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ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!

ASIGN_Baz

By ASIGN_Baz
in DIY Observatories

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ASIGN_Baz

ASIGN_Baz

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SOOOOOO CLOSE!!

I can almost taste completion! The banister is looking great now filled in, painted, gate on one end and a big thick natural timber handrail to dress it all off.

Upstairs the only big job left is to lay the carpet properly then instal the lighting. That will conclude the upstairs construction and fitout.

Full construction page here.

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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That's painfully beautiful ... :)

I assume you're using 80ED and 120ED. Silly question though, with such a fancy observatory, have you ever considered a C11 or C14 for better planetary imaging? I know the mount won't cope well with the C14 though.. I'm just curious!

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ASIGN_Baz

ASIGN_Baz

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That's painfully beautiful ... :)

I assume you're using 80ED and 120ED. Silly question though, with such a fancy observatory, have you ever considered a C11 or C14 for better planetary imaging? I know the mount won't cope well with the C14 though.. I'm just curious!

Thanks everyone.

I built the observatory with a view to upgrading the telescope and mount when I can afford it. So far all my spare $ have gone into construction materials. Once finished, I'll have to save my pennies to by exactly that - a C14. (Thinking of an RC14) It looks like the newly released EQ8 with a payload capacity of 50kg may do it......

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ASIGN_Baz

ASIGN_Baz

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Thanks Tinker and Tony.

Yes, I'm getting pretty excited now that it is so close to finishing and to be quite honest... a little relieved. I've been building this one for around three years and the last one took me over a year to build too.

It's been a stormy ride.

Spare cash for materials has been a struggle and put quite a strain on my family. I've had to work in other folks gardens, construct driveways, sheds, do repairs and all kinds of other handyman jobs to find the money just for a packet of screws. I've even taken on jobs as builders labourer with bathroom renovations and even second-storey home extensions. All this has helped me gain good experience and knowledge about building first-hand. (Having spent four years as a purchasing/inventory manager for a building company also helped me come to understand a lot about raw materials, Australian Standards, span-tables, metallurgy and more.)

In amongst that I've had a son, starting with a very rough first two months in Newborn Intensive Care Unit as he was two months premature. He's healthy and fine now, but getting here has been gutwrenchingly scary at times.

Lately the chainsaw skills and my professional photography have provided some money, but not much in the big scheme of things. Some donations came through which have helped a lot, but mostly it has been my own money, plus massive amounts of my free time, which I would now like to use to relax a bit...

I'm feeling old in the knees. Over a hundred army static-line parachute jumps, pack marching, mountain climbing and caving will do that to you. I haven't been kind to my knees and now I'm starting to feel it. They make lovely noises like crunch cellophane now when I stand up. Climbing all over this two-story construction, balancing with tools and material has not been pleasant.

I'm mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted.

Once this is complete, then I have to build a pergola/deck of the front of my house which will be a breeze compared to an observatory and hopefully take me a fraction of the time.

Once the deck is done, that's it for big building projects for me. Hopefully then I can just concentrate on creative stuff in the workshop. My Iron Man suit needs to be finished and when that's done, I'm thinking of building a life-sized MK II Colonial Viper in the back yard, to be transported to locations, photographed and eventually sold, making room for the next creative project.

Will I ever learn?

Baz.

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Freff

Freff

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Sounds quite a struggle Baz. Considering this build is also going to be used by the community, could you not apply to your local authority for some sort of grant.

A project like this in the UK could also apply to the Lottery fund. It's got to be worth a try. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

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ASIGN_Baz

ASIGN_Baz

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1. I sold some of my unused astrophotography accessories this week, so I was able to afford some plasterboard to start covering the ceiling. It will be good to seal all that fibreglass insulation in and fit the lights.

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2. I have found some foam-rubber on a roll that seals nicely the gap between the dome-support ring, and the dome ring itself. I've glued it to the bottom ring only, so the top ring slides nicely along it without binding or too much resistance around the circumference of the dome. You can see it just above the unlaid carpet in the picutre below. The other issue is to seal the light-leak from where the dome panels meet the weather skirt, as well as cover the sharp edge of the sheet-metal.

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3. I cut some of the foam rubber into short strips and glued them all in. It dresses off nicely and makes it safer and light-proof.

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4. Just to give it a bit more of a finished look, I've adhered the caution-tape to it. Looks good and clearly distinguishes the edge of the dome.

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5. I think I'll leave it at that for caution-tape or else it will take over. The carpet looks worse and worse as the dome and fittings improve, but the great news is that someone has offered me much nicer carpet!

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6. The stairwell is coming lose to completion too. A few sharp edges to clean up and a gap to fill and dress, then some trim around the end of each tread and it's done.

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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Thanks everyone.

I built the observatory with a view to upgrading the telescope and mount when I can afford it. So far all my spare $ have gone into construction materials. Once finished, I'll have to save my pennies to by exactly that - a C14. (Thinking of an RC14) It looks like the newly released EQ8 with a payload capacity of 50kg may do it......

It's good to have a future vision of things might develop into.

Now I have two big scopes and two mounts, which gradually crippling the ease of setting up. The good thing I'm still investing in these things because I know at some point once found a good property - probably in a 100 years - I'll be able to build a decent observatory. This is where everything will live - instead of the lounge, bringing about the Mrs disapproval :D

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