Roll Off Shed for scope store and keeping warm?

[Alan White]

Does anyone here have a shed for store of scope and a warm area to shelter and warm up?

I have arthritus and am finding I need to keep going inside to warm up and it ruins my adapted sight, 
if I were to use a shed for store and warming area it may perhaps work.

Can anyone offer advice please, especially if this is what you do?

I do not want a pier or similar yet, it would be a tripod.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Alan White

[RayD]

I think many here have observatories which are essentially adapted sheds (roll off roof). What you are describing is perhaps similar to what I do in the UK with my C8, which is to store it in a heated shed, move it out when I image, obviously with enough time to cool, and then I sit in the shed with my laptop to do the actual imaging. 

All I do for this is to run my 12v power supply cable and LAN cable if I'm not using WiFi, and only use red light on my head torch if I need light just to reduce dark adaptation problems. 

[Ouroboros]

I work out of a shed as a warm room with some hard standing outside on which I set up the telescope. I run power out to the shed for a small oil filled electric radiator for warmth, and for my laptop and other kit for the astronomy. I can keep the temperature at around 10-15C in the coldest weather which is OK when I'm all togged up for being outside.  I also have a fan heater in there if it really gets cold.  I mainly do imaging but if I'm observing at least I've got somewhere handy I can pop in to warm up quickly. The secret is to wear lots of layers. Thermal undies make a real difference and then lots of layers on top of those.  It's my fingers that get really cold to the point I can't use them.  But I can quickly warm them up by popping in the shed for a while. Fingerless gloves help and those hand warmers you recharge in hot water too. 

[Pig]

Alan,
I don't store my scope in the shed but I do use it to warm up if needs be  I have a fan heater, a comfy chair inside and I take a flask of coffee so I can nip in and out as I please, I also use a head torch with a red light.
I am sure you already know that the real key is to have some decent cold weather gear to keep you as warm as possible for as long as possible, especially your feet.

One word of caution is not to make the shed to comfy, I have on one occasion woken up in there many hours later with an eyepiece in my hand

[Alan White]

Thank you for the input folks, much appreciated as always.

That's good to know a shed warm room is a reasonable idea.
I already use a concrete slab for observing and it has enough room for a modest shed (or summer house) and still retain good space and the important sky view.

What size warm room sheds are you guys using please?
I need to negotiate with the 'Boss' about this yet though.
Any pictures would be good, so I can show what others are using please.

 

[Ouroboros]

6 x 8 feet in old money. Could be slightly smaller I suppose. I've put a wide shelf down one side to be a table and there's enough room to sit at it to work the lap top for imaging. 

[Alan White]

Having pondered this for some time I still wish to do the same thing but how about make a roll off shed (not roof) that covers my tripod on the observing pad I use.

I then can have an aligned mount that can be moved if needed and a small shelter for my other kit and me when observing. Also saves me lugging the kit in and out across the garden.

A roll of at 1.2 X 1.2 footprint and 1.5 metres high perhaps.

I will make a sketch later, but you thoughts please.

[Alan White]

I spoke with a local planing officer today.

As long as its 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 m it's a shed and thats ok.
Any bigger and it's not and it will need permission.

In all honesty I doubt it will even be that big, cue the 5 x 5 m mega obsy!

 

[RayD]

19 hours ago, Alan White said:

I spoke with a local planing officer today.

As long as its 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 m it's a shed and thats ok.
Any bigger and it's not and it will need permission.

In all honesty I doubt it will even be that big, cue the 5 x 5 m mega obsy!

 

I'm not so sure it has an actual size limit Alan, providing it doesn't take up more than 50% of the land surrounding the house.  The important thing to keep in mind is the height, which I think they are pretty hot on now.

In a nutshell, if the "shed" is more than 2m from a boundary wall or fence, the the maximum height of the eves is 2.5m, and the maximum overall height is 4m.  If it is located less than 2m from a boundary wall or fence, then the maximum overall height is 2.5m.

Get the obsy done, I'm part way through my build now and really excited for it, but several people have done your roll off shed solution, and it works a treat.

