Rob`s Obsy Build

[Astrokev]

oops, sorry to hear that. On the bright side, if you hadnt had the fence, it could have wrecked your observatory, which would've been more sole destroying!

[petercoxphoto]

Coming along very nicely!

[red dwalf]

thanks everyone, having alittle time off from the build due to xmas season, hopefully pick up in a week or so if the weather permits

[Gina]

Happy Christmas

[red dwalf]

and a merry christmas to you too Gina,

and everyone else,

all the best and have a great day.

Rob

[red dwalf]

update on the build,

managed to finish the supports for the roll off roof so at last the obsy is now, at last usable ! can`t wait to use it.

upright supports were concreated into the ground, with a cross member to tie the two posts together and the rails were attached to the obsy by lapping them onto the obsy frame by 4 inches and using 4 inch screws to attach them, although i might get a couple of metal brackets just to make sure that theres no movement.

the rails were made from 4" x 2" tanilised timber which seems to be more than enough to support the roof, first time i opened the roof i thought they might sag alittle as the roof is fairly heavy but they didn`t that goodness and seem very secure.

there`s a few more bits to finish the outside off completely but after nearly 3 years of dreaming of finishing it i`m almost there.

i might use it before installing the inside wall for the warm room and theres still the electrics to fix in, which i`m still unsure about, so i`ll use an extension cable for now untill i now exactly where i need to install them.

anyway here`s a few pictures.

front view

end view

rail lap joint

inside view

[Gina]

Coming on nicely

[r3i]

Looking great Rob. Bet you can't wait to get the gear installed inside. I'm hoping to be semi-operational in mine in a couple of weeks - no doubt the clouds will descend for months afterwards.

[andyboy1970]

Thats looking really good.

[red dwalf]

typicaly the clouds are all over here tonight, finished painting the outside supports today and tried to get the rails on but is alittle tricky so will try hopefully tommorrow when i`ve had a rest and thought about it alittle.

i suppose stargazing live will do it`s bit to supply lots of cloud cover for the next three days. L.O.L.

[Astrokev]

Looking good. Well done.

[red dwalf]

managed to get some more details done regarding the door security over the last couple of days, i was getting concerned about not having enough deterants on the hinges so i have replaced some of the screws with mushroom headed bolts that now bolt all the way through the frame and door so at least no one can just unscrew the hinges and remove the door.

also fitted some frame bolts to stop the door being lifted if the hinges were broken, also a heavy duty brenton bolt fitted.

also thinking of getting a cheapish pir detector alarm for the inside.

[Gina]

Great security

[red dwalf]

thankyou i feel more comfortable about leaving some equipment in it now

[midnight_sky_watcher]

Hi Red, I am at present waiting on alexanders observatories coming to build me a roll off roof observatory, my 14 inch meade is going in there on a pedestal. When they arrive they want me to mount the scope set up in the "park position" so they can make sure the walls are tall enough so the roof closes without hitting the scope set up.

Grant.....

Cornwall....

[red dwalf]

i think you`ve made a lovely choice there Grant with alexanders obsy`s, i`ve heard nothing but good news from his products, look forward to seeing some pictures,

also maybe you could ask if he supplies the rails and wheels seperatly for roll of roofs, fairly certain i`ll have a go at re doing the roof on my obsy in the summer, try to get it alittle lighter and as i want it.

felling alittle lost at the moment as my obsy in usable and was looking forward to installing a few items and using it only to be put off by the constant snow fall here, must be up to 6 inches deep now in the garden.

[Gina]

It's turned to light rain here but still a bitter fresh easterly breeze. More snow forecast for later today

Unexpectedly it turned clear last night so I quickly set up for a bit of imaging though I didn't manage much before the clouds came back. A computer lock-up didn't help - cold restart needed. I forgot there was snow on the roll off runners until I tried to open the roof Anway, a good push and the end uprights of the roof pushed the snow out of the way

[red dwalf]

the snow has tested the roof Gina if nothing else

[Gina]

Oh yes And pretty much on cue - here's the next lot!

[euphony]

When you pointed out on Sunday that you had an Obsy building thread on here, I never put two and two together until now. This is one of the threads I have been looking at every now and again! You'd have thought the chickens you mentioned might have been a clue! D'oh!

[red dwalf]

when it`s finished Chris youtr more than welcome to come over and have a look in more detail, hopefully i`ll be getting the electric in sometime this week

[euphony]

Cheers mate, that would be great

[red dwalf]

managed a little more today as regards the electrics in the obsy, having had a talk with an electrician who surgested i fit a radial power circuit to the obsy, as long as i din`t go above 13amps i can then link it via an extension cable to the garage electrics which are protected via an RCD unit.

here`s a few pictures of the fittings.

[red dwalf]

this cable in the middle of the floor will be attached to the pier once it`s built.

getting the cables under the floorboards was a real challenge.

this is the connector i`m thinking of using on the outside of the obsy, it`s 16amp 240v ip44 rated.

the extension cable will plug into this and supply the power.

[Gina]

Coming on nicely