Astrokev's ROR - The Build

[Astrokev]

4 hours ago, Yawning Angel said:

Are twins driving us all outside?! I’ve identical twin boys. Just started school ?

Haha, could be, although I was "going outside" years before the twinettes arrived! 

One of mine's just graduated; t'other is in her final year at uni.

Opportunity for a study there perhaps ?  

EDIT - and while I think about it, there's been no activity on the build today, even though the suns been out all day, as I've been proof reading her final year dissertation !

Edited November 8, 2018 by Astrokev

[Alan White]

'Dad time' is rather more special than astro time in my opinion,
so time well spent Kev.

I am at the opposite end of the uni journey, just started year 1.

[Astrokev]

Returned from the west country last night after a few days visiting my daughter at Falmouth uni. Lovely time, but got a bit damp on Saturday morning!

Today it was back to the routine, and managed some time on the observatory. Stuck down the top-border of the EPDM with contact adhesive, and started to stick down the rubber onto the battens around the edge of the roof. Just got one edge to do - the awkward one nearest the hedge - and then all the adhesive work will be complete, leaving just the barge boards to do to complete the roof. Feels good to be nearing completion of the roof I must say. Once done I'll crack on with hanging the door. I've been checking out hinges and will probably try parliament hinges. I'd not heard of these before, but they should allow me to screw the hinges into the main door internal timbers, instead of having to put a couple of screws into the edges of the cladding, which will be more sturdy. This will become more obvious when I've got the hinges and can post a few pictures to show more clearly what I mean. A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say...

[Gina]

Do you think that type of hinge will be strong enough?  I used heavy duty galvanised shed hinges.

[Astrokev]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

Do you think that type of hinge will be strong enough?  I used heavy duty galvanised shed hinges.

The ones I've seen are rated at supporting over 100kg so they should be. I need to have a look at them in the flesh, so to speak, before committing though. 

[Astrokev]

Well, after a few days of being tied up with other jobs, this afternoon I managed to spend some time in the local DIY emporia. 

Bought a 5 lever lock and door handles, some parliament hinges, and a load of insulation. Tomorrow I'll be spending some time getting acquainted with the main observatory door ?.

[Astrokev]

The weather was supposed to be dry today, so was gearing up to work on the build but, as it happened, there was constant really fine drizzle all day. Thanks Mr. Weatherman - wrong again! I managed to cut the cladding for the door but then retired inside the observatory. I don't like working in the wet!

So, spent an hour clearing the inside of all the off-cuts, spare timber, and general accumulated rubbish. I can actually walk about inside now, albeit on the joists. My priority is to complete the door to finish making the building fully watertight, but when this isn't possible I can get on with internal jobs now that I can move about without tripping over stuff. My aim is to have the observatory usable within the next few weeks, as I want to do some imaging of comet 46P, so the flooring seems the next job when I'm not playing with doors.

The pic is just a quick snap to show the arrangement of door cladding. It's not fixed in position as I still need to soak the end timbers in preserver and also insulate the inside of the door cavity. Tomorrow is forecast for sun all day, so I'm hoping it will at least be dry enough to work outside.

Edited November 16, 2018 by Astrokev

[JamesF]

The forecast here at the start of the week was for a little rain on Monday evening and then nothing over the next week.  I can't deny that there's been no other rainfall, but it's been incredibly wet nonetheless, what with mist, fog and drizzle.  I don't think anything has actually dried out all week

The door is looking good.  Be nice to get it hung and start getting on with things inside.

James

[Astrokev]

Planning to get it hung over the weekend - keeping everything crossed.

Hope it stays dry down your way. Weekends are precious @JamesFand I hope you can make the most of it !

[JamesF]

I shall be out there unless it's absolutely tipping down

I can always hide under the tarp whilst I'm putting the screws in to hold the OSB in place if necessary.

James

[Gina]

Weather is looking better for today.  Cloud with holes letting the sun through at times here.

Edited November 17, 2018 by Gina

[JamesF]

It is indeed quite pleasant here.  Bit chilly when the Sun is hidden by a cloud, but that's become less frequent as the day has progressed.

James

[Astrokev]

Lovely sunny day so skipped lunch to try and maximise the few hours that we get at this time of year. 

