ROR shed that looks like a shed

[tomato]

Anybody checked one of these out in the flesh? Looks reasonably priced and doesn't need the external frame to support the roof?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Observatory-Shed-/282153730577

[Relpet]

I guess you get what you pay for.  The description in the text is written by someone who either can't spell or doesn't bother to read back what has been written.  This would make me uneasy.  They trade only through ebay and if you want to see an example you have to go to their yard rather than to the site of a satisfied customer.  This looks like an opportunistic attempt, with no considered input from anyone interested in astronomy, to sell more sheds.

Companies like this: http://outsideology.com/home-farm-observatories/

don't quote prices so probably go along with the old maxim "If you need to know what it costs you can't afford it" but would give me more confidence.  (My roll-out is a Dob on a trolley, by the way).  I look forward to more feedback on this, though.

[Owmuchonomy]

Hmmm. Lots of things missing there in my opinion least of all good weather proofing, breathing space, and sky exposure.  I'll stick with mine.

[alacant]

Looks like a great idea but with that small roll off roofarea, a limited view of the sky.

[Tim]

Having an apex roof really cuts down one viewing direction, and without being able to see the framing used, the sliding portion looks heavy, and possibly weak from a bracing point of view.

You can have a flat roof that rolls over itself, which is likely a stronger design

[RayD]

It is good to see a budget observatory ready made, but not at that price.  

I think for me there are a couple of details which concern me just from an initial look:

1. The support for the roof bar is already sagging.  This will worsen as the moisture gets to the timer
2. The braces on the door are back to front and are doing absolutely nothing

I'd either build one myself (as I have done) whereby you can control where cost savings are made, or commit to a known and trusted supplier who knows what bits are essential for it to be used as an observatory, and not just a shed with a sliding roof.

[Filroden]

9 hours ago, Relpet said:

Companies like this: http://outsideology.com/home-farm-observatories/

don't quote prices so probably go along with the old maxim "If you need to know what it costs you can't afford it" but would give me more confidence.  (My roll-out is a Dob on a trolley, by the way).  I look forward to more feedback on this, though.

Actually, they do give a guide price of £93 per square foot of total footprint of observatory. http://outsideology.com/home-farm-observatories/what-to-expect-our-design-build-process/

Looks like a quality build but also a quality price. You do get what you pay for!

[smudgeball]

Hi

I did look (and enquire on this obsy)

I needed a 7 x 5 version which he was happy to produce, but in the end I decided that 3.5 ft of viewing was not enough for me, even given my limited viewing area in my garden.

I think the guy should be commended for trying to breach the gap between a full on DIY'er taking an off the shelf shed and converting themself, and perhaps the other company mentioned above.

Certainly from my experience up here in the Scottish Borders, there's not a lot of shed builders in the market to produce an observatory.

 

Neil

[Relpet]

1 hour ago, Filroden said:

Actually, they do give a guide price of £93 per square foot of total footprint of observatory. http://outsideology.com/home-farm-observatories/what-to-expect-our-design-build-process/

Looks like a quality build but also a quality price. You do get what you pay for!

Thanks for that.  I was impresssed by the qualifications of the people running the company, exactly the kind of background you would like from a specialist supplier but with the level of light pollution in my Surrey village in sight of Gatwick and the low number of clear skies anyway any kind of obsy here would be an extravagance at any price.  Maybe some ideas for SW France, though.

[tomato]

 

3 hours ago, Filroden said:

Actually, they do give a guide price of £93 per square foot of total footprint of observatory. http://outsideology.com/home-farm-observatories/what-to-expect-our-design-build-process/

Looks like a quality build but also a quality price. You do get what you pay for!

You do indeed! £93 per square foot is £4.5K for an 8 x 6, that's getting into Pulsar dome territory.

[Filroden]

9 minutes ago, tomato said:

 

You do indeed! £93 per square foot is £4.5K for an 8 x 6, that's getting into Pulsar dome territory.

Fully fitted and designed for your specific needs. Plus it looks much nicer  Now if only the lottery would be kind...

[smudgeball]

I paid £1400 for my 7' x 5' and perhaps that is a lot, but I was fortunate to have the funds available.

I think it looks nice in my garden.

Neil

[ollypenrice]

I like the idea of 'rolling roof and sides' and have four of that design here. I also like the idea of the roof rolling back over warm room - and I have one like that as well. However, my observations would be:

1) Northern hemisphere users would want an orientation in which the warm room could be located to the north of the scope where low elevation views don't matter. If you didn't have such a location would this shed work for you?

2) It seems pointless having a construction without a drop down flap on the scope room wall opposite the warm room. If you want low sides you want them on three sides, not two. Self lowering/raising drop down flap...