Edited March 14, 2017 by RayD

[Alan White]

2 hours ago, RayD said:

Get the obsy done

Ray, that's the key bit you said.

Thank you about the sizes, the chap was a bit waffly, so what you say makes more sense.
Perhaps a good old 8 x 8 ROR woul be best, but my wallet will not stretch to that sadly.
ROS is the best thing, pier also perhaps.

Thanks

[ollypenrice]

Have you thought about a rolling 'sentry box?' I had the feeling that this was what you had in mind. I've made three of these and find they work well. Here's the Mk One, still in service 13 years later. The front doors open and the whole thing rolls back to uncover the scope. It can then be used as a warm room. BUT  I did this one the hard way simply because the better way hadn't occurred to me. I welded up a steel rolling chassis and clad it with pine boards. It doesn't have a floor so it's a bit awkward to use as a warm room but, having no floor, it will roll over and away from a full tripod.

But here's the best way: forget the tripod and install a fixed pier. This changes everything, believe me. Cut a thick plywood floor with the same total footprint as your shed and put wheels on this floor it so it runs on rails. Cut a slot out of the floor so it can roll forwards till the pier is at the centre. Buy a proprietory shed and bolt it to this rolling floor. Job done. This is way easier than trying to weld up a chassis and it gives the shed an almost complete floor when used as a warm room. You'd have a hinged panel to fill in the slot in this mode and a fold-down table and seat permanently attached to the walls. If you insist on a tripod the slot in the floor to clear it becomes too wide. That's why the pier changes everything.

I've seen many examples of this design, the best being one described on here by Singlin a few years ago. You might be able to find it. Here's another classic example of this idea done to a lavish standard. https://www.facebook.com/perry.pollard/media_set?set=a.517407268290547.123019.100000638365319&type=1&l=09398aaa16

You can choose your level of lavishness with a bog standard UPVC shed at the bottom end of the scale. It will still work fine and just look like a small tool shed. Personally, though I've never made one like this, I think this is as close to the perfect a way of doing it as you're likely to get.

Olly

 

Edited March 14, 2017 by ollypenrice

[Alan White]

Olly, that is correct, sentry type arrangement.

I am finding it a slight challenge at the minute Because it sits in the garden not a boundary and it is I am told looking like an outside toilet........I did offer to cut a etc shape in the door for ventilation. ?

[ollypenrice]

16 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Olly, that is correct, sentry type arrangement.

I am finding it a slight challenge at the minute Because it sits in the garden not a boundary and it is I am told looking like an outside toilet........I did offer to cut a etc shape in the door for ventilation. ?

You just need to cultivate the look. You see, there is this look I give people who say it looks like an outside toilet. There have never been any repeat offences... 

They don't have to look like loos. There are very attractive chalet-style sheds available. Then there are flower pots, hanging baskets and other disguises!

Olly

[Alan White]

Olly

one serious question, how do you stop it blowing over in high wind?

i live on a hill and catch the wind, the obey pad for obvious reasons is in the open...

[tony210]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

You just need to cultivate the look. You see, there is this look I give people who say it looks like an outside toilet. There have never been any repeat offences... 

They don't have to look like loos. There are very attractive chalet-style sheds available. Then there are flower pots, hanging baskets and other disguises!

Olly

My neighbor commented that he thought that my precious Pulsar Observatory ( delivered and installed at some cost ) was a "Porta Loo" for some building project in my garden!!- I've never quite got over that-it might be why I have shrouded it with a trellis and shrubs now--such is life - Tony.

[ollypenrice]

1 minute ago, Alan White said:

Olly

one serious question, how do you stop it blowing over in high wind?

i live on a hill and catch the wind, the obey pad for obvious reasons is in the open...

If you live in Essex you don't live on a hill. I  live on a hill - at 3000 feet in the Alps. 

