Flip top lid!!!

[Alan White]

Sorry to hear the plan has not worked for you.

Thanks for sharing the why with us all as we can learn from this issue you have found.

Roll off sounds the way to go, I share your thoughts on how it looks, but sometimes function over aesthetic is needed.

Look forward to the Mark 2 pictures in the summer.

[Gina]

Same here.  I too like trying unconventional ideas and also some of these fail but it's this sort of attitude that leads to advances in science and engineering   Good luck with your second build

[Adam J]

I think for a mini obsy the hinged design is in fact optimal especially if using German hinges as Skipper Billy used. Once you are getting higher walls and heavier roof panels then you need to be using a roll off roof design. 

[chrisblaylock]

I'm planning on building a folding-roof observatory behind my garage.  I'm quite limited for space (around 2mx2m), but it does provide good dark views to the south and east.  In theory (!) the roof  will push up to fold in the middle, then latch against my garage wall.  I think I can make use of continuous PVC hinges to keep it all watertight.  Assuming I decide it is all possible, I'll start a build thread.

 

[Adaaam75]

Here is my plan b in build phase guys. Almost there! Pier courtesy of a very kind brother in law minus cost of materials!

[gary1968]

On ‎12‎/‎07‎/‎2016 at 20:41, Skipper Billy said:

It can be done ......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/113316085@N05/albums/72157663274320360

 

 

Hi David, sorry to resurect an old post.... The problem getting the split roof to seal, how did you get round that? I am planning a small obs build just now and still to finalise my roof design, yours looks great.

Cheers, Gary

[Skipper Billy]

Hello Gary

I will take some photos when it stops raining - much easier than trying to explain in words.

Its not difficult and even during biblical rain and high winds (like today!) it is bone dry.

All the best.

David.

[Peakedge]

David

What size is your observatory? I need to downsize mine and now seems a good time as the roof needs replacing. Yours seems perfect, especially how the roof opens!!

Thanks to Gary for reinvigorating this thread and highlighting your set-up!

Kind regards

David

 

 

[Skipper Billy]

16 minutes ago, Peakedge said:

What size is your observatory?

It's about 1400mm sq - if it ever stops raining I will take some photos and measurements.

It nearly stopped this morning but then decided to carry on again! 😉 

[gary1968]

On 16/01/2021 at 22:31, Skipper Billy said:

Hello Gary

I will take some photos when it stops raining - much easier than trying to explain in words.

Its not difficult and even during biblical rain and high winds (like today!) it is bone dry.

All the best.

David.

Thanks David

 

[Skipper Billy]

OK - the external measurements are .....

External 1500mm x 1500mm 

Height to top of door (exc roof) 1300mm

Internal 1400mm x 1400 x 1300mm

The inverted V shaped strip across the join in the roof halves is fixed and sealed to one of the roof halves (the side that faces the prevailing wind). The seal between this capping strip and the other half of the roof is sealed with a strip of butyl weatherproof non adhesive (one one side!) tape. The half that the capping strip is permanently fastened to must always be opened first and closed last.

Hope the following photos and brief (amateur!) video help.

Fire away with any questions and I will do my best to assist.

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Skipper Billy

[Swoop1]

Thanks for that video Skipper. That is the first time I have seen that type of roof in operation and how easy it works.

[gary1968]

2 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

OK - the external measurements are .....

External 1500mm x 1500mm 

Height to top of door (exc roof) 1300mm

Internal 1400mm x 1400 x 1300mm

The inverted V shaped strip across the join in the roof halves is fixed and sealed to one of the roof halves (the side that faces the prevailing wind). The seal between this capping strip and the other half of the roof is sealed with a strip of butyl weatherproof non adhesive (one one side!) tape. The half that the capping strip is permanently fastened to must always be opened first and closed last.

Hope the following photos and brief (amateur!) video help.

Fire away with any questions and I will do my best to assist.

 

Thanks David. I suspected that was the design, nice to see it works. I'll be building my micro obs this year and still pondering a few different roof designs.

