Roll-away observatory plan

[Penguin]

This time last year, I put a permanent DIY pier in the garden which meant the mount could stay outside (pictures here: https://www.flickr.com/gp/62783243@N07/iCp81S). This obviously means I don't have to polar align for every session, but the scope, camera, etc still have to be set up each time and it's not worth the extra hassle to computer-control stuff as well.

So this year I want to put a shed around it. I don't have space for a full-sized shed so I am thinking of something like this: http://www.centralcoastastronomy.org/gallery/home-telescopes-observatories/walt-reils-oak-hill-observatory/nggallery/page/1 to just encompass the scope itself and roll-away when I'm using it.

What do people think about this solution? Has anyone on here done anything like this? Looking foward to comments.

[Davey-T]

Have a trawl through the DIY observatory threads on here, a few examples of similar builds.

Dave

[Penguin]

Thanks Dave, I had a quick look before posting but could only see dome and RoR builds. If you say there are roll-away ones discussed on here, I will make a more thorough search.

[Davey-T]

Posh one here from Luke and Olly has a few versions at Les Granges.

Dave

[RayD]

This one started life as a ROR but ended up as a roll away.  It may give you some pointers?

Roll away observatory

[Penguin]

Both of those look good, I'm obviously loving the Tardis! Mine will probably have to be a similar size to the Tardis, at least on the outside, but I was going to try and make it look more like a seaside beach hut with an apex roof, tongue and groove cladding and a nice summery colour scheme. Going to visit a local shed company tomorrow to discuss options but I'd like to build it from scratch myself if I can.

[Penguin]

Change of plan, Wife and kids loved Luke's Tardis so we are going for that, at least for the moment. There are lots of Tardis build instructions and designs online and I have a rough idea how I will do it. I think the roof will be the hardest bit to get right (and weatherproof). I'm going to build the rolling base first while I consider the rest of the design. Casters are already ordered!

[RayD]

32 minutes ago, Penguin said:

Change of plan, Wife and kids loved Luke's Tardis so we are going for that, at least for the moment. There are lots of Tardis build instructions and designs online and I have a rough idea how I will do it. I think the roof will be the hardest bit to get right (and weatherproof). I'm going to build the rolling base first while I consider the rest of the design. Casters are already ordered!

Great stuff, please keep a log of the build so we can keep updated on progress.

[Alan White]

A Roll Away really apeals to me as well, the Tardis is in line with my sense of humour too.
I await the pictures of your build.
Good luck with it.

Did you show us the pier build or finished pier here at all?

[Penguin]

On 4/24/2017 at 17:56, Alan White said:

A Roll Away really apeals to me as well, the Tardis is in line with my sense of humour too.
I await the pictures of your build.
Good luck with it.

Did you show us the pier build or finished pier here at all?

I posted a link to the pier build pictures on Flickr. It's in my initial post at the top of this thread. It's also here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/62783243@N07/albums/72157667611295585 https://www.flickr.com/gp/62783243@N07/sacJ4H

It's ultra low-cost: the mounting plate is made from plywood and the pier itself is a drainage pipe filled with concrete! I will update this thread as I go but am not expecting quick progress.

[Alan White]

flikr link not working Penguin

[Penguin]

13 hours ago, Alan White said:

flikr link not working Penguin

Ah, situation normal: me being an idiot. Hopefully I'll be a bit more with-it when doing the build!

Try this: https://www.flickr.com/gp/62783243@N07/sacJ4H

[Penguin]

I'm actually logging the build on the TARDIS Builders' forum over here:

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=7707.0

It's not going to look as good or authentic as some of the creations on that site. In particular, the roof design will deviate significantly for reasons of weatherproofing. So far, the base is built and on its casters and the first wall is glued together. This is going to take a lot longer than my original plan for a non-TARDIS shed!

[Penguin]

Quick update with a photo of the current situation. 3 walls pretty much done and I'm hoping to get the doors done this weekend. More photos on the tardis builders website I linked to previously.

[ollypenrice]

Great. I'm a fan of the Tardis (AKA Sentry Box) full roll off. When I built mine I wanted it to go over a large field tripod I already had, so I couldn't use the 'full floor with slot for pier' idea and had to weld up a steel chassis. It's still going strong 13 years later despite having taken a direct hit from a very large flying roof from a different shed in a wind storm recently! 

