Thinking about shed conversion, need advice

[robindurant]

My Astro shed is approx 4' 6" x 5' 6" and has a slightly slanting flat roof. I want to convert it to a roll off but have questions regarding the roof construction..

Keeping the flat roof idea, no slant or very slight to the front in Marine Ply, what would be the best design for the wheel / track system, what size and type of wheels etc. what type of track.

I have searched the net but most roofs are pitched and they do not show the track design clearly

Or is the room too small for an 8" set up any way.

Robin

[George]

It does look to be on the smallish side, have you measured the turning circle of the scope on the mount? My 10'' on an EQ6 (OTA length 1200mm) has around 5inches of clearance in a 7 foot wide shed. This is not a problem most of the time and no problem at all if I'm imaging but I do have to walk round the scope rather than past it.

If you do a search on my posts I have lots of piccys of the shed build and track layout.

[centroid]

Hi Robin

My Roll-of Roof, when I had it, ran on 8x40mm fixed castors (4 down each side). The 'track' was 30x30mm aluminium angle. Both items came from B&Q.

The aluminium angle comes in 6ft lengths, and this was drilled and countersunk, so that it could be screwed down.

This system was in use from Jan 2002 until until May 2008, and worked without any problems. Some of the Aluminium angle has now been reused to make the track for the roll off roof hatch, of my new rotating turret.

The original roof (6'x6') was quite heavy, but the 40m castor wheels handled this easily.

I have seen a Pent Roof roll off, where the support framework onto which the roof rolls off, continued in the downward slope of of the pent roof. However, I can imagine that pulling the roof up hill, to close it, would probably take more effort than would be comfortable.

If you are to roll it off, Then you would be far better to do so horizontally, as per the normal fashion for a roll-off-roof obsy.

My obsy, was built without thought to the future, and at only 6'x6', is only just big enough, I later added a warm room to house the computer equipment (and me of course ). IMO, I would say that 7'x7' is really a sensible minimum.

Have a look a my website, and see if there's anything there, that might help your thinking process.

If you have any question, I'll do my best answer them for you.

Dave

[robindurant]

Thanks Guys for your advice.

Yes my measurements are small but I am stuck with them. One thing in my favour is that the view behind on the short length 4"6" (West) is obscured by trees so I don't have to view that way so I can move the scope away from that wall. This gives me a much clearance around the scope as on the longer 2 sides, giving me a view to the N E & S ( I hope you understand that I am trying say) I intend to have a slight slope on the roof with a 3" drop over the 4' lenght. Is this enough. I don't want the roof shooting across my garden when I release the catches. lol

Robin

[centroid]

I intend to have a slight slope on the roof with a 3" drop over the 4' lenght. Is this enough. Robin

That amount of 'fall' should be fine Robin. If its a single sheet of roofing felt, there's nothing more you need to do. However, if you are going to overlap the felt, then you might want to consider using roofing felt adhesive on the overlap, as if the 'fall' isn't very steep, then water will 'creap' uphill under the felt by capillliary attraction.

Dave

[canuck]

Maybe this will help, or give you some ideas....

I adapted an 8" x 6" shed into a 6 x 6" rolloff last summer. While it has a pitched roof, it may give you an idea or two. My back garden severely restricts the "observatory" concept, so I tried to keep it inexpensive, and simple. The rails stow away inside the shed when not in use, so it just looks like a fairly normal shed during the day. The rails are inserted into notches and supported by a single upright when I want to remove the roof.

Rather than put the wheels on the roof, I placed a very simple set of rails on the underside of the roof, which then pivots up, and runs on two castors when offloading. The castors are placed at the corners of an internal 4"x2" frame that the shed is built around (very few garden sheds are strong enough to supprt the stress of having the roof removed without fairly serious modification). So I decided to just build the shed around the frame. Everything came from B&Q.

Gravity helps close the roof, and it slots into place on top of the roof. This means a bit of muscle is required to get the roof up and and moving on the rails, but once up, the roof reaches the balance point fairly quickly, so all I really have to do is push a bit, and keep it running straight on the rails.

I started this reply thinking I would load some pictures, but it would seem as if I can't...so I now don't know how useful my input is! :? :scratch:

If you're interested, feel free to pm me with an e-mail address, and I'll be happy to send a a few pictures.

Pictures now added ....

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[Nebulizer]

Hi Robin

Before the 10" I had an 8" Meade SN, in an area 6ft x 9ft. The 6ft distance was fine but depending on just where it was pointing I sometimes had to breath in to get past it.

Had to move the partition wall to give 7ft clearance for the 10"

Cheer's

Terry

[MikeP]

A cunning design canuck. I like it.

Mike

[SteelRat]

That looks nice Richard.