New Observatory... Rancho Estrellas - The Build Begins...

[wk4bg8s]

In my new member introduction, I mentioned that I was starting my observatory today, and I was encouraged to post some pics and information about the project as I went along. My plan is to have a majority

of the work complete in three weeks, so, with that in mind, I need to git busy! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to lemme have it

The building will be 12' x 24', a warm room that is 8' x 12', and a viewing area that is 16' x 12'. These are rough measurements, not finished, but hey, its only a few inches  . The roof will be a standard roll-off

design, with one-piece structural support beams 20' long to allow for complete removal of the roof. There will be two piers, one for viewing with a Losmandy G-11 Mount, and a larger pier for photography using

a Paramount MX+. The smaller pier will have 1 1/2 yards of concrete while the larger will be just under 3 yards. I started this morning, clearing and leveling the site since the site is on a slight hill, and completed

trenching for the foundation. Tomorrow morning I will get the forms set, dig out the bases for each of the piers, and set additional forms for the roof piers.

Area prior to getting with it with the excavator...

Have the site leveled, now for rough trenches for the foundation...

Batter boards in place, I'll level them in the morning, and finish up the forms...

Its Beer Thirty!

[wxsatuser]

Thats goner be bigger than my house.

Nice clear sky and looks like a nice all round view..

[Tinker1947]

Welcome to SGL, a Obby that size will be awesome, keep the pictures coming......

[Scott]

this could get very interesting . I can't recall watching any obsy build threads here that involved the type of plant equiptment you have there 

Looking forward to watching this thread 

edit: here in the uk we don't wait for the half hr.....it's usually beer o'clock

[laudropb]

Lovely photos of a very interesting project. Looks like you have a wonderful view of the sky from your site. I look forward to seeing your project progress. Best of luck and thanks for posting.

[wk4bg8s]

Started early this morning, have basically finished the forms for the building, will put the forms in this afternoon for the piers that will

support the outriggers, as well as the basic forms for the telescope piers. Here is a pic of this mornings efforts, a few more will follow

this evening...

Kim...

[Dark Horizon]

Hells bells!! That's more timber than most of us use in a complete observatory build!!

What you housing in there? The Keck? Lol.

[wk4bg8s]

Well, I finally got all of the forms set, did not get any pics, but will get some in the morning. We have concrete coming at 9am, so I will have time

to take a few. It was a busy day, but all in all I am super happy with the progress 

[mwayne]

WK,

A couple of questions, how many people are working on your site? Are those your machines or rented or do you have a contractor doing the excavation?

Good luck!

[wk4bg8s]

Hells bells!! That's more timber than most of us use in a complete observatory build!!

What you housing in there? The Keck? Lol.

Hey Dark Horizon;

It is a bit of wood, but honestly it really made sense to go a bit bigger, than to have to re-invent the wheel in a year or two. I will use the form boards for joists, so

there won't be any waste. I have a friend that has a 12' x 12' shed, and it works ok, I just wanted a warm room as well. so that was in the plan.

WK,

A couple of questions, how many people are working on your site? Are those your machines or rented or do you have a contractor doing the excavation?

Good luck!

Hey mwayne;

So far, only myself and my wife, but tomorrow I have the help of two friends during the concrete pour. We have a ranch and build all necessary structures ourselves, so we are

pretty used to this. The excavator is a rental, operated by myself, the other equipment is all owned. I have a backhoe, but the excavator is much faster and easier than it is.

Kim

[Scorpius]

Greetings Kim & welcome to SGL...

Looks like an ambitious project but obviously you’ve got the time, skills & resources to make it happen. At the risk of sounding like an armchair builder - just a couple observations from looking at your pics. Have you considered pier spacing to allow for simultaneous operation of both scopes – observing through one while imaging with the other? You said the scope room will be 16x12 so allowing 6” for walls, that’s roughly 15x11 inside dimensions. Are you allowing twice as much distance between piers as each pier is from the wall or the same distance between piers as each pier is from the wall? If it’s the latter, that would seem like close quarters for simultaneous operation of both scopes.

Other thing I noticed is your method of form construction. Most folks leave nothing sticking up above forms to make it easier to screed the concrete. Won’t it be harder to screed the forms with all that rebar in the way?

But so much for my unsolicited comments from the peanut gallery  It sounds like this build is on the fast track – 3 weeks you say? Must be planning to work on it full time for 3 weeks straight? Many of us need to find time after work & on weekends so I’m envious of your ability to focus mainly on your obsy build for an extended period of time.

Best of luck moving forward & I’ll be following your progress with great interest... 

[Chris Hopson]

Wow,wow,wow! This looks a brilliant build, I look forward to following this thread, and wish you all the very best.

Chris

[wk4bg8s]

As promised, here are a few pics taken this morning. When I finished last night, it was getting dark, and I was ready for dinner. Just verified that mud will be here this morning at 9am, and I have assistance

arriving by 8:30, so I'm outta here for a few hours.  Thanx to all for your interest, questions, and encouragement, I'll keep the pics coming 

Footing forms for the roll-off roof. Its hard to see that there is an 18" drop between the top left row and the bottom. Steep hill 

All forms including base forms for each pier.

