Rough and ready observatory build Quatermass

[gary1968]

 ............ I soooo wish I had an obsy. We are trying to sell this house just now so no point in building an obsy. The next house however, it is a major priority!!

Well done, I hope it gives you shelter and you get hours of use through the coming winter.

Gaz

[Quatermass]

Cheers Gaz its only a rotton old shed so I guess any one can do this, it would be much harder if I had a pier in there but I still want to be able to take the scope out sometimes so it main functions are protect me from wind and cold provide me with a place to sit with my laptop right next to my telescope with my cables leading to it and keep everything in one place ready to use every night. Wish this rain would give me a break

cloud cloud go away come again another day

[Oily]

Looking good Mark

[JohnC64]

Good luck with the obsy Mark.  I would love one in my back garden but in all the suitable spots, there is a tree or house  blocking the view  to the South.  And anyway what would i do with the thermal boot insoles, russian hat, thermal gloves, and big thick coat and scarf that is my normal winter Garb   .  The only thing that i can think that may cause you problems is the floor moving and hence moving the scope as you wander over to the coffee machine and Jaffa cake dispenser during an imaging run.

Looking Good

Cheers John

[Quatermass]

Cheers John

Well today I get the wood for the roof so will post more pics its going to be a simple slide on and off job nothing fancy. Yes have thought about the issue of moving about and if that will make the scope move but its all pretty solid so should be OK might lay some carpet down to absorb any vibration. And some pretty curtains with stars maybe

cloud cloud go away come again another day

[Pig]

You have inspired me Mark, I am going to convert mine before it gets to cold

[Tinker1947]

Your doing well Mark, the up side your not be so cold this season, the scope will be ready being already set-up, I have been building myself for the past 2 weeks, i have build photo's will post when i get the scope in there today and its finished,,,,,

[Quatermass]

Glad my humble efforts have inspired you some more work done today. I got two 8x4 OSB boards for a tenner each and put two runners on the sides of the 6ft x 5 ft hole. These support the boards which will overlap each other in the middle and have runners inside the edges so I can slide them off when I want to use the observatory. Also put in a desk area for my laptop and bits and bobs.

cloud cloud go away come again another day

[Quatermass]

This is great having an observatory nothing else is going right for me but the observatory is great here are some pics of the roof and desk area. Used it last night and was very comfy.

cloud cloud go away come again another day

[Quatermass]

Ok time to move in there and get things set up still lots to finish off but its getting there now..

Being able to have it all in one place and set-up ready to go is brilliant cant believe I never got round to doing this sooner.

It may be rough and ready but I love it.

[gary1968]

Great job.... Rough n Ready you say...... bloomin' great I say. Next house, I am deffo building an obsy. To have to kit all up, aligned and reayd to go must be a god send.....

Gaz

[Tinker1947]

Nicely sorted QM, and a clear night with luck.....

[Quatermass]

Hopefully a clear night its looking good so far might be some mist but now I am in my observatory who cares! The sliding roof is very simple its just two bit of OSB board that fit over the 5ft by 6ft hole and over lap the edges by 6 inchs or so.

I then just nailed down to 2x2 runner on each side and placed the osb board on top so they covered the roof and butted up in the middle. Then put runners inside on the edge butted up to the 2x2 runners cut to size. Next you simply pull the back one over the front one by 6 inches or so and thats it. Going to cover them with roofing felt but there dead easy to pull off and put back on again. I will just clamp them in place again the runners to stop them getting blown off in windy weather but it saves having to build a bigger sliding roof and as this is only an old shed it works quite well.

My telescope mount and laptop with all the various cables controlling the mount and camera are all safe inside and the area above my desk has a permanent roof part that is 3ft by 6ft covering the top above me. May put a partition in between me and the telescope but kind of like it the way it is for now.

The rest is just patching up some old boards and maybe laying some old carpet down to absorb any vibration. From old grotty shed to observatory in about a week tools used just a crow bar nails and hammer some gravel for the base no concrete no piers to build cost to me 20 quid for the osb board and a bit of graft to move the shed,  Electric is supplied from a 50 foot cable running from my shed by the house so long as your only running a laptop and a light you wont overload anything,rough ready and it may be but I loves it.