Aoraki's build

[Aoraki]

Thanks for the info Tony.

Cheers Paul.

[Aoraki]

6th Nov 2011

Progress report for this weekend:

Got a couple of coats of Cuprinol on the Loglap and collected door and window frames along with glass.

window frame had a couple of coats of Cuprinol, lighter shade than Loglap, looks good but lost light so no photo's this weekend.

Window frame installed, glass and beading fitted, another coat of Cuprinol.

Door frame is somehow 10mm to wide to fit in opening , it's now loaded back into van ready for delivery back to machine shop for adjustment, that stopped play on that one!

Slapped more Cuprinol about, measured for the stops that I need to fabricate, tooled up, come in for dinner.

Basically we are getting there but it seems to be slowing down over the last couple of weeks. These early dark nights don't help, I can't get much done after a day at work, so to cheer myself up in the week, I had a run over to Rother Valley Optics and placed an order, just have to wait for what seems an age for it all to arrive, I'll keep you posted

[Freff]

I know what you mean. I have had a slow few weeks waiting for my roofing to arrive.

Because I'm getting it buckshee, and a specific colour I have to wait for it to be run off.

The factory also had a break down on one of it's machines last Wednesday so a backlog had to be finished before mine. As a result instead of it arriving and put up this weekend I have to wait another week.

My only concern is the weather may turn nasty again and test my tarp.

[Aoraki]

My tarp was a cheap one from Wickes, 4x5m and it's just about held up over the build. Fingures crossed for your roofing.

[GJBC]

an investment in time and effort you will never regret. i have now built two and worked on one other. all of them have proved successful.

on the lights in the obs and warm room on the dyfryn gardens build we started with the energy saving light bulbs 11 watts but we lowed that to 7w for the obs as they were to bright when on in the dark. the whit lights were as bright as poss. you will only need them to see in bright light anyway. get something sorted for what light switch turns on what light, we used double switched and wired up the red light to be switch ed on with the right hand switch R for right and Red and the left L for the light something simple i know but it helps. we also stuck red electrical tape on the switch so it is obvious which one is which as one feels different than the other. no more being blinded when someone turn on the wrong switch.

[Aoraki]

Thanks for the info Grahame, 7w for the red lights it is then. I have a double switch in the warm room and the same in the scope room, they are basically back to back on the dividing wall and the red lights will be controlled by the switch nearest the obsy wall (if that makes sense!).

[Aoraki]

13th Nov 2011

A little bit of progress to report this weekend;

Door frame and side window installed

Door fitted, complete with 1 1/2 pair of stainless, ball bearing hinges and two high(er) security locks;

and my home made stainless steel door handle;

As well as the above, I started to fit the brush strip to seal the roof/walls, this is the first one to go on;

I think it will work very well.

Lots more Cuprinol splashed about, door and frames and about half the paggola painted, still lots more to do! That's about it for this update, thanks for looking.

PS. I'm thinking of having all the glass covered with "window film" as per the rear windows of my car. Added security and all that, what does the panel think?

[malc-c]

Looking very nice... I think the smoked glass look would go well, but most of the films I've seen tend to have a purple tint to them rather than true smoked glass. The alternative would be a thin profile full length venetian blind

[malc-c]

Forgot to add... if it looks that good on the outside... can't wait to see the pictures of the warm room and scope room fitting out

[Aoraki]

I had thought about the blinds and to be honest, I'm still undecided which way to go. The photo of my car doesn't really show how black the film is, no purple tint on them.

[Freff]

Highly professional, very well done.

[malc-c]

I had thought about the blinds and to be honest, I'm still undecided which way to go. The photo of my car doesn't really show how black the film is, no purple tint on them.

Did you have the windows done by a 3rd party? If they are a factory fit then the glass will be smoked (ie tinted) rather than film applied. Mind you, some of the professional window films these days are probably a lot better than the ones I used to use.... it was 30 years ago I was customising my Vauxhall Viva

[Gina]

Great job That handle is tremendous! A handle and a half

[Aoraki]

Did you have the windows done by a 3rd party? If they are a factory fit then the glass will be smoked (ie tinted) rather than film applied. Mind you, some of the professional window films these days are probably a lot better than the ones I used to use.... it was 30 years ago I was customising my Vauxhall Viva

3rd party, actually a guy in the next workshop to me does this sort of thing along side his day job. THIS IS HIM

Great job That handle is tremendous! A handle and a half

Just a little surplus left from an ongoing handrailing job I have on, nudge nudge wink wink

[Gina]

[GJBC]

That is now looking very very neat, cant wait to watch the internal fit out.

as for teh out side ... tint the windows. blinds will get dusty and that needs cleaning, where would the dust go in the air on the optics..... not want you want.... tint the windows.

[Aoraki]

That is now looking very very neat, cant wait to watch the internal fit out.

as for teh out side ... tint the windows. blinds will get dusty and that needs cleaning, where would the dust go in the air on the optics..... not want you want.... tint the windows.

A very good point and one that I had not even considered, "Limo black" they will probably be.

[nightfisher]

fantastic job, a lot of care and skill gone into the build

[Aoraki]

14th Nov 2011

"Limo black" window film ordered, hopefully Karl of K-Tintz will be over this weekend to install

[GJBC]

keep prying eyes out as well

[Aoraki]

keep prying eyes out as well

That's the idea, and to cut out glare and uv during the day. Confirmed installation of 10am this Sunday, photo's as always will follow.

[Aoraki]

19th Nov 2011

The rubber roof after a night of dew forming, I usually only see beading like this on my car!

Anyway, back to todays progress;

Finished installing the brushes to seal roof/walls.

I removed the top boards on the front to allow the brush to be hidden from view as much as possible.

Next thing is to start installing the burglar alarm items, these will integrate with the house alarm.

This is the "door" contact for the roof, should be up to the job..

[Aoraki]

20th Nov 2011

Sundays progress. Started with a clean out of shed to make way for Karl to apply the film to the windows.

Two hours later and they were done.

As viewed from inside:

And a few views of the outside:

Also completed the painting of pagola framework and corner posts.

Very hard to spot from the following image, but I have actually missed painting the tops of three of the pagola timbers, 2nd 3rd and 4th in from right hand side

That's all for now folks, off to see how Gina et al have done this weekend.

[Gina]

Very smart

[GJBC]

That looks the business. Now for the inside fit out then.