Another view of the forms...

Kim

[Vox45]

All forms including base forms for each pier.

Haaaaa multiple piers ! I can't wait to see more of this build

[A40farinagolf]

Excellent thread and thanks for the pictures, I'm looking forward to seeing it develop.

If the initial rate of progress continues it will be ready soon - I've never been to Red Bluff but if you build a small log cabin at the same time I would consider it. $ to £ is in our favour at the moment so could be a cheap holiday :-)

[MikeP]

My goodness, you work hard.  This is going to be a great build to follow.

Mike

[wk4bg8s]

Greetings Kim & welcome to SGL...

Looks like an ambitious project but obviously you’ve got the time, skills & resources to make it happen. At the risk of sounding like an armchair builder - just a couple observations from looking at your pics. Have you considered pier spacing to allow for simultaneous operation of both scopes – observing through one while imaging with the other? You said the scope room will be 16x12 so allowing 6” for walls, that’s roughly 15x11 inside dimensions. Are you allowing twice as much distance between piers as each pier is from the wall or the same distance between piers as each pier is from the wall? If it’s the latter, that would seem like close quarters for simultaneous operation of both scopes.

Other thing I noticed is your method of form construction. Most folks leave nothing sticking up above forms to make it easier to screed the concrete. Won’t it be harder to screed the forms with all that rebar in the way?

But so much for my unsolicited comments from the peanut gallery  It sounds like this build is on the fast track – 3 weeks you say? Must be planning to work on it full time for 3 weeks straight? Many of us need to find time after work & on weekends so I’m envious of your ability to focus mainly on your obsy build for an extended period of time.

Best of luck moving forward & I’ll be following your progress with great interest... 

Hey Scorpius;

You are correct in your measurements, finished size for the scope room is 15' x 11' 5", so a little tight for two piers, but I think I'll do ok. I am at 5' center to center and 5' from each wall, and the secondary

pier is a bit smaller, and only for visual use. Should not present a problem, but then again, I've said things like that before only to come to regret it 

If you look closely at the forms pic, you will see that I use ties (wedge form ties) as I go, allowing me to remove the vertical stakes as I do my finish work. They also keep the forms true, very little if any flex

or bending. Also, the slump is about 30 - 40 mm or less, so it has very little tendency to collapse, allowing me to remove most of the stakes within an hour or so.

My 3 week window is to have all the rough work complete, finish work would then follow. Hopefully we will be getting rain this year, so the sooner I have this done, the happier I will be 

Kim

[wk4bg8s]

The pour begins...

9 yards of concrete comin' right up! 

[wk4bg8s]

I stripped the forms early this morning, and will will drill out the sill plates before the rain gets here. I won't tighten the plates down until tomorrow, but it at least gives

me a jump of an hour or two when I start the joists on Thursday. If the weather cooperates I'll be able to work on Wednesday, but I have my doubts that it will.

Concrete looks great, smooth and released easily... At the west end, you can see the bases for each of the piers...

[Chris Hopson]

Now that's how to mix cement!

looking good.

[wk4bg8s]

The pier footings for the outriggers for the roll-off roof, formed and poured... The forms will remain like this through the weekend at least, and

will be removed when I install the outriggers.

Getting overcast, taking the rest of the day off, rain is on it's way, time to take care of ranch stuff 

[catman161]

This is rapidly progressing! Such awesome work. Can't wait to see it finished.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scorpius]

Hopefully we will be getting rain this year, so the sooner I have this done, the happier I will be 

If I could send you some of ours – I would. Heavy rain lasted the better part of a week not that long ago & there’s a 2 day event going on right now. Which unfortunately means, my unfinished observatory is getting a good soaking right now since it doesn’t have a roof. So if you want rain – I’ve got it – but guess you’ll have to visit VA to pick it up... 

[Scorpius]

I stripped the forms early this morning, and will will drill out the sill plates before the rain gets here. I won't tighten the plates down until tomorrow, but it at least gives

me a jump of an hour or two when I start the joists on Thursday. If the weather cooperates I'll be able to work on Wednesday, but I have my doubts that it will.

Concrete looks great, smooth and released easily... At the west end, you can see the bases for each of the piers...

This has got to be the fastest observatory build ever! I'm totally impressed with your work ethic and your constuction methods are top notch. If you keep going like this - you'll have yours under roof before me & I started back in July. 

[wk4bg8s]

This has got to be the fastest observatory build ever! I'm totally impressed with your work ethic and your constuction methods are top notch. If you keep going like this - you'll have yours under roof before me & I started back in July. 

Thanx so much for the compliment!

It has been raining since 1pm this afternoon, not heavy, but it has been continuous. Taking tomorrow off unless it clears up a bit, but a day of rest never hurt anyone   I spent the

afternoon pre-cutting the framing 2x4's, that helps a bit. I have to do the trusses, flooring and large pier first, and then frame it, shear it, then the walls and roof 

Kim