No, but good question. What I do is have a kind of 6 inch high and 8 inch wide steel mini 'goal post' thing bolted down into the concrete. As the shed rolls to its 'cover the scope' position a tongue on the chassis passes under the mini goal post and a traditional latch of home construction clunks into position. The latch stops the shed rolling back and the tongue under the goal post stops it lifting. You can add guy chains on carabiners on the outside as well, if worried. To open the latch I have a cord attached to it. The cord goes from the latch, up to the roof, crosses beneath it, and hangs near the open door. I pull on this to lift the latch and roll the shed back. Sometimes people smile at this arrangement but they get the look as well and soon start to behave...

If you use the Wise One method of the flat rolling base with standard shed bolted to it, it becomes easier still. You make your pier bomb proof and set into a good lump of connie. You then put a couple of extensions through it (like a pair of arms) which are just higher than the floor. The floor rolls up to the pier and no further (because the pier stops it) and the 'arms' just above the floor stop the shed lifting. But guy it as well. The only time my 'goal post and latch' has been overcome was last week when the sentry box was hit by the airborne roof of another (larger) observatory which had been torn off by hurricane whotsit. Even this indignity did not upset the sentry box which remained upright, though with its door bashed in. Surprizingly we only needed a team of worthies to lift the errant roof back on and it was undamaged. I am, though, working on the system which holds it down!!!

Olly

[ollypenrice]

17 minutes ago, tony210 said:

My neighbor commented that he thought that my precious Pulsar Observatory ( delivered and installed at some cost ) was a "Porta Loo" for some building project in my garden!!- I've never quite got over that-it might be why I have shrouded it with a trellis and shrubs now--such is life - Tony.

You're in good company...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/mar/17/bob-dylan-porta-potty-smell

Olly

[CraigT82]

My plan, when we move into our new house with garden (luxury!!) at the end of summer is to buy one of these (4x6) and modify it into a ROS.

http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/wooden-sheds/master-pent-shed

The base model doesn't come with floor so is perfect for a ROS project.  I plan to fit wheels to it which will sit in steel channels, and the channels will extend into the garden and the whole lot will roll off to reveal scope on tripod.

Inside I plan to have small shelf style table which will hinge up to be flat against the wall in closed mode, and will lower down once opened.

EDIT: meant to add, the whole structure without the floor might be a bit floppy so I plan to add some internal bracing (probably steel) just to stiffen it all up a bit.

Edited March 14, 2017 by CraigT82

[Alan White]

34 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

 

If you live in Essex you don't live on a hill. I  live on a hill - at 3000 feet in the Alps. 

 

Olly, ? I will have you know I am 61m above sea level, in Essex, that's alpine!

Its not the height it's being exposed.

Thanks for you input, it really helps.

This has got my good lady engaged with the challenge, perhaps a good solution may be forthcoming.

Edited March 14, 2017 by Alan White

[ollypenrice]

12 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

My plan, when we move into our new house with garden (luxury!!) at the end of summer is to buy one of these (4x6) and modify it into a ROS.

http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/wooden-sheds/master-pent-shed

The base model doesn't come with floor so is perfect for a ROS project.  I plan to fit wheels to it which will sit in steel channels, and the channels will extend into the garden and the whole lot will roll off to reveal scope on tripod.

Inside I plan to have small shelf style table which will hinge up to be flat against the wall in closed mode, and will lower down once opened.

EDIT: meant to add, the whole structure without the floor might be a bit floppy so I plan to add some internal bracing (probably steel) just to stiffen it all up a bit.

Wow, so the warm room rolls as well. That's going to be quite a thing to roll. I'd choose your wheels and rails very carefully in that case. I've found the best by far are the garden gate style ones with an upturned vee section rail and a female vee section wheel, both in steel. The other thing is that the warm room will roll away from the scope. I'd have thought it preferable to have the warm room close to it.

In my roll off with warm room the obsy roof rolls over the warm room.

 

Olly

Edited March 15, 2017 by ollypenrice

[CraigT82]

No sorry it's not the big shed shown in the link when it opens, it's the 4x6 I'm planning on. No plans for a warm room!

[ollypenrice]

2 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

No sorry it's not the big shed shown in the link when it opens, it's the 4x6 I'm planning on. No plans for a warm room!

Ah yes, that should be great. How I wish I'd thought of this before all that welding! 

Olly