Even so, I still didn't manage to get as much done as I hoped. Spent an age pondering on where to put the lock on the frame. Ideally, I wanted to put the mortise into the main timber frame, but the presence of the cladding was making this difficult without putting the lock so deep that the keep wouldn't have been flush with the edge of the door frame lining. Anyway, finally made a decision and fitted the lock. Then added insulation, breathable membrane, and fitted the cladding. 

Didn't get the hinges on, so a job for tomorrow. 

The finished door is really heavy so a bit concerned that the hinges and frame may not be able to hold it!

Resting in front of the TV at the moment, while my daughter kindly makes dinner. Will post a few pics later if I can drag myself out of the comfy chair ?.

[Alan White]

Sounds and looks great Kev, that door with cladding looks the business.
Enjoy your dinner, nice daughter, one of mine just came in having said no dinner needed tonight,
asked what's for dinner as I dished up, ended up having 1/2 of mine.....grrrr I like my food.

Edited November 17, 2018 by Alan White

[Astrokev]

As promised, a few pictures of today's progress.

Forgot to mention earlier, but I also installed the door sill. This has been sitting pretty on my dining table for the last week after being treated and varnished. Good to get it finally on the observatory; we can use the dining table again now - although to get to it you have to climb over my telescopes and boxes of associated stuff. Oh, and my sons drum kits and various other percussion related equipment. Why couldn't he have learned the guitar like his dad - far more civilised and takes up a fraction of the space ?.

Thanks once again to @RayD for allowing me to copy his door design ? 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Astrokev

[JamesF]

That's a very shiny door sill :)  I'd not want to step on that for fear of making a mess of it.

James

[Astrokev]

7 minutes ago, JamesF said:

That's a very shiny door sill I'd not want to step on that for fear of making a mess of it.

James

I must admit, the same thought occurred to me when I screwed it down. Don't worry, I'm sure it won't last ?

[Alan White]

I was more concerned about slipping over on its mirror finish myself 

[Gina]

Yes, I wondered that too...

[Astrokev]

That's a fair point which I'll need to watch for. Although it's screwed into the floor joists with 4" screws, I'm more nervous about the sill slowly working loose due to constant stepping on the unsupported edge.  I will be making a raised step which will be almost the same level as the sill and, in reality, I think I'll step right over the sill to enter/ exit the warm room.

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, Astrokev said:

In reality, I think I'll step right over the sill to enter/ exit the warm room.

Theres the truth. It's much more natural to step over a threshold then to stand on it. It's a beauty of a sill and will stay that way a long time i reckon ?

Edited November 18, 2018 by Guest

[RayD]

22 hours ago, Astrokev said:

Thanks once again to @RayD for allowing me to copy his door design ? 

No thanks needed at all, Kev.  You've taken my idea and raised the bar a few levels by the looks of it.  Really very nice job, Sir!

I do chuckle when I see the beautiful outside and finish, and then no flooring inside, with a view all the way to the ground.  Reminds me of the hotel in Elsbels in Carry on Abroad ?

I'm really enjoying following this build.

[Astrokev]

47 minutes ago, RayD said:

No thanks needed at all, Kev.  You've taken my idea and raised the bar a few levels by the looks of it.  Really very nice job, Sir!

I do chuckle when I see the beautiful outside and finish, and then no flooring inside, with a view all the way to the ground.  Reminds me of the hotel in Elsbels in Carry on Abroad ?

I'm really enjoying following this build.

The only small issue I have with the door is the weight. I can't believe that a few lengths of 3x2, a sheet of ply and bit of cladding can weigh so much ?. Perhaps it's the rock wool insulation ?.

i just hope the frame and hinges can handle the weight. 

[RayD]

2 minutes ago, Astrokev said:

The only small issue I have with the door is the weight. I can't believe that a few lengths of 3x2, a sheet of ply and bit of cladding can weigh so much ?. Perhaps it's the rock wool insulation ?.

i just hope the frame and hinges can handle the weight. 

I'm sure they will. Even if not, it looks the part ?

[Gina]

Yes, I was surprised by how much my door weighed.  It's similar to yours except I have horizontal shiplap cladding with 6mm marine ply on the inside and polystyrene foam insulation.