Yet Another Observatory Build Thread

[ixalon]

My kingdom for an edit button. "b )" not !

Also, just thought, the roof could extend down on south-facing the long edge, covering a lower section of the wall, with a track for the roller at this lower level rather than at the top. The short side could have a normal flap like yours. This slightly more complex again though.

[r3i]

It's looking great Mike. I'll probably copy this design for mine when I get an opportunity to build one this summer.

Our new garden runs roughly North-West to South-East, with the house at the North-West end and open fields to the South-East. I'm wondering about aligning one corner to the south and having a fold down flap on the two south-facing sides, so the scope has views down to the horizon across the whole southern sky. I'm a) not sure if it's worth the added complexity and if it can be built precise enough that it doesn't make the roof difficult to close due to a misaligned track.

Has anyone here attempted anything similar?

Also, just thought, the roof could extend down on south-facing the long edge, covering a lower section of the wall, with a track for the roller at this lower level rather than at the top. The short side could have a normal flap like yours. This slightly more complex again though.

Thanks ixalon - my build has been based upon ones already documented on this site - it's good to see what others have done and use their ideas and experiences when building yours.

Sounds like your garden has the same orientation to ours. Ideally, you'd want one end of the observatory pointing south but as in many aspects of life there's always compromises to be made so I chose to align my obsevatory with the garden in a SE-NW direction. With the SE end flap down I'll still being seeing plenty of sky so there'll be more than enough to keep me occupied.

With reference to your second post, I have seen observatory builds that have asymmetrical sides so it is certainly doable. You might also want to take a look at the observatory built by Malc-C, which has a folding flap along one of the sides where the roof rolls over.

[Gina]

Also, just thought, the roof could extend down on south-facing the long edge, covering a lower section of the wall, with a track for the roller at this lower level rather than at the top. The short side could have a normal flap like yours. This slightly more complex again though.

Just what I did with mine

[r3i]

Rolling roof now all neat and tidy.

[Astrokev]

Excellent stuff

[Chris]

Very nice indeed Mike:)

[Gina]

Great I think I'd be inclined to have a drip rail and guttering above the doorway though.

[r3i]

Thanks Kevin, Chris & Gina

The doorway is next on the agenda - Gina, did you construct a drip rail & guttering on your observatory? Will have to read your build thread again to see what you did.

[r3i]

Great I think I'd be inclined to have a drip rail and guttering above the doorway though.

I took your advice today and made up a drip rail across front of the observatory and have also got the door on - it needs a few tweaks here and there to get it tidy but at least it's hung.

[Gina]

Looking good

[Chris]

I've got to say you have done an excellant job on this project so far, well done and keep up the good work:)

[r3i]

Looking good

I've got to say you have done an excellant job on this project so far, well done and keep up the good work:)

Thanks for the continued support - much appreciated. Plenty still to go at but now the door is on I can think about making it semi-operational though who knows when the next clear night will be now snow is on its way - suppose the observatory will get a 'snow test' this week.

[laser_jock99]

Thanks for the continued support - much appreciated. Plenty still to go at but now the door is on I can think about making it semi-operational though who knows when the next clear night will be now snow is on its way - suppose the observatory will get a 'snow test' this week.

I had a heavy snowfall once the weight of which caused the roof to sag somewhat so that it could almost not be opened. After that I always leave a hefty wood prop inside holding the roof up in case of a repeat snowfall.

[Chris]

I had a heavy snowfall once the weight of which caused the roof to sag somewhat so that it could almost not be opened. After that I always leave a hefty wood prop inside holding the roof up in case of a repeat snowfall.

Crikey! thats something to watch out for then with snow on the way.

[tony]

not looked in on here for a while, but you're making good progress there matey.

that tree stump looks a bit dodgy though, wouldnt want to be stubbing my toe on that on my way to your obsy in the dark.

[yesyes]

I was also wondering about the tree stump. I assumed you would build stairs around it?

[yesyes]

Otherwise an excellent build. Well done!!! And quick!