 

Gary

[Skipper Billy]

Those of us old enough to remember Benny Hill might find this amusing - I did but then again small things and small minds.......

This at real life speed with the weather we are having - clear - raining - clear - raining - clear - raining .......

 

[Peakedge]

David

All this detail is amazing and guess I know how I'm doing my roof now. I particularly like the Benny Hill music on the second video. That show is a fond memory from my youth, probably never to be repeated!

I was going to ask how the roof stays on but guess that is the pivoting arms that do that! What is the roofing material?

 

David

[Skipper Billy]

7 minutes ago, Peakedge said:

I was going to ask how the roof stays on but guess that is the pivoting arms that do that! What is the roofing material?

Yes, the arms effectively lock the roof down against high winds as well as acting a a pivot and guide.  We have had winds of >100mph and biblical rain and snow and it has never let a drop of water in.

The roofing material is 'EPDM' - https://www.rubber4roofs.co.uk/shop/epdm-rubber-roofing

[Mark2022]

On 12/07/2016 at 20:41, Skipper Billy said:

It can be done ......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/113316085@N05/albums/72157663274320360

 

 

That is a fantastic design.  I have been looking for something which just fits what I need and I think that's it. I'd want to house a fork mounted Meade 8inch SCT and a Skywatcher EQ5 with 120mm aperture F6 refractor however so I'd simply have to make mine wider. If you have drawings etc that would be fantastic to see.

[Skipper Billy]

10 hours ago, Mark2022 said:

That is a fantastic design.  I have been looking for something which just fits what I need and I think that's it. I'd want to house a fork mounted Meade 8inch SCT and a Skywatcher EQ5 with 120mm aperture F6 refractor however so I'd simply have to make mine wider. If you have drawings etc that would be fantastic to see.

You are very kind!

I dont have any drawings or plans etc - I made it up as I went along. If  can help in any way just message me - delighted to help.

It has worked very well for me and has never let a single drop of rain in despite biblical rain and winds over well over 100 kts and temperatures down to -20º

 

[Mark2022]

On 25/11/2022 at 09:55, Skipper Billy said:

You are very kind!

I dont have any drawings or plans etc - I made it up as I went along. If  can help in any way just message me - delighted to help.

It has worked very well for me and has never let a single drop of rain in despite biblical rain and winds over well over 100 kts and temperatures down to -20º

 

Hi Billy,

I've just managed to get my hands on the wood from an 8x8ft shed which I stripped down from a neighbour. I won't be working on it until Spring but I have a few issues I need to consider:

1. I don't have a garden but have a first floor "terrace/balcony" approx 5mx5m which is actually above a car port. There is a certain amount of flexure when walking around on it - not drastic but, when using my Meade LX10 for example with my DSLR attached, if I'm walking/moving near it, Jupiter, for example, will drift in the camera viewfinder/liveview screen. There is nothing I can do to improve this as any reconstruction of the floor would be an immense and expensive job. The only thing I thought of was to use a number of heavy stone slabs around the scope. How many, I don't know. It wouldn't eradicate the issue but might help a little.

2.  I don't have a pier and have no intention of buying one - again, a pier wouldn't be able to be fixed to the ground because then I would be making holes in the rather thin rubber  which acts as a rain/moisture barrier. On top of that rubber is simply artificial grass. It's like a raised, enclosed, garden in a sense which has views to the East/south east (from about 25 degrees above horizon to zenith) and then to the north/north west (from about 40 degrees to zenith). I have a wall blocking north/north east and south south west. Luckily, I have a clear view to polaris. So, although I don't want to build anything much larger that what you have, you can walk around your pier but, using a tripod, that  will be much more difficult.

The  idea I have is to polar align the tripod and mount best possible and build around it while having the capability to go in now and then and make slight polar adjustments if necessary. I really want to set the tripod as firmly as possible however so this is unnecessary. I can then use either my refractor or the SCT - swap/change as I wish - while the polar alignment remains and the tripod and mount are protected from the elements.

