New Observatory preps and build

[Chris]

I'm sorry for your loss Gina.

[Gina]

Thank you both

[fwm891]

Looking at your last photo, it appears that you have not use the fixing bolts provided?

Not yet, I intend inserting those and fixing with an epoxy paste. But first I want to make sure I get the pier reasonably well aligned first. To do that I'm waiting for a clearish evening so I can put the mount on the pier and rotate things until I get Polaris inside the polar scope reticule. I can mark and drill the concrete base. I'm hoping that sometime this weekend we will get a little bit of clear sky so I can do that.

Ground is still too wet to dig the footings for the obsy walls, so everything else is on hold at the moment.

[r3i]

Not yet, I intend inserting those and fixing with an epoxy paste. But first I want to make sure I get the pier reasonably well aligned first. To do that I'm waiting for a clearish evening so I can put the mount on the pier and rotate things until I get Polaris inside the polar scope reticule. I can mark and drill the concrete base. I'm hoping that sometime this weekend we will get a little bit of clear sky so I can do that.

If you're going to be mounting the NEQ6 onto the pier, then I wouldn't worry too much about being hyper-accurate with the alignment of the pier as the amount of azimuth adjustment on the NEQ6 is very generous. I've done 2 garden piers (one at our last house and just done one at our new house) and for both I simply used a compass to get the pier pointing northward and that was sufficient.

[Gina]

Yes. Or if you ever get any sunshine you can use a sundial in reverse. I used a nail poking up through a piece of cardboard on the pier top. Just mark the direction the shadow falls at 1pm in the summer (BST) or noon in the winter (GMT). If you have iron rebar rods in a concrete pier like I did a compas is affected when used on top of the pier. BUT it can be used in reverse. As long as the pier isn't already in a shed with the north view blocked, walk away from the pier with compass in hand and move around until the pier is due south (allow for the magnetic deviation) then put a stake in the ground to mark the position. Then eyeball the stake from the centre of the pier top and mark the direction.

[fwm891]

r3i / Gina, Thanks, Just used the 'sunshine' trick checked with CdC just when the sun was due to cross my meridian and used the shadow of the azimuth adjustment pin and the rear pier plate bolt. So I can now drill and fix the pier bolts in place

For now its back to decorating

[Gina]

Great Francis On the alignment I mean - good luck with the decorating

[fwm891]

Managed to get the pier anchor bolt holes drilled and the bolts fixed in place today. The supplied 20 mm anchor bolts are definitely going to hold everything in place. The bolts were 'tapped in' with a 4lb club hammer until and the fixing compound started to ouse back out the top of the holes. Very muddy out and the pier now needs a bit of a wash around the base plate.

Lifted some of the paving slabs in the hope of digging out for the wall foundations - tomorrow and Monday which are supposed to be better days!

[fwm891]

More ballast has arrived for the foundations. Not quite ready yet as with the rain I have quite a bit of water in the foundation trenches. Still one side to dig out but apart from water everywhere things are moving along (slowly). Just ordered some new better quality shielded USB 2.0 cables as I have a feeling that one of the original cables may have been slowing everything down, and with putting all the cables underground now I want to avoid as much interference as I can. Not sure whether to run two tubes to the obsy, one for power cables and a second for data cables?

Any of you experts out there any suggestions?

[Gina]

More ballast has arrived for the foundations. Not quite ready yet as with the rain I have quite a bit of water in the foundation trenches. Still one side to dig out but apart from water everywhere things are moving along (slowly). Just ordered some new better quality shielded USB 2.0 cables as I have a feeling that one of the original cables may have been slowing everything down, and with putting all the cables underground now I want to avoid as much interference as I can. Not sure whether to run two tubes to the obsy, one for power cables and a second for data cables?

Any of you experts out there any suggestions?

I think I would run two tubes Francis

[fwm891]

Thanks Gina. Trying to find some longer radius bends in the plumbing waste tubing to make it a bit easier to thread things through.

[Gina]

Thanks Gina. Trying to find some longer radius bends in the plumbing waste tubing to make it a bit easier to thread things through.

Ah yes. I found some "easy elbows" a bend rather than an elbow in Homebase as I recall. That's in 40mm waste pipe which I used from pier to warm room. They are around but rather thin on the ground I found.

[fwm891]

Tuesday: Finished digging out the foundations, loaded in and tamped down some hardcore and hand mixed and laid concrete filling half the trenches before body would give no more (kn.....d!!!) Will put a cover over things later as its forecasting rain tonight with not too bad a remainder to the week. Hopefully by Friday I can be out of the ground with the blockwork and think about the woodwork....

[fwm891]

Weds AM, Foundations finished. Just about to start laying out some of the blocks on yesterdays foundations. May even lay them if the weathers going to hold. Timber being delivered Friday....

[Seme]

We would love to see some photos of the progress. :-)

[Gina]

Oh yes Photos please Francis

[fwm891]

We would love to see some photos of the progress. :-)

Oh yes Photos please Francis

OK it is what it is a building site! What's showing are the north and east wall foundation blocks (the ones laid so far anyway) and the pier which needs a clean.

The south and west wall foundations are still wet concrete. I hope tomorrow to get a complete ring of blockwork in place.

[yesyes]

OK it is what it is a building site! .....

That's what we want and like. Pictures of building sites, not only the finished article... ;-)

I for one find it a lot easier to get ideas from seeing something in various stages of development rather than just seeing something in its finished state.

[fwm891]

That's what we want and like. Pictures of building sites, not only the finished article... ;-)

I'll see if I can remember to take photos as things progress...

Its tipping it down at the moment and blowing a gale. Don't think the pier will shift

[Gina]

Weather's exactly the same here Francis!

[fwm891]

Rained off completely this morning - quite a bit of water laying on the foundation concrete. Forecast is better for later but I think I might leave things till tomorrow and just get the garage prepared for the timber arriving.

[fwm891]

Friday: Completed the blockwork this morning so that will need to set at least overnight. Timber not arrived yet so when that comes I can start making the wall frames.

Blockwork....

I was going to complete the floor but things are just too wet at the moment so I'll get the walls and roof on and let the floor dry out a little before digging out the remainder of the lawn, add some hardcore and then lay a screed over the whole area (avoiding the pier block).

[Gina]

Coming on nicely Francis

[fwm891]

Thanks Gina - Timbers just arrived (did I really order that much )

[Gina]

Looks a lot when you see it all in one place. I found that even though I did order it in two batches.