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Started My Obsy build at last :)


Stu1976j

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Well just thought I would share a few pics of today's progress on my observatory build, which has been about three years in the making and at last I can start :)

Its been a dream of mine for many years and for the first time am in a position to start the build. its not going to be the latest and most advanced, but to me just to have somewhere to house my setup and build on that is brilliant. just to have the scope ready to start up and do my astrophotography.

Its going to be 10ft x 6ft with a small compact warm room at the north end right of pictures. 

And for now will have a Meade ETX 105 with Canon EOS500D and Meade dsi for auto guiding of an off axis setup.

would rather have a obsy than a scope upgrade right now.

hoping to get it up and running within the next two months tops. all going to plan. its going to have a roll of roof motorised. plenty more to post in time.

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Yes kirkster501 it is. it sounds bad but there have been  so many occasions I have missed what could of been a good imaging session, because of the thought of dragging all my gear out doors and alignment precess and so on. at least with the obsy built even if there's only a two hour window of clear sky I can get to work :)

Zeds I will be putting plenty of images on hopefully the end of each day weather permitting the work that is, and I have a two weeks holiday so plenty of time to get the worst of the work out the way.

 

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Hi Stu

A word of caution never under estimate the amount of time it will take to construct especially this time of year. Apart from that welcome to wonderful world of DIY observatories doing a running blog on the build is a great way to see much you have progressed and is an aid to all other budding DIY Ob's builders out there . I too will watch this thread great interest.

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Hi and thanks for the word of warning the storm fisherman, its true and realised its going to take a little longer than first thought, but I love my DIY so it's all good. Skybound it's the fact that with DIY you can do anything you want compared to buying out the box so to speak. Well I have a few new pic's of today's progress got a little held up with digging out and leveling out but as we all know things have to be pretty much mm perfect if its going to work at planned and needed. 

 

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2 hours ago, poogle said:

Nice progress there!

We got 4 centimeters of snow here today so no progress with my build :)

Wow I am glad we have not had anything like that. I am just hoping for a few more days of dry weather, ideally until the end of next week when I have to get back to work.

I hope things improve for you and you can get underway with your build :)

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Until we get started on an obsy of our own there is great vicarious pleasure in watching someone else build one!  Our garden slopes so I'm more than familiar with the problem of setting out and getting a level; takes ages and you feel like you're making so little progress {{sigh}}

Question for you - are you going to do anything to reinforce the timber edging on the raised bed behind your build?  It already looks like it is not 100% straight, and sadly over time that will only get worse as rain and soil bacteria do their best to the timber supports.  Or in real life does it not matter, and if the timber rots then you'll just allow the bed to come closer to the back of the obsy?

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20 hours ago, The Head Gardener said:

Until we get started on an obsy of our own there is great vicarious pleasure in watching someone else build one!  Our garden slopes so I'm more than familiar with the problem of setting out and getting a level; takes ages and you feel like you're making so little progress {{sigh}}

Question for you - are you going to do anything to reinforce the timber edging on the raised bed behind your build?  It already looks like it is not 100% straight, and sadly over time that will only get worse as rain and soil bacteria do their best to the timber supports.  Or in real life does it not matter, and if the timber rots then you'll just allow the bed to come closer to the back of the obsy?

Hi there The Head Gardener, Yes there is going to be some work carried out on the raised bed behind the obsy. I have a little more digging and building to do there. I plan on replacing the wooden timbers that support the retaining wall with some of the concrete fence posts cutting them down to size, and putting a water proof membrane between just the section behind the obsy. The retaining wall has been there already for about 6 years but will be worked on, don't want any problems in the future at the obsy area. thanks for the interest and concern though :) 

Are you planning on getting underway with yours in the near future ?

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Well only a small amount of work carried out yesterday due to other commitments but hoping to be able to get the floor down over this weekend. I placed the pipping which is some down pipe I had laying around, for the cables from the scope and camera controls to run through. I know it's not the largest distance in the world about four feet but was not wanting cables laying all over the floor and a trip hazard or more importantly ripping one out of something and or braking some equipment. And I am aware down pipe may be a little over the top but this build is on a very strict budget so I have to do some improvisation here and there :)

 

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2 hours ago, Stu1976j said:

Are you planning on getting underway with yours in the near future ?

Err, yes, but . . .

We have a large garden with (theoretically) plenty room for an obsy shed but in order to avoid going for planning permission (unsympathetic local council) we need to keep the obsy back from the existing building line.  Which means that a shed which is already sited where the obsy will go has to be moved (no, it cannot be converted). 

But for the small shed to move I have to relocate my cold frames. 

But for the cold frames to relocate I have to move/use a log pile that's 12' long and 7' high . . .

Nothing here is ever simple :(

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2 hours ago, Stu1976j said:

Well only a small amount of work carried out yesterday due to other commitments but hoping to be able to get the floor down over this weekend. I placed the pipping which is some down pipe I had laying around, for the cables from the scope and camera controls to run through.

Really sensible Stu, but before you make it any more permanent, run a pulling line through it.  I know from the experience of taking power from a shed to the greenhouse (same distance you as you have there) what a pain in the wotsit it can be to get cables through conduit without a line to help you (and if you can work out a way of doing it so the pulling line stays in place to allow for future cable enhancements, so much the better).

 

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Hi Stu

+1 for Jayne's suggestion to get a pulling cord in.

Make it at least twice as long as the pipework so that you can pull it back afterwards, then you can install more cables at a later date if necessary. 

I see that you have large diameter pipes (good), but the bends aren't "slow", so pulling cables will be harder than you might imagine - make that pulling cord a strong one.

Also it's good practice not to run mains and data down the same pipe, in case of interference.

