the yesyes observatory - the build

[yesyes]

Not only the shoes...

This will all go straight to the bin once the obsy is built.

[Lonestar70]

Hi Chris,

Yes, that H-section channel was the joiner I was refering too... I believe they also do a right angle version for the corners but standard 90deg angle section will be just as effective... shame the stuff you bought was too narrow, however, I am sure you will find a us for it elsewhere.

I didn't think you had enough space behind to get in to nail it in place... for some reason I thought it was only a couple of inches from the fence.

It's amazing how much difference a couple of walls make... you can now see just how much room you have to play with/in.

Before you know it you will have it finished and all up and running... and we can all come round for a star party

Keep up the great work.

Best Regards.

Sandy.

[yesyes]

At the rear right corner there is less than an inch between cladding and fence. The gap widens towards the left in a triangular shape. I can "walk" to about the middle post from the left. It will be harder to get to (but not impossible) once the left wall is up. The front left upright is about 30cm from the fence on the side. Should be just enough to squeeze through if I really really have to...

Just ordered some proper 80x100mm hollow angle trim. That should do the trick.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271210705998?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Quite expensive for a piece of plastic, but compared to potential damage caused by not having it sealed properly.....

[yesyes]

More progress yesterday and today

Yesterday after work I built the left wall frame.

Today I took the frame out again, put vapour barrier and cladding on and put the frame back.

Then I installed the larger plastic angle on the rear 2 corners

Next it was time to put up the front middle upright.

Then I installed the rear runner beam. I left it a little longer on the left side. I'll probably install the weather station and/or sky camera on top of that.

And finally I started the front left half of the wall frame. This is where the window will go.

[Gina]

Nice progress Chris

[malc-c]

Nice progress - I can understand the reasoning of using PVC cladding now... there's not a lot of space to get a brush in there to give it an annual coat of preserve if it was wood

[yesyes]

Exactly. ;-)

The front will we wood cladding because it looks nicer and I can get to it to paint it.

[yesyes]

I've had a very productive day today.

First I painted the rear runner beam with bitumen paint. It will be exposed to the weather. I had to cover my UPVC cladding first.

Then I put in the window that I had bought on ebay for £11 quite a while ago. It is finally out of the way now.

Next I built the partition wall.

Then I finished the front left wall.

And started on the front right wall.

Then put on the front runner beam and cross beam over the partition wall.

And finally I started on the warm room roof.

And then the tarp went back on

[Astrokev]

That's a lot of progress you've made this weekend. Soon be finished

[r3i]

Excellent progres Chris - it's looking great.

[Lonestar70]

Hi Chris,

You have made excellent progress with your build... well done... it's going to be a winner.

I told you you would make short work of that timber pile.

Won't be long before the roof goes on... BTW... I see the family cat is inspecting the new domain

Keep Happy.

Best Regards.

Sandy.

[oymd]

<p>wow...

[yesyes]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments...

BTW... I see the family cat is inspecting the new domain

She is wondering when her new playhouse will finally be ready...

[Gina]

Coming on a treat Chris

[Stargazer33]

Looking really professional Chris! I bet you get some commissions after this.

Do those big trees block out much of your view? They look really big and really close! Perhaps a source of some extra timber if you run short?

[yesyes]

Thanks!

The biggest tree by far is almost exactly north, so not too bad. Polaris is still above the tree top. There is another smaller one due south that is a bit in the way. But one can't have everything. I just have to make the best of what I have available.

[tony]

nice bit of progress since i looked in last chris.

[yesyes]

It was raining all day today so I couldn't take off the tarp.

So I build a door under the tarp.

[Enrico]

You might need a door stop to make sure the handle does not damage your nice window - can't quite tell from the picture whether it will hit the glass.

Hoping one day I will get the space and time to do something even half as good as your observatory!

[yesyes]

You might need a door stop to make sure the handle does not damage your nice window - can't quite tell from the picture whether it will hit the glass.

I hadn't checked on that day but I have today. You're right, it will need a door stopper.

[yesyes]

Quite a bit of progress today.

I painted the front runner with bitumen paint.

Then I put on the roof sheets for the warm room roof. I was a bit worried at first but the roof easily takes my weight.

Then the rubber sheet went on the roof.

Then I made a start on the roll off roof frame.

I also put the steel angle rails on the runners as it will be much harder to get them there once the roll off roof frame is closed. I think I may have discovered a flaw in my design. The gap between warm room and scope room where the rails go though are quite open and rain would easily run from the exposed runner into the scope room. I'll have to think about that one a bit.... Any suggestions welcome.

[fwm891]

Looking really good Chris - helped you having warm weather to lay the rubber sheet.

When do you move in!

[Earl]

Chris I take it your roof is rolling over the warm room roof, how are you planing to make that rolling roof, if you make it deep enough you just add an edge to the warm room side which fits into the rolling roof this also acts to stop the roof rolling off. If you make the roof like a shoe box lid it should be fine.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[yesyes]

Thanks Earl. Yes, the roofs will meet exactly as you described.

What I meant was the small gap on top of the runners where the rails go from the warm room side (exposed to rain) to the scope room side where they will be inside the roof.

[r3i]

Thanks Earl. Yes, the roofs will meet exactly as you described.

What I meant was the small gap on top of the runners where the rails go from the warm room side (exposed to rain) to the scope room side where they will be inside the roof.

I've attached a small flap of the rubber left over from the roof to the ends of the rolling roof that pass over rail - I've done this on each side of the roof, so 4 flaps in total. It's not sealed the gap by any stretch of the imagination but so far has appeared to be sufficient as there's no evidence of any rain getting into the scope room.

Another technique I've come across is attaching a paint brush of a suitable size (the handle is cut off just leaving the bristle part). This has the extra advantage for brushing clean the railing over the warm room section each time you open the roof.

I don't think there's any getting away from ending up with a small gap but by applying one of the above techniques (or some even better solution that will no doubt appear in another posting), you can minimise the potential for rain water to get in.