Another Norfolk Shed

[Tinker1947]

Its been a real pain lugging the mount/scope out and setting up for it to then cloud over and lug it all back so decided a permanent location (Obby) would need to be built....the location.....

Through the gap in my bit of builders yard......

needs some cleaning up but this is the spot.....roughly marked out 

and this is it flat packed...

Tea breaks over.....more later.....

[Daniel-K]

ooo good luck

[msh1]

you wont regret it, having an obsy is a god send in this country well i think so anyway   

[r3i]

you wont regret it, having an obsy is a god send in this country well i think so anyway   

Agree totally - it means you can be up and running in minutes, with everything already nicely aligned and you can take advantage of brief periods of clear skies which would have previously been impractical.

Best of luck with the build.

[Tinker1947]

Started building a couple of weeks back, the object to be able to stand up under the rear part of a 2 part roof and leave the scope in its park position so the posts going in are 4" by 4" and go down around 36" with 10mm pea shingle poured around and tamped in the benefits to me, no cement mixing, if any posts are not square or upright then suck the shingle out with a industrial hoover reposition and pour the same single back in,,,,,

Really easy to dig   a hole in this ground.....

 

All the posts sorted......

[laser_jock99]

Good start- you won't regret it.

[michael8554]

One of the vertical posts on the pergola in my garden has rotted below ground in the concrete it was set in.

First I knew of it was when that corner sank about 6 inches.

So it gave me pause for the roll-off I was thinking of building.

Your pea shingle idea will either give excellent drainage, or act as a water trap if the surrounding ground is clay-like.

Is there a brick at the bottom of each hole, to stop the post sinking?

My latest thought is Metposts for concrete, so that the wooden posts are completely above ground, but hey, I bet there's a problem with that too.

The main thing is, you've started !!

Michael

[Steve Ward]

I would NEVER concrete modern " treated " posts into the ground , I would be surprised if they last two years . . . 

Have seen this time and time again over recent years , like with most things in this wonderfully H+S ruled world they have removed all the "nasties" from timber treatments , the same "nasties" that actually do the work ... 

And to be honest concreting posts into the ground is not a particularly good idea stability-wise , fine to start but when the ground dries out you end up with a post firmly attached to the concrete ( provided it hasn't already rotted) and the concrete loose in the ground , better to pack the hole tight with crushable limestone or old soft red bricks , should things work loose then simply repack , although it'll rarely need it .

There are gates round here hung on dry-packed posts that are as firm as the day they were fitted forty years ago , and plenty of concreted fences that fell over in the first blow ... 

[Tinker1947]

My soil is silt, the ground was a long time back part of the North Sea, i dig down 3' and there's a bed of sea shells, so drainage wise its very dry the fence in the first image has been up over 10 years still rock solid....so the posts are in the next bit of my build was the floor joists there are 3 pieces 3" X 3" down the front, back and close to the middle held together with 150mm coach screws and the air ratchet really worked well less than a minute per screw going into a pre drill hole... 

Then 4" X 2" timbers across the other way to support the floor 6" X 1" all treated timber...here's the scope sizing up the hieght for a pier and how much swing it required to not touch the sides...

[Tinker1947]

4" X 1" treated timber for the outside plus some membrane stuff......nailgun makes it a lot easier....

The Pier a piece of oak 6" x 6"  and 5' 8" long....

planted in the ground with pea shingle 3' 6" depth...

another days work done....

[Tinker1947]

The outer skin of 4" X 1" all in place,  and a electric socket fitted so the floor and inside panels cab be fitted......

this requires a 70mm hole for a water tight fit....

[OutThereSomewhere]

Really neat job you're doing there. Please keep posting the photos as this is very useful!

Thanks!

[Tinker1947]

Well the roofs on and made as light weight as i could, the rear section slides back and the front section slides down and hangs down the front on a angles piece of timber, the post behind is getting the chop and another going in 3' to the rear of the back wall this  will have timber connecting to the rear obby corners its a work in progress at the moment.....the rear section has coach screws that fit in piping in the rear to stop it lifting off in the wind and a bolt each side on the inside front so it also locks the front section down with a 6" overhang, the front section has 2 toggle clamp on the front corners inside so the wind can't lift any part....more pictures will be taken over the weekend....

[dmahon]

I hope it's an inlet (male connector) rather than a socket (female connector), otherwise you'll need a widow maker to power the observatory.

