Men and their sheds......."Mount House"

[Craney]

 

It is amazing how quickly astronomical gear can accumulate around the house.  There is an uneasy balance between storage and readiness.... just in case the forecast is wrong.....

Alas, you also need to be able to access your kitchen and lounge !!!    So a decision was made to build "Mount House" . A bespoke design that allows any one

of the few mounts.....< cough...ahem!> .....  to be  deployed relatively quitely and quickly.   

I opted for an extra cubby-hole door for the bits and bobs necessary for a good "sess"  and hinged the layout so that the bigger door gives a bit of wind and light shade.

 

 

 

The roof does come off  as well !!... so it's not far off an observatory.  Maybe save that project for later 

Always things to do as an astronomer.....

 

Sean.

 

 

 

[wimvb]

Great idea! Though you might want to put a lock on those doors.

[Craney]

Yes, off to the ironmonger tomorrow.  

Only the mounts live there.  My  'collection'  of scopes sleep with me.... 

[DRT]

49 minutes ago, Craney said:

There is an uneasy balance between storage and readiness

Very nice solution, Sean.

I find there is a very uneasy balance between what is allowed and what is not allowed in the house. Our former summer house is therefore packed with things with three legs  

[DAVE AMENDALL]

Shows what can be done ! Shaun, Next best thing to a run off shed.You could even put a red light in there if you wanted. Good idea on a door lock as well..................Dave

[Alan White]

Very nice solution, these small sheds for astro gear are popular.
I am considering one myself, but may have gained permission for a summer house / astro shed share.

[Craney]

Careful Alan,

 Do not concede to any design alterations that involve hammocks, curtains, ornimental fittings, patio heaters,  pizza ovens.......

It will be a conflict zone, rife with territorial dispute......and remember astro stuff  usually contains glass  or mirrors.!!!!!

[DRT]

3 hours ago, Alan White said:

Very nice solution, these small sheds for astro gear are popular.
I am considering one myself, but may have gained permission for a summer house / astro shed share.

I'm very worried by the word "share" in that sentence. You could easily find that your tripod floorspace has been occupied by wicker furniture of no practical use for astronomy!

[Alan White]

7 hours ago, DRT said:

I'm very worried by the word "share" in that sentence. You could easily find that your tripod floorspace has been occupied by wicker furniture of no practical use for astronomy!

So am I Derek!

[DAVE AMENDALL]

This One has appeared on Amazon in plastic so should be trouble free. Ideal for part gear or a small set up....Dave

[Craney]

that's a good spot Dave,  I made mine to fit an exact space and be high enough for Eq6 tripod with HEQ5 on top so that the mount can be moved in or out without dismantling....and I like a bit of a woodwork challenge.   These sheds have this strange 'lower at the front' arrangement, which is not that easy to use with the roof down.

As you say, good for a small set-up....or short term storage if the clouds come over at 3 in the morning.

Sean

[Beulah]

Those Keter sheds illustrated in Dave's post are so so...I have owned one for three years and although it is watertight, it is a bit flimsy. I have already had to fix the door hinge which cracked and it warps a wee bit in the heat. The lid has warped and I have to weight it down to ensure it is weather tight.

Stick to treated, quality wood if you can...

I can see the plastic becoming brittle after five years. I'm not waiting that long, so have another cunning plan... 

 

[james_screech]

13 hours ago, Beulah said:

Those Keter sheds illustrated in Dave's post are so so...I have owned one for three years and although it is watertight, it is a bit flimsy. I have already had to fix the door hinge which cracked and it warps a wee bit in the heat. The lid has warped and I have to weight it down to ensure it is weather tight.

Stick to treated, quality wood if you can...

I can see the plastic becoming brittle after five years. I'm not waiting that long, so have another cunning plan... 

 

As someone who has one, do you have problems with condensation? How har back does the roof fold? I was thinking of using one as the starting point of a mini observatory.

James

[Beulah]

The shed is 1.5m wide and 1.3m high, so not really an observatory, just to store the gear...yep, you do get the usual problems such as condensation, wasp nests, spiders and butterfly cocoons; I just guess the plastic sheds are perceived to be easier to install.

The lid opens to about 50° of elevation.

I imagine installation in a sheltered spot might make the shed last longer?