3) The rolling roof is going to struggle to retain its structural integrity in wood. That kind of open, untriangulated structure is best built in steel in my view. Mine is 2.2 metres square and very light (because I only have a low power MIG welder) but it has been running for years without deforming.

However, we have made similar structures in wood, including the one for the 4 scope robotic shed which is 3M x 4M. We clad the timber frame in ply, though, rather than in boards. This provides excellent triangulation, being in single sheets.

Olly

 

[JemC]

18 hours ago, tomato said:

Anybody checked one of these out in the flesh? Looks reasonably priced and doesn't need the external frame to support the roof?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Observatory-Shed-/282153730577

i have looked at that not to long ago, i checked them out on their facebook page as well, some of the comments on there make for interesting reading, and made my decision for me,

[Craney]

This video popped up on facebook today,   shows one of the 'sheds'  in operation.

https://www.facebook.com/darren.hughefs/videos/817801961724641/

In the comments section, a price of about £600 is quoted..... which seems very reasonable....

[souls33k3r]

Funny you should say that @Craney, i saw that video too and came back to this post to see if it was the same thing. It sure is ... They're based around Sheffield so cost of delivery will be another thing to factor. I do not see any insulation as well so goes to show, they know how to build sheds but not proper observatory.

I'm just nicking some of the designs and build my own lol ... naah! i'll figure something out later

[tomato]

Quote

5 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

It seems pointless having a construction without a drop down flap on the scope room wall opposite the warm room. If you want low sides you want them on three sides, not two. Self lowering/raising drop down flap...

 

Olly, there some more photos on ebay now and I think the third wall is hinged. Not sure how floppy it all is when fastened up however, especially if you went for a larger size shed.

I still like the Pulsar Dome, but I also want a 12" CFF RC when I move, and now there are these large format CMOS cameras to consider, aaaargh! Maybe Mrs Tomato would retire in a caravan, lol.

[Relpet]

5 hours ago, Craney said:

This video popped up on facebook today,   shows one of the 'sheds'  in operation.

https://www.facebook.com/darren.hughefs/videos/817801961724641/

In the comments section, a price of about £600 is quoted..... which seems very reasonable....

Tried the link.  This is the message I got:

"Sorry, this content isn't available at the moment

The link you followed may have expired, or the Page may only be visible to an audience that you aren't in.

Go back to the previous page · Go to News Feed · Visit our Help Centre"

[Craney]

Sorry about that....   difficult to test useability when I am not totally  'external' to the system.    The  post appeared in the 'Secondhand Astronomy Equipment UK'  FB group, which probably denies access to non members.  I tried to find it on You Tube but could not.  I may ask the originator to do so for non-FB interested parties.

Anyway,  the company is more than just an EBAY ghost, and the fella seems to be making a big push into the Obsy market.   Another fact that came through the FB messages was that they deliver and will construct within 2 hours (!!!)..... a bit better than my previous best of 2 weeks fr a small shed.

As mentioned in a post above, it is just the bare walls and no luxuries, but may be worth considering if you want a basic home for the scope.

 

Sean.

[Ouroboros]

I like the idea of a roof that rolls off over the other half of the observatory rather than over a framework, which seems to be the default method. Makes more efficient use of space, but maybe it's more difficult to do well?  

[smudgeball]

3 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I like the idea of a roof that rolls off over the other half of the observatory rather than over a framework, which seems to be the default method. Makes more efficient use of space, but maybe it's more difficult to do well?  

Yeah it's a good idea.

For me, the max I could go for is 7'x5' and with the space available that meant a 3' 5" roof opening.

Going for the traditional style of ROR means I get just over 5' which is better for me.

Neil

[souls33k3r]

Is it just me or the space for the scope is just too tiny and the warm room a bit too big? Warm room looks like it could do with a sofa bed in there. It's massive. 

 

Personally I'd like more space for the scope end of the observatory and sort of box size as a warm room. 

[Ouroboros]

3 hours ago, souls33k3r said:

Is it just me or the space for the scope is just too tiny and the warm room a bit too big? Warm room looks like it could do with a sofa bed in there. It's massive. 

 

Personally I'd like more space for the scope end of the observatory and sort of box size as a warm room. 

Yes, that occurred to me too.  I suppose in principle the roll off bit could be longer than the warm room bit if the roll off rolled beyond the end of the warm room, if that makes sense. Probably more difficult design wise. 

[smudgeball]

The description does mention a moveable internal wall, but that still depends on how the roof section is divided.

If its a 50/50 fold then the extra open space would still be under the roof if the roof stopped level with the rear door?

But as I mentioned before, commendable for trying to manufacture as there is definately a market for this.

Neil

[tomato]

If you made it 2/3 scope area and 1/3 warm room then the roof would overhang the support by 50% when fully open, not sure how stable that would be. I guess you could extend the runners out at the front and support them with posts, but then it’s starting to look like a conventional ROR observatory.