Michael

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21 hours ago, The Head Gardener said:

Really sensible Stu, but before you make it any more permanent, run a pulling line through it.  I know from the experience of taking power from a shed to the greenhouse (same distance you as you have there) what a pain in the wotsit it can be to get cables through conduit without a line to help you (and if you can work out a way of doing it so the pulling line stays in place to allow for future cable enhancements, so much the better).

 

Oh my word, sounds like rather a nightmare regards your obsy build problem. But sounds like you have an impressive log pile there in your garden :)

Regards the conduit actually pulling the wires through I never even gave a second thought to be honest, I can get a little single tracked minded at times so pleased you bought the subject up. I got no work on the obsy done yesterday due to being called into work unexpectedly and for this morning but I will get a guide line put through this afternoon. 

Thanks for the word of warning :)

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5 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Stu

+1 for Jayne's suggestion to get a pulling cord in.

Make it at least twice as long as the pipework so that you can pull it back afterwards, then you can install more cables at a later date if necessary. 

I see that you have large diameter pipes (good), but the bends aren't "slow", so pulling cables will be harder than you might imagine - make that pulling cord a strong one.

Also it's good practice not to run mains and data down the same pipe, in case of interference.

Michael

Wow another great point, so many things that can be looked over in building an obsy. after reading your comment I may very well run an extra pipe under there as don't want to be running into interference problems once I have finished the build and want to start enjoying imaging sessions in there.  That or I may run the mains through the frame of the obsy. I do plan on insulating the walls, and putting a small window between the warm room and the scope housing room. decisions decisions decisions. 

Thanks michael for the heads up though on the possible problem it's great to get other peoples views and input on things.

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2 hours ago, Stu1976j said:

That or I may run the mains through the frame of the obsy.

Stu,

Put all your unseen cables in rodent-proof conduit . . . you might not be aware of nasty little nibbling creatures at present, but once it gets really cold, and once you have created a snug, warm, insulated space, be prepare to make their acquaintance unless you have it well built and well-sealed!  As you're using the 68mm drainpipe there will be plenty of room for adding extras in the future (great suggestion from Michael re: length of pulling cord).

I would work out a way of having the end of the 68mm pipe flush with, or proud of, the floor (trip hazards not withstanding!)  That way the only access for mice/rats is if they are already inside your obsy, and hopefully you can prevent that.

 

 

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3 hours ago, Stu1976j said:

Oh my word, sounds like rather a nightmare regards your obsy build problem. But sounds like you have an impressive log pile there in your garden :)

Nah, not really.  Just the result of having spent the last ten years creating a decent garden from nothing, and now wanting something different . . . of course,  when we started to lay out that part of the garden, if we had known that an old (and at the time dormant) interest in astronomy would re-surface we would have done a couple of things differently.  But with the benefit of hindsight we're all Einstein!  And yes, we do have a decent log pile (or three), comes from cutting down a small forest of leylandii :happy3:

 

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Is "smurf tube" available in your area? It would be much easier to pull cables through than the pipe with hard right angle bends.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-2-in-x-25-ft-ENT-Conduit-Coil-12011-25/207160084?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|G|0|G-BASE-PLA-D27E-Electrical|&gclid=Cj0KEQjwhvbABRDOp4rahNjh-tMBEiQA0QgTGpSP9tzJHo1n_6VLzWfhP6sXoFhtu6N89EZ50P9YcuEaAiCa8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have supply houses here where they will cut off and sell only as much as you want.

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8 hours ago, The Head Gardener said:

Stu,

Put all your unseen cables in rodent-proof conduit . . . you might not be aware of nasty little nibbling creatures at present, but once it gets really cold, and once you have created a snug, warm, insulated space, be prepare to make their acquaintance unless you have it well built and well-sealed!  As you're using the 68mm drainpipe there will be plenty of room for adding extras in the future (great suggestion from Michael re: length of pulling cord).

I would work out a way of having the end of the 68mm pipe flush with, or proud of, the floor (trip hazards not withstanding!)  That way the only access for mice/rats is if they are already inside your obsy, and hopefully you can prevent that.

 

 

Afternoon Jayne Yes if I run the cables through the wall frame I have some 30mm steel pipe I can use to run the mains through so that will keep the rodents at bay I hope. I shall be back to work on it tomorrow weather permitting so will make my final decision then. 

I more often than not think on my toes whilst doing my building work. even though I am working from some plans I made up always some room for improvement :)

I have been looking around for some rubber end caps for the pipe, and yes once I have the floor down I will be making sure the pipe is flush with the floor. 

And yes agree michaels idea is a great idea. can't think of anything worse than needing to put a new cable through, which I am sure I will be upgrading some what within the next year.

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4 hours ago, mwayne said:

Is "smurf tube" available in your area? It would be much easier to pull cables through than the pipe with hard right angle bends.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-2-in-x-25-ft-ENT-Conduit-Coil-12011-25/207160084?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|G|0|G-BASE-PLA-D27E-Electrical|&gclid=Cj0KEQjwhvbABRDOp4rahNjh-tMBEiQA0QgTGpSP9tzJHo1n_6VLzWfhP6sXoFhtu6N89EZ50P9YcuEaAiCa8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have supply houses here where they will cut off and sell only as much as you want.

HI thanks for the link regards the above but have this one sorted, but could very well come in handy in the future :)

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Well day seven on the obsy build and had some wonderful weather a tad chilly but better than rain. So started with a trip down to the builders merchants to pick up some materials and then onto some building. I have managed to erect the main frame and board half of it up. a long way to go but building is half the fun :)  obviously the roof is going to be the more complex stage so that will be when progress slows. I pushed a little today to get as much done as I could as weather is supposed to be on the change tonight last I heard. hope you enjoy the pics.

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