You need a system to make it anti-lift and anti-collision but if your pier is strong enough for this task it should be easy. The floor of the roll off could pass under a flange on the pier in the closed position and this would also have the shed docking in the right place. You've probably got this base covered already but I mention it just in case. I would want to be sure the Tardis couldn't either lift or otherwise attack the scope in high wind.

Olly

[Penguin]

Thanks Olly, do you have pictures of yours?

I'm not expecting winds high enough to lift the thing but was wondering how best to secure it Sliding it under a flange on the pier was certainly my favourite plan when I get to that stage.

--- Alistair

[ollypenrice]

7 hours ago, Penguin said:

Thanks Olly, do you have pictures of yours?

I'm not expecting winds high enough to lift the thing but was wondering how best to secure it Sliding it under a flange on the pier was certainly my favourite plan when I get to that stage.

--- Alistair

Mine has, since this picture, been relocated but it looks like this.

My docking and anti-lift mechanism consists of

1) A miniature steel 'goal post' loop about 5 inches high which is bolted down into the concrete.

2) A tongue protruding from the rolling chassis which passes under this goal post to prevent lifting and to serve as an end stop.

3) A simple latch which clunks over the goal post in the closed position to stop the shed from rolling back open again. The latch is rased by means of a cord which lifts the latch at one end and hangs by the door at the other. (This Heath Robinson latch has been the subject of much mirth but it does work!)

Olly

Edit: I'd be very wary of underestimating the power of the wind to move something this size. Better safe than sorry.

[Penguin]

An update, now that it has been painted and glued together.

It still needs a lot of work:

• Handles and locks.
• Central door strip.
• Ventilation (I'm planning some holes behind the top signs and a solar powered fan to encourage through-flow of air)
• More permanent top sign boxes.
• Removable floor piece to close the slot around the pillar and complete the Tardis base at the front.
• The light is a solar-powered garden light and looking at it last night, it'll ruin any night vision! So I need a cover I can pop over it when observing.
• Check its weather proofing: if it's damp and leaky inside, I can't keep the scope in it, which kind of defeats the object. Speaking of which...
• Put the scope on the mount and make sure the damn thing fits!
• Add electrics, shelving, laptop etc etc

 

 

[Penguin]

Most important check: the scope fits! We had some rain overnight and I can see a little dampness in one corner of the ceiling but I think I can fix that. I'm going to give it a few weeks before putting the scope in there permanently.

 

 

 

[Astrokev]

Looks good. 

I agree with Olly regarding wind. An unexpected gale could easily destroy your hard work. There's lots of evidence on this forum to support that view!

I would install some kind of anchor mechanism to stop your tardis lifting or blowing away. 

[Penguin]

2 hours ago, Astrokev said:

Looks good. 

I agree with Olly regarding wind. An unexpected gale could easily destroy your hard work. There's lots of evidence on this forum to support that view!

I would install some kind of anchor mechanism to stop your tardis lifting or blowing away. 

I could put bolts on the base, either side of the pillar and put two holes in the pillar for the bolts to slot into. I don't think that would weaken the pillar too much.

Or I could put a shelf in the Tardis that would slot under the shelf that is already on the pillar. I was going to do something like that anyway for the laptop etc.

Or I could lift a couple of the decking strips and bolt some hoops into the concrete that the pillar goes into in the ground and fashion something in the base to slot into those.

Lots of options and I suppose I should deal with this sooner rather than later!

[Astrokev]

....although the sight of a Tardis flying across the sky might look rather fun

[Penguin]

Update: it has proper Police Box signs and lighting! A solar powered string of 200 LEDs that I have put behind the sign boxes and around the inside. Obviously these will be turned off while observing and I will pop something over the top light to mask that as well.

My big issue now is damp: It *will* get in, particularly with the complicated roof which is flat around the edges, the hole for the pillar and my general DIY bodges. What can I do about this? I have vents behind one of the sign boxes for air-flow but I think that is probably more for summer and might need to be covered during winter? I can put a load of silica gel in there but have no idea how much I would need, how often I would have to dry it back out and whether it would work anyway!