DaveS's Obsy Build. First thoughts.

[timwetherell]

2.4m should be fine I think. Mine's 2.3 and it's plenty big enough for visual observing and maintenance of the scope. Octagon with a dome would probably look quite nice too! 

[DaveS]

I am thinking that a dome has the advantage that the shutter can be closed even if the 'scope isn't parked, which could be important in an automated obsy, if it rains and you need to close the shutter quickly but the mount hasn't parked.

However, I'm seeing threads here that have ben giving me second thoughts about Pulsar, due to their woeful customer (Non) service, plus issues with water ingress and fibreglass quality.

Won't be able to put any concrete plans in motion until I have the house and am on site to do a proper survey.

 

@laser_jock99 I'll probably put the DDM 60 and Rigel pier on one of the patio areas, as it will be a fairly quick installation and will carry my dual narrow / wide rig. Only problem will be the view, mainly to the west unfortunately.

Edited June 20, 2018 by DaveS

[DaveS]

Just a quick post to show that it's not dead yet.

I'm thinking that a big concrete platform will hold too much heat, and will be too much of a job to pour, so will plan for a wooden floor on pillars, hight TBD, and a custom cast concrete pier in the form of a truncated pyramid, with ca 1m burried as a foundation.

My only question is about animals using the space as a den. Maybe mske it high enough to be too open for them.

[JamesF]

Olly sites his observatories on concrete floors as far as I recall, so I'd not imagine they cause too much of a problem, especially if they're covered with some sort of matting.  Can't deny that it's hard work to mix and pour, but a few friends might make light work of it.

James

[DaveS]

I'd probably order some ready mix, as my plans call for upward of 5 cubic metres, 2.5x4x0.5m. Gonna hold a lot of heat.

I think the platform idea might be easier to get past the council planning dept, as the house is in a conservation area.

Part of the situation is being able to see over some high hedges.

[JamesF]

Your alternative plan sounds very similar to what I've done with mine, though in my case it was because it was the easiest way to cope with sloping rocky ground.  To stop the local fauna making a home underneath the suggestions I was given were to lay weed control fabric on the ground and run some sort of barrier (wire or plastic mesh, or wooden fencing) between the pillars.  It could always be hidden with some planting.

James

[DaveS]

Thanks James.

Yes, it was looking at your obsy build thread that put me in mind of a platform on blocks rather than one big block.

[Astrokev]

56 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Your alternative plan sounds very similar to what I've done with mine, though in my case it was because it was the easiest way to cope with sloping rocky ground.  To stop the local fauna making a home underneath the suggestions I was given were to lay weed control fabric on the ground and run some sort of barrier (wire or plastic mesh, or wooden fencing) between the pillars.  It could always be hidden with some planting.

James

Mesh would work fine for big critters, but I think keeping mice out (if that's what you want to do) is more of a challenge. They can get through the tiniest of holes, smaller than most small mesh sizes. I'm interested in ideas to keep these beasts at bay as they've knawed holes in the floor if my tool shed and I'd rather this not happen to my obsy when I get to this stage!

[russellhq]

Steel wool can be good for small gaps if you can keep it dry. They don't much like gnawing through the stuff.

[DaveS]

Good idea. How about those stainless steel pan scourers?

[Astrokev]

My question was meaning how to stop mice getting under the obsy. That's a lot of pan scourers! ?

[DaveS]

Ah right, I was thinking about sealing ducts etc.

[DaveS]

To resurect this thread with some hard facts. Here is a photo of the likely area

And this is looking down on it from one of my terraces. The bricks outline a 2.5m square, 2m in from the boundary, for planning reasons.

Will have to enquire Re: TPO on the big tree in the west.

There are planning clinics in Bridport and Dorchester, but I won't be able to make an appointment until I finally move.

A 2.5 x 2.5 x 0.5 m concrete base will be shielded by the obsy from direct heat.

[DaveS]

Quick addition. No TPO, but as it's a conservation area, I'll still need planning permission. Email I got back suggested a tree surgeon should be able to handle the paperwork.

[carastro]

What are the skies like down there Dave?  

Especially in comparison to West Ruislip?

Carole 

[DaveS]

A couple of photos of the offending tree.

And closer

[DaveS]

14 minutes ago, carastro said:

What are the skies like down there Dave?  

Especially in comparison to West Ruislip?

Carole 

No comparison. SQI 21.66 vs 18.6-ish in Ruislip. On Tue 31st it was clear, the Milky Way was visible as soon as I went out on the patio. Some LP visible from Bridport to the west, but not too horrendous. Main downside is the sky is not as open as I have in Ruislip. Trading quantity for quality. One reason to lose the tree.

[carastro]

Quote

SQI 21.66 vs 18.6-ish in Ruislip. 

?

[DaveS]

Another quick update.

I've had a landscape gardener in to quote for major garden work, he also does hard landscaping / building, so he's also going to quote for two platforms, the big one to go in later, but a small one to go here

The big Bay tree next to it

Will be getting a short back and sides. This platform will just have a pier and the small rig under a Telegizmos cover. Local computers and ethernet connections are already planned.

[Davey-T]

Will you be growing your own tomatoes Dave ?

Dave

[DaveS]

Hope so. It's quite a good greenhouse, I'm looking forward to putting it to productive use. Toms, and possibly mellons.

[Davey-T]

Those Melons are tricky, tried it once and had to make little baskets to hold them up, not a great success and never tried it since 

Dave

Cucumbers are easier and small varieties are good for one person.

Edited January 20, 2019 by Davey-T

[DaveS]

Thanks for the reminder, yes mellons need netting support, cucumbers might wel be an idea. Possibly the greenhouse is a bit small to take a vine.

Funds have taken a beating lately, as I've just had a new boiler and oil tank installed, you can just see the tank in the second photo. I hoped we could have "accidentally" killed off the palm, but I may need to take an axe to it. I'm a bit frightened about the size of the final invoice, as the engineer had to put right a complete bodgit-and-scarper job on the old boiler installation, and the roof over the boiler house and shower room was just as bad. I had the roofers in to make good where the old flue was taken out, but hey've had to replace some dodgy polythene sheeting under the tiles with the correct breathable membrane, scaffolding comes in tomorrow, then the roofers come on Tue to put back the tiles the ols roof had maybe 2 nails holding the entire roof .

[Davey-T]

Amazing what you find when you start looking, been here 40 odd years and took me ages to put right all the bodging that had gone before.

I think the surveyor was short sighted and forgot to bring his glasses 

Dave

[DaveS]

Yeah, the engineer thinks it might have been a poor DIY (BIY (Bodge-it-yourself)) job. As an example, the pressure tank was installed upside down, and had no vent pipe from the pressure relief valve to the outside, so if it *had* blown, I'd have had a flood. The electrics were / are in just as parlous a state, the 45A cable to the garage comes off a bit of 2.5mm square twin-and-earth, and goes direct to a couple of sockets and a light switch, and is running loose along the ground. A new distribution board is in order. *sigh* more money....