Aoraki's build

[Aoraki]

26th Nov 2011

Absolutely no chance of getting anything done this weekend, have to go to work . Really feel that after such a good start things have just ground to a halt, the new gear will be here before the sheds done at this rate........

[Freff]

I feel your pain. I'm on hold waiting for my brother to dig a couple of holes for the the outrigger supports for me.

[Aoraki]

We don't seem to have had any clear nights either since I started this project!

[Aoraki]

27th Nov 2011

Well, I actually spent an hour on the shed before the light disapeared!

Nothing much to get excited about though, I pulled two CAT5 cables from the shed to the garage. One will be used for it's intended purpose of data, and the other will be the used to couple the shed into the house burglar alarm system.

Garage end...

Shed end...

Amazing isn't it? I actually used to post photo's that folks would enjoy looking at. Now I'm posting (blured) photo's of CAT5 cable.

If only I can find time to couple up the armoured to the garden feed, I could have lights in there, then maybe I could get more done!

[Aoraki]

4th Dec 2011

Some progres today (non yesterday, work got in the way, again).

Electrical supply completed! Two white bulk head lights fitted, one in each room. Red bulk heads will be fitted as soon as they arrive from TLC, I have seen the light!!!

Some clear silicon applied to places were I think there could be water ingress. And that about sums up this weekends work, not much I know, but getting there.

[Gina]

I guess that's how it goes! I've found the same - progress goes in spurts.

[yesyes]

... not much I know, but getting there.

I disagree. Having the obsy run under its own steam is a major milestone! ;-)

[GJBC]

sometime those final little bits to get it as you want it makes for a more enjoyable and not so frustrating observing session. don't rush this part you will regret it if you do. take a step back and note all the remaining jobs prioritise and then go again. i made the mistake of rushing firs time round, I did not do it second time and we missed very little. we actually knew the last job to be done on the internal before we started on the internal. well all except the flooring

[Aoraki]

Thanks all, I have a list of sorts to work to. One big mistake I have made is with the brush strip along the front of the shed, I didn't set it down the wall enough so now when you close the roof you get a great seal with the brush slightly bent over. Good for wind, rain, snow and bugs etc, BUT...... to open the roof you are pushing against it and when it does go it actually raises the roof up a couple of mm off the tracks . I now need to remove the top row of log lap again and lower the brush, easier said than done though, when I removed them the first time I refitted them with "No Nails" . Just one more little job on the list.

[Aoraki]

Well guy's, the 80ED arrived yesterday but due to a little problem with some troublesome paper work, the NEQ6 was classified as AWOL .

Fast forward to 10.30 today, and the nice man from FedEx came bearing gifts

So I hot footed it home from work and began to task of unpacking and building. Tripod, mount, ADM dual bar, C9.25 and 80ED all set up in position in obsy, measurements taken for pier, stripped everything down, hot footed it back to work and fabricated pier.

Installation of pier will be tomorrow, photo's to follow.

[Gina]

Great

[spaceboy]

Sorry a late comer to the thread. Very impressive workmanship and the build so far would be the envy of many. Look forward to seeing the finished obz.

[Aoraki]

Thanks Spaceboy, I've had some help and there are some problems to sort, but I'm getting there!

[Aoraki]

Sat 10 Dec 2011

Finished the pier pre installation bits, added two conduits and 8"x6" plastic box were all the gummings will go! It also got one coat of zinc rich primer.

Here it is installed. I have made a temporary pier adaptor (not shown) to test everything out while I have one made.

Level north south.

Level east west.

Other bits done were to mount the burglar alarm magnetic contacts for the roof and door.

And that was Saturday over aside from Guinness and food!

Sunday 11 Dec 2011

Today was mainly taken up by rewiring the house alarm system to incorporate the obsy roof and door contacts and also while I was at it, I removed the PIR's from the garage as they had been giving false alarms, usually between 2 and 4 in the morning .

Also drilled through the garage wall into the office and routed the CAT5 cable ready for some ends being made up, just need to sort the router now.

Much heavy rain today showed up a couple of areas were water ingress is a problem, so the list gets longer!

No photo's today as well, nothing much to photograph! So here's some photo's from Friday........

I perhaps should have taken some photo's of everything mounted on the NEQ6 when I was assessing the optimal pier height, but that can wait until it’s all installed in the obsy.

Thanks for looking.

[Gina]

I recognise those pics :) Must say, I'm very pleased with mine

[Aoraki]

I hope to be aswell, hopefully imaging not to far away.

[Aoraki]

18th Dec 2011

Pier adaptor drawings taken to my good friends at Tybro Brothers on Tuesday, collected adaptor on Thursday! Looks good me thinks.

And here fitted (without the use of threaded bar!) to the pier...

I really needed to paint the pier first but I'm not known for my patience

Ok then, items and things completed over this weekend. I modified the latching system, basically I beefed up the fixing plate and refitted.

And next to be fitted was the roof stops/anti lift brackets..

The idea behind these brackets is to stop the roof in it's fully closed position and also, via the pins and corresponding holes in the roof timbers, stop the roof being lifted by either the wind or the local riff raff.

And here they are fitted. (the screws will be replaced with anti tamper items once I'm happy with the positioning).

Heavy duty shutter contact fitted in position, this is coupled into house burglar alarm system along with door contacts on main obsy door.

I then needed, and I mean "NEEDED", to mount the NEQ6! Just to see if I could align north, and I'm pleased to announce that I can polar align

Here's a couple of photo's under red light of the pier-adaptor-NEQ6-SW 80ED

Earlier this evening, I had a quick look at Jupiter and the Andromeda galaxy, then I attached my unmodified 350D and tried a couple of shots. By this time, the scope had misted up (and the finder scope had iced up ). A 150 second exposure, levels tweeked in PS and I actually had Andromeda on screen, and even a very faint M110. Am I pleased? You bet I am, my first ever DSO!

[malc-c]

This has got to go down as being the most professional DIY observatory build ever.. I take my hat off to you... even the power and comms distribution is terminated in a nice box !

[Gina]

Excellent

[Aoraki]

Well thanks Malcolm, that's very much appriciated. I just hope I can do justice to the obsy when I start imaging, as I have said before, I am a complete novice!

[malc-c]

Well thanks Malcolm, that's very much appriciated. I just hope I can do justice to the obsy when I start imaging, as I have said before, I am a complete novice!

I'm sure it will all come together... It's a steep learning curve (which I'm still at the bottom of) but at least you have a decent environment in which to study

[Aoraki]

20th Dec 2011

I collected three bags of kiln dried sand today to fill the pier to reduce posible vibrations further, I have got one and a bit bags unused if anyone local to me needs any.

Also collected and fitted the window frame and glass (double glazed unit to hopefully cut down condensation) for between warm and scope rooms.

Prior to fitting.

And fitted, glazed and primed.

Looking from scope room to what will soon be a "warm" room

I also got the door frame installed, I just need to hang the bi-fold doors. I was originally going for a sliding door between the two rooms but decided against it because it would have crossed the window.

So all in all a bit more progress. I soon should have an operating obsy! Thanks for looking.

[malc-c]

What can I say... up to your usual high standard again

It looks better than some houses I've visited !

[Gina]

I have my window in the door so when it slides open it's replaced by an even bigger "open window"

Anyway, your build is is top quality

[ecosse]

Very nice work looks like a lot of time and effort has gone into that and it shows!