Ray's Observatory Build

[RayD]

On 31/03/2017 at 17:13, spillage said:

looks like they have been there a while. what with those very white looking arms. maybe they are albino.

That's funny, it does look like a pair of milky white arms looking at it 

[RayD]

6 hours ago, carastro said:

Love the rubber gloves over the pipes.  

Wish some-one had given me that tip before I laid my decking, despite putting wood around the edge the wildlife have tunnelled underneath making a mess of the edge of the lawn.  I think I am going to have to lay paving around the edge of the decking now.  

Carole 

That's a shame Carole as it looks like it is going to work a treat, and was really easy to do whilst building, so a huge thanks for the top tip 

[RayD]

Well the scheduled rain held off so another reasonably productive day today.

Started on the walls and framing, and it actually feels a little more like an observatory now.

Wall framing was pretty standard, as I suspect most other obsy builds.  Top and bottom plates with uprights at 400 centres.

All nailed together with the framing Paslode and 75mm nails.  Squared across corners carefully before being clad with 9mm OSB.

 

I decided to use 100 x 100 posts (treated fence posts) in each corner, and at the point between the two sections.  There's a few reasons for this, but the main one is that I intend to use these posts as the main supports for the ROR runners.  Also it provides a nice detail for the cladding, and really secures the walls nicely.

 

[RayD]

Another productive day.  Installed the internal wall today which really squared and steadied things up loads.

Made the opening for the double glazed unit I got for between the warm room and scope room, and will line that when I'm fitting the glass, which given my luck isn't any time soon!!

Set the door liner in, and have gone for a 686 wide door, which is plenty wide enough.  That will open in to the warm room.

Left a 250mm recess on the left of the door as I'm planning to make a full height kit cupboard there for smaller bits & bobs.

Got the insulation in and the internal ply on.

Next step is to install all the insulation in the scope room and install the internal ply, and then start on the warm room section.

 

 

[RayD]

Got a bit more done today.  Got most of the warm room framed out and the roof joists set on the warm room.

Used 75 x 45 joists as the warm room section is fairly small, so set them at 400 centres.

Set the door opening for a 762 door, so will line that over the weekend.

Going to finish the insulation at the weekend and try to get some of the Tyvek wrap on to protect the OSB if it rains. 

[carastro]

Looking great.

 

Carole 

[RayD]

2 hours ago, carastro said:

Looking great.

 

Carole 

Thanks Carole.

[RayD]

Well apart from a bit of sun burn I don't feel like much happened today as everything was time consuming.  However, we now have some roof on the warm room, a fully insulated scope room, and cut the internal door down and marked out the hinges ready for fitting tomorrow.

Danger now is I'm tempted to not install the ply as it feels like my very own little ISS room 

Cut the end of the roof joists flat so I can install some soffit board over them as I'm going to be fitting vent discs to allow some air flow above the insulation.

[Davey-T]

Coming along nicely Ray, better built than some loft extensions I've come across 

Dave

[RayD]

Just now, Davey-T said:

Coming along nicely Ray, better built than some loft extensions I've come across 

Dave

Cheers Dave.

Yes I suppose it is a bit on the rugged side, according to my poor back it's a lot on the rugged side 

[RayD]

Another day when not a lot seemed to get done, but everything done just took time.  Got the door on and lockable, and got the window liner in and the window set in place.  Also used up the rest of the plywood I had.

I'm certainly no carpenter, as you can clearly see to date, and I have to say every time I fit hinges and door locks I have nothing but admiration for proper chippy's.

I use a router to remove the bulk of the material for the hinges and set the fence to the size of the hinge.  I then use a very sharp chisel to finish off the ends and corners.

Going to order the rest of the OSB and plywood that I need so hoping for next weekend to have the warm room pretty much done.

Really pleased with the work completed over the weekend and it really is feeling like an actual observatory now.  I'm getting pretty excited.

 

[RayD]

Moved on a bit today.  Got the rest of the OSB fitted to the outside and finished off the insulation inside.  Got most of the Tyvek fitted as well so tomorrow is finishing off the ply internals, and then making the external door.

Found some spare architrave so put a bit round the window as well just to make it all feel a little homely 

 

[Starlight 1]

Look very good Ray  . I only thing that not right is the door hinges , bottom one go highter up .

[Starlight 1]

This was done in 50s 60s its the way  you  see things  when  lower down, so you put up abit by 20 or 30mm  something I do not see in new homes .

[RayD]

37 minutes ago, Starlight 1 said:

Look very good Ray  . I only thing that not right is the door hinges , bottom one go highter up .

Lol don't say that, I had a panic on then 

[Davey-T]

42 minutes ago, Starlight 1 said:

Look very good Ray  . I only thing that not right is the door hinges , bottom one go highter up .