I hope you don't mind if I copied that captive roof mechanism? ;-)

[r3i]

not looked in on here for a while, but you're making good progress there matey.

that tree stump looks a bit dodgy though, wouldnt want to be stubbing my toe on that on my way to your obsy in the dark.

I was also wondering about the tree stump. I assumed you would build stairs around it?

Panic not The tree stump is simply a section of the tree that was chopped down at the start of the project and is not rooted into the ground - I just put it there as a temporary step during the build. I'm planning to build a proper step up later on.

Otherwise an excellent build. Well done!!! And quick!

I hope you don't mind if I copied that captive roof mechanism? ;-)

Thanks Chris - of course I don't mind you copy the captive roof - that's one of the reasons for doing these threads: to share ideas and experiences and I have certainly picked up loads from all the other build projects that have been documented on this forum. Anyhow, the captive mechanism was Olly's idea.

[Astrokev]

Superb job Mike!

[tony]

Panic not The tree stump is simply a section of the tree that was chopped down at the start of the project and is not rooted into the ground - I just put it there as a temporary step during the build. I'm planning to build a proper step up later on.

ah, i see.

now you see it now you don't.

[tony]

ah, i see.

now you see it now you don't.

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq60/tonymacc/2_zps728da998.jpg

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq60/tonymacc/1_zps111ab5f8.jpg

[r3i]

The ubiquitous shot of the observatory in the snow:

[r3i]

Well the results of the 'snow test' are in.

The first covering as pictured above had no effect on the roof. We did however get a lot more last night and this second accumulation has caused a small amount of bowing on the warm room roof. Nothing too drastic, but decided to be prudent and cleared the snow off. No problems at all with the pitched rolling roof.

Don't think there's any need to make modifications but may take Laser Jock's advice and have a pole available to prop up the warm room roof if prolonged amounts of heavy snow is forecast.

Perhaps I could suggest to others planning their own builds with a similar design to assess the likelihood of large and frequent amounts of snow in their area and if you think you might be susceptible, then it may be worth either oversizing the materials used on the pent roof or covering the warm room with a pitched roof.

[Tinker1947]

I don't know the inside clearance of your roof, but a simple way (i think) to stop it sagging would be a 2" X 2" going across the warm room formed into a arch shape, the simplest way, run a saw blade through the timber about 3/4 of the way every 1" from the centre outwards say 2/3rds of the way from the centre to each edge, the slots are then filled with PVA and the timber bowed untill the right arch size has been formed, left to dry, bear in mind the temp restrictions not to be used if the temp is below 40f, and the wood twisting unless clamped to some thing firm if taken in doors to dry. Then cut to the right length and attached to the upright timbers that form the frame a single screw in a slot at the centre to allow for a bit of movement ...Another method is thin strips placed round a former several layers thick with pva brushed on the each piece as its added these clamped and left to dry, just a bit more fiddleyer that the first idea.....

[r3i]

I don't know the inside clearance of your roof, but a simple way (i think) to stop it sagging would be a 2" X 2" going across the warm room formed into a arch shape, the simplest way, run a saw blade through the timber about 3/4 of the way every 1" from the centre outwards say 2/3rds of the way from the centre to each edge, the slots are then filled with PVA and the timber bowed untill the right arch size has been formed, left to dry, bear in mind the temp restrictions not to be used if the temp is below 40f, and the wood twisting unless clamped to some thing firm if taken in doors to dry. Then cut to the right length and attached to the upright timbers that form the frame a single screw in a slot at the centre to allow for a bit of movement ...Another method is thin strips placed round a former several layers thick with pva brushed on the each piece as its added these clamped and left to dry, just a bit more fiddleyer that the first idea.....

Thanks - great idea. I'll see how persistent and extensive the sagging turns out to be, but definitely will bear it in mind if remedial work turns out to be required, I should have plenty of head room to implement that. How much of an arc would you recommend? For example, my warm room is probably about 2.3m wide internally, how high should the top of arch be above each of the ends?