[Tinker1947]

I hope it's an inlet (male connector) rather than a socket (female connector), otherwise you'll need a widow maker to power the observatory.

Never gave that a thought when i ordered the bits, its a female, i may get round to changing them (cost less than a tenner) but the mode of operation when connecting is the plug goes in that socket, the other end is plugged into a RCD which lives in my workshop power gets switch on only after i press the RCD reset once both ends are plugged in, but thanks for the input to this thread so to speak.....

[r3i]

Never gave that a thought when i ordered the bits, its a female, i may get round to changing them (cost less than a tenner) but the mode of operation when connecting is the plug goes in that socket, the other end is plugged into a RCD which lives in my workshop power gets switch on only after i press the RCD reset once both ends are plugged in, but thanks for the input to this thread so to speak.....

I'd get it swapped over to a male one asap - better to be safe than sorry.

Great build - interesting looking design.

[dmahon]

Never gave that a thought when i ordered the bits, its a female, i may get round to changing them (cost less than a tenner) but the mode of operation when connecting is the plug goes in that socket, the other end is plugged into a RCD which lives in my workshop power gets switch on only after i press the RCD reset once both ends are plugged in, but thanks for the input to this thread so to speak.....

Safe as long as you make all the connections then turn on the power, or even if you plug into the obsy first and then the workshop. The problem is, one day in a rush you plug your extension cable into the workshop (with power on) first and then walk out to the observatory holding a plug that has live prongs sticking out of it. Or trip over the cable, pull it out and leave live prongs dangling on the floor. Hence the name "widow maker".

I'd switch it out for an inlet (and put a female socket on the end of the extension cable) before you start using it.

[Tinker1947]

Safe as long as you make all the connections then turn on the power, or even if you plug into the obsy first and then the workshop. The problem is, one day in a rush you plug your extension cable into the workshop (with power on) first and then walk out to the observatory holding a plug that has live prongs sticking out of it. Or trip over the cable, pull it out and leave live prongs dangling on the floor. Hence the name "widow maker".

I'd switch it out for an inlet (and put a female socket on the end of the extension cable) before you start using it.

Ordered the right parts from TLC there be here Tuesday....thanks...

[Tinker1947]

Ok so the post at the rear has been replaced with another couple of feet further back so the rear part of the roof side right back, the front section now slides forward and hooks on to a section of angled wood, to get the roof back on, is simple lift the front and slide is up piece of timer either side drop in to place and stop it sliding off, the rear section is then pulled forward and sits on top of the front section with a 6" overlap to make it weather proof....to stop the wind blowing it all away the rear section has a a coach screw in each corner these slide into some copper pipe knocked into the 4" X 4" corner posts, on the inside the rear section has a bolt either side to hold it and the front section down, the front of the front section has a toggle clamp either side to keep the front in place....well that all makes sense to me, but maybe not to everbody else,,,some picture now,,,,,

Rear Coach screws and pipe...

New post and roof open...

Front section open.....

The front section angled piece of timber, the roof section has a piece that fits snuggly on it so it does'nt end up on the ground...

Front section toggle clamp

Front of the rear section held in place the rubber is the rear of the front section....

more to follow including alterations...

[Gina]

Coming on nicely

[Tinker1947]

The outer skin of 4" X 1" all in place,  and a electric socket fitted so the floor and inside panels cab be fitted......

this requires a 70mm hole for a water tight fit....

Sorted

[Tinker1947]

Its mostly finished now couple of odds and ends to get done but its working and a pleasure to use after setting up and taking down every time,  Couple of pictures the rear roof just slides wood on wood its not heavy so there's no muscle power needed and the front is just 4" by 1" frame with 6mm ply bonded to it, then the rubber placed over the top i will put some hardwood strips round the edges to cover the stainless steel staples but weight wise there's not much to it, just hangs on a angle piece of timber at the front and to put it back in place a lift and slide it back until a piece of timber on the roof drops over the piece on the top of the side walls.....Measures on the outside 7' 2" across the front, 6' 2" front to back and 6' 7" from the ground to the top with 5' 10" internally under the rear roof when closed...Total cost around £800 a good part of this was the 4" X 1" treated timber feather board  would save a couple of hundred, If a warm room were needed a roll off roof would be a must as the extra weight and size wouldn't work....

Very please with the out come....

[Clockwork_Orange]

Looks very neat, you have made an excellent cave for the winter months 

Regards

John