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It started with a hole... never thought it would come to this

Pompey Monkey

By Pompey Monkey
in DIY Observatories

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Beulah

Beulah

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I've been going downhill for years ;)

Good luck with your pour. Just remember it's there to give any future owners of your house something to remember you by! ;)

I had to laugh at loud at this.

There's always that 'digging random bits of concrete out' initiation ceremony in a house recently moved to... :D I had to hire a skip out for that one!

Can just imagine the immense frustration at trying to dig out pier foundations!

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Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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Prior to painting the brake disc top plate, I couldn't resist seeing if it all goes together as planned. Of course it does :)

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It's very big!

I have also just discovered one of the benefits of a pier over a tripod: For any targets above about 45o declination, there is no meridian flip required, and for targets above 45o dec. I can go about 3 hours before or after the meridian. As I am primarily using this mount for AP, this means a great deal more freedom to chose targets AND get some sleep in while imaging :)

I know that I need to clean up the area, but as I have twisted my ankle, I will be putting my feet up this weekend :) I can "develop" the surrounding area in the run-up to autumn, eventually adding some kind of roll-off shed.

Tonight I might have a go at drift alignment with PHD.

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wxsatuser

wxsatuser

Posted
Posted

I've been going downhill for years ;)

Good luck with your pour. Just remember it's there to give any future owners of your house something to remember you by! ;)

If we ever move I will leave two nice foundations for new owners.

The obsy pier and a one ton cube that my 40foot radio mast is set in. :grin:

Anyway yours is looking mighty fine.

I noticed it was'nt done by proper builders, as there was'nt a bum in sight. :grin:

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Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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Thanks for the positive comments everybody :)

Also, as the sharp-eyed would have noticed, I meant to write: " For any targets below about 45o declination, there is no meridian flip required", not "above". Of course you were all too polite to mention it ;)

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  • 3 months later...
Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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A quick update after a two month hiatus (curse the aching back!):

I've back-filled the gap around the pier base, using some cheap carry-mats as vibration insulation. It seems to work.

I've spent the last couple of weeks putting the deck together. It's no mean feat, as I've been discovering. It's also been made a bit more involved as, in my drive to save some cash, I did not use timbers as substantial as maybe I should have, so there's been quite a bit of extra bracing and diagonals inserted. Lesson learned here!

At last The decking is going on - and it's a good quality slow grown treated pine, not the cheapest that I could get. As I said above, the lesson has been learned! lol.

Also I have two 5 m long, 50 mm by 25 mm U-section Alu rails and matching wheels for the shed. These have been very kindly donated by a fellow SGL member who went well out of his way to help me out. If you're reading this, you know who you are, so another big thanks from me! The rails are now fitted and parallel to within a millimetre over the 5 m. I'm more than happy with that.

Anyway, what you're all baying for is for me to shut up and post some pictures. So here you go :)

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It'll all be over by Christmas ;)

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Physopto

Physopto

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One possible suggestion. if you can get some wood strips to temporarily fill the aluminium channels  for insertion only during the time the obsy is in use. It should stop a possible stumble or trip. Would not do to fall into the scope or twist an ankle.

Looking good.

Dere

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Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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One possible suggestion. if you can get some wood strips to temporarily fill the aluminium channels  for insertion only during the time the obsy is in use. It should stop a possible stumble or trip. Would not do to fall into the scope or twist an ankle.

Looking good.

Dere

Sounds like a good tip. Does it come from first-hand experience? ;)

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Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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Hope the weather (and your back) holds out for you to get it done.

One question, as you're using channels and wheels have you a plan to deal with possible water/ice/debris that might collect in them?

Rich,

I hadn't thought of ice! :eek:  However, I don't think it will be a serious problem as there are quite a few screw holes in the channels where the previous owner had mounted them and the water should drain from these.

As for other foreign objects, some synthetic paint brushes screwed fore and aft of the leading and trailing wheels should do the trick. Another gem of an idea that I saw somewhere on SGL :)

Paul

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Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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Another quick update (while I'm waiting for help on my CCD SW CC spacing question...).

Got the decking laid, not quite central to the pier <cough> and have treated with a well-known brand of rot preventative which allegedly does what it says on the tin.

Now I am working on the base for the shed.

There is now only daylight for working at the weekends so it is hit and miss if I will be finished for the upcoming season and my newly aqcuired SBIG CCD...

.... I'll do my best! :)

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Note also that the soil/rubble/compost heap has significantly diminished. No small feat with no rear access to the house and a 150' garden. Hence the bad back. ;)

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catman161

catman161

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I built a roll off/roll on shed in January this year. I got around the problem for the rails by using convex rails and concave wheels. They are normally used for industry metal electric gates so have a huge weight rating. With the rails being convex there is nowhere for water to be retained and potentially freeze.

These are what I used:

Rails:

Sliding Gate Bolt Down Floor Track https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CTK6NDC/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_NMGkwbH9TRS71

Wheels:

Sliding Gate Bolt on Support Wheel up to 300KG https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CS33I4C/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_9PGkwb7CPW7KA

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Pompey Monkey

Pompey Monkey

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Well, more progress! :)

Base and shed built. Another lesson learned: the ends around the slot need more support, as can be seen from the pictures. I think perhaps some appliance rollers might do the trick. Like these: http://www.screwfix.com/p/appliance-steel-roller-set-mm/39158#product_additional_details_container

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I have tied the base down with some 6 mm turnbuckles pulling down and against the pier. I might get some beefier versions, or some ratchet straps for strong wind conditions. Also the four screw-down points in the shed base don't instil me with confidence, so some reinforcing rails will be added in the very near future. :)

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Oh. And it's huge. Probably 8' from floor to apex. Oh well, I guess I'm making a statement of some kind! :)

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BTW, after spending a few minutes trying for a nice clean cut of the base with a stanley knife, I tried the jigsaw. Knife through butter. Straight. Clean. No-grief cuts. :)

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catman161

catman161

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Looks great. I placed wheels and track either slide of the central slot for my pier to avoid the problem of sagging in this region of the base. It works well and takes my weight easily. I sit in the shed with the doors shut and control the mount and focusing from the laptop. Keeps me warm and allows me to adjust focus and mount position when I'm doing planetary imaging. I like the idea of the ready made plastic shed-I really wish I had thought of that rather than busting myself making it out of wood! Oh well live and learn!

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Close up of central wheels:

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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