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Gina

Gina

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Gina,

For what it`s worth - I painted the walls and ceiling in my warm room Black, its so much better to get your eyes light adapted (for those odd moments when you leave the warmth and comfort of your warm room to actually look through the eyepiece of your scope Lol, as opposed to looking at you computer screen).

Build looks really good, well done, you won`t regret the effort

Mark

Thank You :icon_scratch:
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Gina

Gina

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Today's Progress.

Mainly nice sunny weather today. Managed to remove the coating on the scope room window (at long last) and make some more progress on the warm room.

1. Removed acrylic sheet from scope room window.

2. Boiled a kettle full of water and gradually poured it over the acrylic while carefully pulling the protective coating sheet until it was all removed.

3. Replaced the acrylic sheet and replaced wooden edge fixings.

4. Measured and cut plywood panel for south wall above bench.

5. Cut rectangular hole in above panel to take inset type box for power socket.

6. Drilled hole for cable in panel under bench and threaded new power cable through.

7. Connected cable to dual power socket and fitted it in surface box screwed on through panel and into wall framework.

8. Removed and disconnected power socket and box from wall framework above bench.

9. Threaded cables through knockouts in inset type box and connected power socket.

10. Fixed box in wall (in hole in panel) and fitted power socket into it.

11. Screwed panel to wall framework.

Photos to follow...

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pritc

pritc

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Looking good ,Gina

Better dust off the chair before you sit on it......:icon_scratch:

That bench you have made is going to give you loads of space!!

But what to fill it with????:(

I can see the end is not too far away!! :D

Wayne

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Gina

Gina

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Looking good ,Gina

Better dust off the chair before you sit on it......:icon_scratch:

That bench you have made is going to give you loads of space!!

But what to fill it with????:)

I can see the end is not too far away!! :D

Wayne

Thank you Wayne ;) I've dusted the chair off :) I'm sure I'll find plenty to put on the bench :( Yes, not far off finished the building construction now :) Still need to sort out computers and various odds and ends.
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Gina

Gina

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Seeing it was a clear night for a change I went out and set things up but by that time the clouds had appeared again!! :icon_scratch: We were forecast clear skies until at least midnight! Ha b Ha!!! So I parked the scope and closed the roof again. I suppose there will come a time when a daytime totally clear sky will last into the evening for long enough to actually do some astronomy! But I do wonder... It is waiting for me to finish my obsy completely and get all the odds and sods sorted out??!!

Anyway, having gone out there I decided to do another little job. I changed the bodged up home modified red light in the warm room for one of the proper red bulkhead fittings I bought. Here's a photo.

2012-01-11-06.jpg

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Gina

Gina

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Is humidity causing you a problem at all, Gina? Do you have any plans to add a dehumidifier to your obsy?
No, both scope room and warm room are keeping nice and dry :D Admittedly, I haven't had the roof open very often at night as the weather hasn't been suitable. Almost storm force winds and heavy rain combined have not managed to force any moisture into the building. I'm very pleased with that :( (Even if not with the weather :icon_scratch:)
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Gina

Gina

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Done some more to the warm room today. Panels either side of the window in the south wall together with D shaped moulding trim along the join with the piece above the bench and at the sides of the window.

I'll take and post photos later.

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pritc

pritc

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No, both scope room and warm room are keeping nice and dry :D Admittedly, I haven't had the roof open very often at night as the weather hasn't been suitable. Almost storm force winds and heavy rain combined have not managed to force any moisture into the building. I'm very pleased with that :( (Even if not with the weather :icon_scratch:)

I have no moisture problems, but I still purchased a rechargeable caravan dehumidifier twin pack.

RECHARGEABLE DEHUMIDIFIER TWIN PACK CARAVAN HOME BOAT | eBay

I hook one on my scope's dovetail bar (when not in use)and hang one in my warm room.

Takes care of any dew/moisture left on my scope after closing the roof.

Easy to recharge, just plug them in to the mains(with supplied cord) for 24hrs to recharge.

Wayne

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Gina

Gina

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I have no moisture problems, but I still purchased a rechargeable caravan dehumidifier twin pack.

RECHARGEABLE DEHUMIDIFIER TWIN PACK CARAVAN HOME BOAT | eBay

I hook one on my scope's dovetail bar (when not in use)and hang one in my warm room.

Takes care of any dew/moisture left on my scope after closing the roof.

Easy to recharge, just plug them in to the mains(with supplied cord) for 24hrs to recharge.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne :D They look like a good value for money buy :( In fact there are other places apart from the obsy where these would be useful :icon_scratch:
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Gina

Gina

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Here are a couple of photos taken today. The first is the outside of the observatory showing a now clear scope room window. The second shows today's work on the inside of the warm room. There is now just one more piece of plywood to go on, to finish the ceiling. Then I'll be putting trim in the interior corners of the ply panels.

2012-01-12-01.jpg

2012-01-12-02.jpg

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Gina

Gina

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Not now - here's the only ones Amazon UK do now :- Amazon.co.uk: Used and New: Rechargeable Mini Dehumidifier - 2 Pack Set

OR with a different search :- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Caravan-Truck-Cuboard-Rechargable-Dehumidifier/dp/B002PCH9PK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326403824&sr=8-1

What's your link Bizi, please? I'd rather pay your price :icon_scratch:

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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Caravan, Car, Van, Truck & Cuboard Rechargable Mini Dehumidifier - Twin Pack: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

BUT they are back to £18.50!!

And as one of the comments with that listing says you can get bags of self indicating silica gel for much less and recharge them either in the oven or simply sitting on a warmish radiator for a few hours! I soon managed to find a 500g bag of gel listed at around £6.50 if memory serves correctly.

I have to admit to saving all those little packs of gel that come with "things from China" and now have nearly half a kilo for free! Enough of it is self indicating for me to see what state it is in and whether it needs a "warming".

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