Yes 6" down at top and 9" up at the bottom, looking on the bright side you cut them out of the right side, really annoying when you stand the door up and the hinges are on the wrong side.

Dave

[RayD]

1 minute ago, Davey-T said:

Yes 6" down at top and 9" up at the bottom

Really?  I never knew that.  I set the hinges in the same positions as mine indoors which are from when the house was built.  The middle hinge is there because it's a fire door, which I used to improve insulation, so it's a bit heavier.

I'm going to check everyones hinges now 

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, RayD said:

Really?  I never knew that.  I set the hinges in the same positions as mine indoors which are from when the house was built.  The middle hinge is there because it's a fire door, which I used to improve insulation, so it's a bit heavier.

I'm going to check everyones hinges now 

You just can't get the staff nowadays 

Don't think there's any technical reason for it, just easier to swing a hammer further off the floor, suppose they all use a router now.

Dave

[RayD]

3 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

You just can't get the staff nowadays 

Don't think there's any technical reason for it, just easier to swing a hammer further off the floor, suppose they all use a router now.

Dave

Ah I see, yes that would make sense Dave.  I used a router on the door and frame and it does make things easy.  They even make hinge and lock jigs now, so I suppose if you did it for a living it would make it worthwhile having one of them.

Oh well, it seems to work well so it can stay where it is now 

[nightfisher]

Ray, new to this thread, your doing a super job and looking forward to seeing the finished obsy pics, i was worried that you would leave the OSB uncovered on the outside but the membrane should be good, the 18mm hard faced ply looks like it came from where i work (Hanson ply)

This is a belt an braces build and will serve you for many years

 

[RayD]

14 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Ray, new to this thread, your doing a super job and looking forward to seeing the finished obsy pics, i was worried that you would leave the OSB uncovered on the outside but the membrane should be good, the 18mm hard faced ply looks like it came from where i work (Hanson ply)

This is a belt an braces build and will serve you for many years

 

Thanks Jules that's really appreciated.

I think the ply came from Travis Perkins as far as I can recall, but wherever it's from it really is good quality so no complaints from me.  I always worry that I'm going to get some rubbish shuttering ply full of knots passed off as decent stuff, but from TP every sheet has been spot on.

The Tyvek stuff is really good.  You do pay a bit more than a standard membrane like the green one from Screwfix, say, but it's pretty easy to put on, is very tear resistant for a paper like product and is guaranteed 100% water resistant, but of course breathable.  Obviously the build is costing a few bob so I thought the additional £40 on the membrane was a good investment.  The whole thing is now being clad in 16mm shiplap.

I know it's all OTT for an observatory, but to be honest Jules I'm really enjoying building it and getting massively excited about moving in 

[nightfisher]

3 minutes ago, RayD said:

Thanks Jules that's really appreciated.

I think the ply came from Travis Perkins as far as I can recall, but wherever it's from it really is good quality so no complaints from me.  I always worry that I'm going to get some rubbish shuttering ply full of knots passed off as decent stuff, but from TP every sheet has been spot on.

The Tyvek stuff is really good.  You do pay a bit more than a standard membrane like the green one from Screwfix, say, but it's pretty easy to put on, is very tear resistant for a paper like product and is guaranteed 100% water resistant, but of course breathable.  Obviously the build is costing a few bob so I thought the additional £40 on the membrane was a good investment.  The whole thing is now being clad in 16mm shiplap.

I know it's all OTT for an observatory, but to be honest Jules I'm really enjoying building it and getting massively excited about moving in 

Ray i dont think you can be OTT for a decent obsy, dont want to build it then spend more time fixing it rather than using it, we supply Travis perkins with ply and other boards

[RayD]

Frustrating day today.  Wickes timber really is about as bad as it comes.  Tried to make a door, and the timber was so twisted I've had to give up and just resign it to be used as noggins for the ROR.

Anyway, got the lining of the warm room finished, made a door liner and bottom tread with a run off and drip groove, and got it all ready for making a new door when I get some new straight timber.

[Davey-T]

We usually get all the timber off the rack and sort through it to try and find straight bits, it's much the same wherever you go SELCO is as bad, alright if you want to build a boat as it's already curved 

Coming along nicely, at least the weather's been good.

Dave

[RayD]

19 hours ago, Davey-T said:

We usually get all the timber off the rack and sort through it to try and find straight bits, it's much the same wherever you go SELCO is as bad, alright if you want to build a boat as it's already curved 

Coming along nicely, at least the weather's been good.

Dave

That's exactly what I normally do Dave.  It ends up looking like a game of giant Jenga around me.  Unfortunately this lot was part of a delivery, so I didn't notice how twisted it was until I tried to use it.

I'll go tomorrow and play jenga again