The other thing, of course, is that I cannot fix the bottom of the shed/obs to the floor so it will just sit on an infixed wooden base. One side of it, however, will  be well protected from wind by a short approx 1.4m wall which acts as the sloped roof of the car port so it should be ok. Things are never straightforward!

 

[Skipper Billy]

It's never straightforward is it!!

I would suggest putting 3 x small (450 x 450) paving slabs down on the 'grass' each one with a hole drilled in the middle to take the spike of the tripod legs - that would give some damping and make polar alignment much easier as long as you don't move the paving slabs once you have done the initial polar alignment.

I would also suggest setting up remote operation - partly for the comfort factor but mostly so you don't need to be near the rig when its working. If the roof has got any flex at all it will spoil your imaging/guiding. 

Have fun.

David (aka Skipper Billy)

 

[Mark2022]

2 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

It's never straightforward is it!!

I would suggest putting 3 x small (450 x 450) paving slabs down on the 'grass' each one with a hole drilled in the middle to take the spike of the tripod legs - that would give some damping and make polar alignment much easier as long as you don't move the paving slabs once you have done the initial polar alignment.

I would also suggest setting up remote operation - partly for the comfort factor but mostly so you don't need to be near the rig when its working. If the roof has got any flex at all it will spoil your imaging/guiding. 

Have fun.

David (aka Skipper Billy)

 

Oh it's David? Sorry! LOL I won't ask for an explanation! haha

Yes, remote has been the plan from day one. As for the holes in the slabs - good idea. Cheers "Skipper"!

[Mark2022]

On 03/02/2023 at 10:32, Skipper Billy said:

It's never straightforward is it!!

I would suggest putting 3 x small (450 x 450) paving slabs down on the 'grass' each one with a hole drilled in the middle to take the spike of the tripod legs - that would give some damping and make polar alignment much easier as long as you don't move the paving slabs once you have done the initial polar alignment.

I would also suggest setting up remote operation - partly for the comfort factor but mostly so you don't need to be near the rig when its working. If the roof has got any flex at all it will spoil your imaging/guiding. 

Have fun.

David (aka Skipper Billy)

 

Hi again David.

Did you build this twice or did you just make adjustments to it?  The reason I ask is I see in your website, photos showing the obsy with a small door and yet here, in your video, the door seems to be about full height to the roof section.

Also, re the roof membrane - which specific product on the website did you use? Also, how did you approach adding the roof handles without causing water ingress?

Thanks. I'm sure, once I start building, there will be more questions to come! 🙂

Cheers,

Mark

[Skipper Billy]

Hello Mark

Just built the once but I altered the half height door to full height after a couple of seasons of use - the bending and crawling on my knees on a frozen surface wasn't doing my old back any good and it was structurally strong enough to be OK with a full height door. It made life much easier.

The roof is covered in EPDM - very easy to use, completely waterproof and still in good nick 8 years on.  ClassicBond® 1.2mm EPDM Rubber Roof Membrane | Rubber4Roofs

The handles were sealed inside and out with Sikaflex 291 - not a single drop of water has ever passed even with the grandkids using it as a climbing frame !

Good luck!

David

 

 

[Adaaam75]

On 11/02/2023 at 09:49, Skipper Billy said:

Hello Mark

Just built the once but I altered the half height door to full height after a couple of seasons of use - the bending and crawling on my knees on a frozen surface wasn't doing my old back any good and it was structurally strong enough to be OK with a full height door. It made life much easier.

The roof is covered in EPDM - very easy to use, completely waterproof and still in good nick 8 years on.  ClassicBond® 1.2mm EPDM Rubber Roof Membrane | Rubber4Roofs

The handles were sealed inside and out with Sikaflex 291 - not a single drop of water has ever passed even with the grandkids using it as a climbing frame !

Good luck!

David

 

 

That is great stuff, so much easier to use and inexpensive for the reward. What a great idea! I will be using this for my next build 👍🏼

[900SL]

I'm looking at a clamshell roof now

Should be possible to open and close this with linear actuators or a screwdrive

Basic sketch I knocked up just to start to get a handle on the basics