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JamesF's observatory build


JamesF

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10 minutes ago, Yawning Angel said:

If it helps, I found an 800 x 800mm unused unit on eBay £1.30! It didn’t seem an uncommon thing

Ooh, that sounds good. I must have a search. The likelihood of me finding one to match the hole I've left is slim, but I guess I could modify the studding if necessary. Thanks

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On 25/11/2018 at 21:28, Stub Mandrel said:

The bad thing about grey squirrels? I'm 56 and I've never eaten a wild hazlenut, despite many, many visits to hazel woods. They eat them before they are ripe. I was in woods near Monsal Dale a few weeks ago, full of hazel, but not a single nut.

According to legend there's an island in the Avon at Stratford where they can't get and it has a huge hazel with loads of nuts on it. A friend and colleague got there by boat to carry out some conservation work but didn't bring me any of the bounty ?

grey squirrels are vermin, grab a few for a stew.

protect the native reds

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On 30/11/2018 at 18:58, JamesF said:

Ah, well, yes, but once it was motorised it could be automated so it could be opened from the house, or using a phone or computer, so it would be open by the time I got there.  Of course there is absolutely no need for it, but that's not the point, is it? :D

James

agreed

minimise physical effort

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Looking at the weather forecast, tomorrow could be a write-off as regards working on the observatory :(  Rain is forecast from 6am Saturday to 9am Sunday.  We already have a stream running through the orchard from all the rain we've had over the last month.

James

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On 02/12/2018 at 21:23, LeeRich said:

I didn't see the need for a window personally, thieves like to nosey in through them plus unless it's double glazed it's the easiest point of a break in.

Also when I asked my insurance company about cover they said having a window would raise the price. ?

I had that concern too, but ended up using windows that were only 150mm wide so it's impossible to get in through them. You could always have a curtain or shutter to stop anyone looking in. Personally, I'm really glad I put windows in because a bit of natural daylight in there makes working on the scope much easier and more pleasant. I open the roof too if possible but more often than not, it's raining!

 

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I'm almost done with the fixed part of the southern gable now.  If I can get the fold-down section made today too, even if it's only clamped into position, I'll be very pleased.  Only three hours of daylight left at the most now though.

James

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Ah, that was posted whilst I had a break for lunch :)  I was starting to get a bit low on energy.

I got straight back out there afterwards and got the membrane up on the fixed part of the gable, then started building the frame for the fold-down section of the southern wall.  Sadly the darkness beat me by about half an hour.  The frame is very close to complete, but I wanted one more test for fit before finishing it and it was just too dark to see well enough.  Sufficiently dark in fact that I might have to nip out later with the torch just to check I didn't miss any tools when I cleared up.

Anyhow, I reckon I can do a final test for fit tomorrow during the day and then use the evening to finish making everything in the workshop before temporarily fixing it into place on Tuesday if time allows.  Fitting the northern gable over the warm room will require daylight, but I think I should be able to do most of the cutting in the workshop once the drop-down frame is out of the way.  It would be very helpful if all the bits were ready to go next weekend (assuming it isn't still tipping down).

James

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Well, in the annals of home observatory construction today may well go down as quite a special day, in that I have achieved everything I set out to achieve :D

Just in time to beat the setting Sun I remembered that I needed to try the frame for the fold-down wall section for size and got that done.  It's quite a snug fit which I think is good, but did mean it was quite awkward to lift into place.  Hopefully I've not done something that will come back to bite me there...  That done I took it back to the workshop to finish off and cover with membrane.

Tomorrow I shall temporarily fix it in place, which should leave just the northern gable to finish off before I can keep rain out completely.  I'll try to measure up and get everything cut tomorrow night.  Even if I can't finish off this coming weekend (the forecast for Saturday has already gone from rain to light cloud to heavy rain in the last 24 hours) I can probably just stuff some scrap timber into the space to keep the rain out so I can finish off all the bits I need to get done so the flooring can be started.

James

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You must have shares in tool station / screwfix. I haven't seen that many clamps for a while. What would you call a "gathering of clamps"

On a serious note, I've been following this thread since day one and have been willing you tho complete for the New Year. A superb build James and awaiting the "first light"

Steve

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19 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I love the way its all clamped down.  Hoping that that you don't get any high winds.

It was pretty windy here last week.  Enough to break bits off trees, at least.   The sash clamps holding the roof down seem to have done their job without any problems so far.  But it is actually fairly well sheltered from the prevailing wind.

James

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1 hour ago, sloz1664 said:

You must have shares in tool station / screwfix. I haven't seen that many clamps for a while. What would you call a "gathering of clamps"

On a serious note, I've been following this thread since day one and have been willing you tho complete for the New Year. A superb build James and awaiting the "first light"

Steve

Thank you, Steve :)

My father-in-law and I do seem to have quite a large collection of clamps between us.  Not entirely sure how that happened, but it does come in very handy at times :)

James

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Looks like the measurements I took for the gable on the northern end earlier today must have been wrong, so I shan't be cutting anything this evening.  I know I built the roof to have a 30 degree pitch and the south end matched that nicely, but the measurements I've taken for the north end would put it at 23 degrees.  That definitely can't be right, so I'll have to have another go tomorrow and be a bit more careful this time.

James

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