Bizibilder's (New) Roll off roof Observatory build

[yesyes]

Wouldn't it be better to glue the endgrains to the horizontal? This might reduce the chance of the small blocks splitting...

[Bizibilder]

I tried a destruction test this morning and was rather surprised! The joint took my weight again but the pictures show what happened when I 'it it with an 'ammer!

It only took one quite feeble thump with a club hammer to get the joint to fail - or rather the wood to fail. Over half the joint has failed by the long grain splitting.

[SnakeyJ]

Roger,

Soft wood splitting out along the grain - once you get the blocks/noggins in there it will be very strong indeed and water proof. How big was the hammer? Are we talking lump or sledge? Seriously though failure through impact shock is less of an issue - unless you're secretly building a bomb or tornado shelter

[Bizibilder]

:eek:

[malc-c]

Guys, this is in effect a section out building... I personally think you are over over-engineering it. My observatory was built from Wickes studding 38mm x 63mm, the frames were simply screwed together using 60mm dry walling screws and has remained intact for the past two years through snow, wind, hail, rain and 40c heat. There is no need IMO to glue the joints, you may even be causing yourself more headaches as a simple screwed joint will allow some small amount of movement as the wood naturally contracts or expands due to the environment.

Just my opinion Roger, it's up to you if you want to go down the bonding route rather than screwing the frames together, but I personally think you're over doing it.

[Scott]

I'm afraid I have to agree with Malcolm...Even timber framed houses do not go to these lengths (glueing) but as he also stated, it's your build so do it your way...just make sure your methods won't cause more problems than they're likely to solve...good luck with the build and as always....enjoy the fruits of your labour

[Bizibilder]

Thanks guys - I intend to use glue for things like the framing, the 5min setting time makes an exellent "fast" clamp. It allows you to move the joint around and then sets hard allowing me to move on to the next task. Screws are put in after the glue has set, making that job easier.

The picture shows the first frame joint being assembled and, yes, I am building "up in the air" but I have no flat surface to work from! (The garage floor is decidedly neither flat nor level!). Anyway, a large square and spirit level are doing their job. The biggest problem is that almost all the timber has a slight warp in it, maybe only 2-3mm over a 2 meter length but it means I will have to be careful to get things straight and true. Trouble is, my other hobby is metalwork and I'm used to working to "thou" and for things to be straight and true!

[Gina]

I'm the opposite - more used to working with wood and I find the accuracy often required with metalwork a bit difficult.

[Scott]

Trouble is, my other hobby is metalwork and I'm used to working to "thou" and for things to be straight and true!

I prefer to get it right

[Bizibilder]

I managed to build the two end wall frames over the last couple of days. Both square and the same size . Just one in the pic.

[SnakeyJ]

Great progress Roger - good to see it coming together.

By coincidence I was checking materials and timber prices at B&Q today - shan't be getting my ply there!!

[Scott]

Great progress Roger - good to see it coming together.

By coincidence I was checking materials and timber prices at B&Q today - shan't be getting my ply there!!

If you know someone with a builders account there you might be quite surprised at the difference in prices. I'm not saying they'll necessarily be cheaper than a timber yard but they do tend to rip off the general public

[SnakeyJ]

If you know someone with a builders account there you might be quite surprised at the difference in prices. I'm not saying they'll necessarily be cheaper than a timber yard but they do tend to rip off the general public

Actually I do have a trade card/account with them, but they make it so difficult to use (written purchase orders + card even if paying on company credit card) that it very rarely gets used. Not just price though, the stack of external grade ply looked like it had been shuffled badly with a forklift. We have one remaining local timber/builders merchant on the Island and I much prefer to use and keep them - they'll even cut the sheets down to required size and deliver for a few pounds!

[Gina]

B&Q and Wickes seem to sell second grade timber as well as being high priced. I found our local timber yard (about 5 or 6 miles away) far better quality and far cheaper. Free delivery for orders over £300. I had two deliveries of just over £300 for my obsy. I also collected 10 sheets of 8x4 6mm plywood with our pickup. But yes, they will deliver smaller orders for which they charge.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Good to see it start to come together. Will be following this with interest now

[Bizibilder]

More wall frame building today. This time the first of the "long" walls:

And how to keep things straight - I went and bought a few more clamps today, it makes a huge difference! Just a straight piece of timber clamped across the uprights - makes life much easier.

[Bizibilder]

Built the fourth wall frame today. The pic shows how to make a piece of wood "behave itself" when it has developed a bit of a warp!! (polypropylene rope and a block of 2x4 ) Next job is to check and measure everything twice before making a start on the basic roof frame. (Sorry about the confusing backgrounds but all this is being done in the garage!)

[Bizibilder]

Spent the day chopping wood. By some careful selection I've managed to cut all the pieces of T&G needed for the walls - and remembered to have some left for the roof! The "seconds" I bought were very variable in quality but by taking my time and lots of measuring I was able to "cut round the rubbish" and get decent timber for the build. The jig came into its own again - all pieces being just dropped into it and cut to length with ease.

[Bizibilder]

Just keeping the momentum going - a splash of paint on the T&G. Ronseal Woodland colours "Willow" - a sort of greyish green. Getting a bit of a production line going with three coats needed for each piece. The best bit about building this way is that its been pouring down outside but I can keep working.

[Tinker1947]

Just a small point to take it account when building with wood,,,,,it expands across the grain by quite a bit when it takes in some moisture,,,,it does not expand along the grain so any joint made this way if glued will end up with a large crack in it.....

[twintin]

Woodland willow is the same colour I'm painting mine obviously the colour of choice for discerning amateur obsy builders

looking good

[malc-c]

Woodland willow is the same colour I'm painting mine obviously the colour of choice for discerning amateur obsy builders

Oh most definitely... couldn't agree more :)

[Bizibilder]

At leat we all have taste! Whether good or bad I'm not sure but ........

[Bizibilder]

Couple of blokes came round today - very odd they looked ..........Look what they did to my little old obsy :eek: Took the lot!!!

(Hope you had a good journey home! Hope you manage to reassemble it and have as much fun with it as I had!! )

[Bizibilder]

However all is not lost! I've been able to get quite a bit done this afternoon. All the walls are up and (very surprisingly all was level and square!). The four wall frames have been joined and the first wall of T&G has been nailed into place - very noisy job!

And all put away for the night....

(The orange carrier bags are stuffed into the holes where the old runner supports were! After I fell into one of them )