Sara's observatory in Spain

[swag72]

The Rolex guy is well and truely ditched Olly! Shame as the roof was a work of art! So, my husband is now chief designer and builder - We are just waiting on the roofing material and the welded frame, then it's all systems go!

[swag72]

Hurrah - Progress at last!!

Please note that my pics are taken with cloudy skies to make you all feel at home!!!

The planks that the castors are being screwed to are sorted and in one of the pictures you can see the sandwich roof that we are using. Still to be put together. Steve is currently making one plank about 1/2 inch lower for the castors so that we have a slope for the rain.

The metal frame is all up and the bases are concreted in. How just need to fix the roof to the castor wood and then fit some kind of skirt all round so that no rain can get in.

The wood that the castors are in has been treated for the outside. Also a close up of the track, a 80mm width of steel with angle welded on. All painted and the wheels run on the track too!!

[Freff]

It looks like the weather has been better here than where you are.

It's good to see you making progress. We builders all seem to be getting on today.

Everything looks very solid. Well done.

[Gina]

Another osby build making great progress

[swag72]

Thanks both! It's nice to be able to move forward when I have been waiting on quotes and other work being done.

Can really see light at the end of the tunnel now. Once the roof's on I can lay the floor.

I hope that when this is completed, it will give some people ideas who may be in a position to look at brick built. Not ideal in many cases, but you make the best with what you have!

[swag72]

The roof has finaly been assembled. The castors are attached and the ends of the roof have been stuck on. Need to wait until tomorrow, and once the glue has dried we will put it in place.

There is still work in progress regards how to stop rain getting in around the edges - I think we will look at a skirt of roofing felt or something.

[Freff]

Another big step Sara, things are really moving along at pace now.

It will be interesting to see how you solve the sealing issue around the edges.

[Gina]

Coming along nicely

[swag72]

There is an overhang of about 100mm all the way round, which will help a little regarding water ingress. That and some form of skirt should be fine so I'm told!!

Currently trying to work out how to fix it in place when it's closed.

[harry page]

Hi

Very nice

Will you be doing cheap astro holidays

Harry

[swag72]

Well, lets put it this way Harry, once the scope's get put back up, if my problem with the corners doesn't get sorted with my collimator on the 120ED, I will be begging someone to come out here and sort it for me!!!

[harry page]

Hi

I will book my tickets now

Harry

Well, lets put it this way Harry, once the scope's get put back up, if my problem with the corners doesn't get sorted with my collimator on the 120ED, I will be begging someone to come out here and sort it for me!!!

[swag72]

Don't jinx my collimator and focuser - Damn you!!!

[Helen]

Currently trying to work out how to fix it in place when it's closed.

Turnbuckles work great Sara. Put one at each corner: eyelet on the roof, turnbuckle attached to another eyelet on the wall so that the turnbuckle is at about a 45 degree when attached. It stops movement of the roof (I've confirmed that when I've forgotten to unhitch ), but it allows for some tolerance too as the turnbuckles adapt to the actual position (unlike say hasps where the exact position has to be repeatable to work). Standard Turnbuckle 10mm (3/8") | Screwfix.com

Helen

[ncjunk]

Yep those turnbuckles will do the job and you can buy them in most local hardware stores over here.

Something to fix it to is a bit more difficult so i will pick something up from the uk when i am home...i know what i want but i keep getting puzzled looks followed by the "poor stupid foreigner" look of pity!

[swag72]

The main bulk of this obs now is completed, just a floor to lay (need to let the concrete dry for a while as it got very wet over the past weeks) and the odd tweak.

So I now have a skirt around the roof and walls ............... made of 1mm thick pond liner. I'm sure that it will make you all laugh and is probably very Heath Robinson it its approach. So forgive me for probably making observatories the laughing stock.

Designed to keep the rain and wind out - I have tested it and just need to make sure that I follow a certain process to put the roof on and off. There's a few bits I need to trim to get the fit better, but it's raining!!

The good news is that I have used 4 turnbuckles for securing the roof - A big thank you to Helen for the vid as my husband was very doubtful about these, but they work a treat.

Also repainted the pier with black hammerite as it had started to rust in the rain!

So enough waffle - Have a laugh at this!!

[Gina]

As long as it keeps the weather out Sara

[swag72]

That's true, but compared to others, it looks rather naff!!

Anyway, for the outside that's about it - So I think I can finally say that I have an observatory. Once the floor is down, it will be finished!!

[Merlin66]

Sara,

On the two edges parallel to the tracks, I used a seal strip of 6mm marine ply, with about a 150mm overlap to the sides. On the track side I did the same, between the tracks.

Where you have the background roof, if you fit a small "lintel" to give a relatively flat straight edge which sits below the sliding roof...you can fit a similar strip to the roof but add a "drip edge" a section of say 25mm wood strip to the bottom of the roof ply.

When the observatory roof is closed, the ply should align with the "lintel" and the "drip strip" protrude above the fixed roof section to throw the water onto the roof.

Hope you understand this - I can supply photos of a similar system on my TSO.

[swag72]

Cheers for that Ken - I think I get what you mean. I will see how the 'pond liner' system works first!! No doubt I will be in contact when the obs gets soaked!!

[swag72]

This the absolute finished project now.

Pictures of the inside, with the flooring in place and 2 pictures of the obs roof open.

Hope that this thread and the pictures have been interesting to some and perhaps helpful as well to others who are contemplating such a build. If anyone has any questions then do ask and I will help if I can.

So far the pond liner has withstood driving torrential rain and high winds! The obs has remained dry throughout.

[malc-c]

Sara, that's fine observatory you have made. Well done

[Freff]

Very nice Sara, you have done a great job. Enjoy.

[swag72]

Cheers Malcolm and Tony - Such a difference with the setup all ready to go, so much easier!

[Gina]

Excellent Sarah - well done