Essential Mod for Pulsar Dome

[SnakeyJ]

Being somewhat follicly challenged, I have scraped the top of my head twice while ducking in to the observatory - the last time leaving a long gash and substantial piece of skin dangling from the fibre glass edge above the door.

Possibly not such a problem in winter when I would be wearing a woolly hat, but a piece of 15mm pipe lagging provided an easy all year solution and should save my scalp in future!

It's actually fitted very well, just pressing on and no noticeable affect the door closure (unlike the temporary power chord at the bottom right).

 

[Gina]

That sound rather nasty Jake - good job on the pipe lagging.

[JohnSadlerAstro]

That's a good idea.

Everything these days seem to expect a height of less than 5' 6". At 6' 2", I have a bit of an issue with our stairs, if I don't walk down slowly I hit my head on the ceiling. ? It hurts, too, at speed.

Very nice obsy, btw! (And good ?? weather hehe!)

John

[Hallingskies]

2 hours ago, SnakeyJ said:

...I have scraped the top of my head twice while ducking in to the observatory...

Been there, done that (and upset my perfectly lovely neighbour with the resultant string of profanities, I'm ashamed to say...).  So I REALLY liked your idea and have just fitted the same to mine!  Why didn't I think of that?!

[SnakeyJ]

Ouch!

[JamesF]

Ouch! :(

James

[sloz1664]

Been there, got the scars and like yourself James I have added the pipe lagging also.

Steve

[michael8554]

Been meaning to get some clip-on rubber moulding for car door openings, but yours is a much better idea.

Michael 

[SnakeyJ]

1 minute ago, michael8554 said:

Been meaning to get some clip-on rubber moulding for car door openings, but yours is a much better idea.

Michael 

The car moulding is good and would do the job, but more expensive and the lagging is definitely softer.    I'm getting so accident prone I'll have to start going out in pads and a helmet

[Rusted]

I feel your pain.

One can only presume that Pulsar is basing its designs on the ergonomics of average medieval stature.

The front door of our cottage was similarly afflicted as a torture implement, of the same period, until suitably modified.

Fortunately, the only listing was related to the uprightness of its owner and the expletives it engendered on repeated cranial contact. 

One never learns to duck when one's attention is constantly AWOL.  

I meant to add that a quick spray with a high visibility paint [or tape?] might further improve your safety mod.

[tony210]

I always hit my mid thoracic spine on the way out so your mod might help-Tony

[michael8554]

To be fair the walls would have to be much higher to accommodate a decent height door.

That means a taller pier, maybe not a problem for imagers, but might be too high for visual.

Michael

[tony210]

Well- Domes are Domes and people over 6 ft don't fit well in small Domes, so bend over on the way in and out - I blame myself ( and sometimes the neighbours!)- I have thought of a bigger dome and digging down into the Sussex chalk to avoid the height that would surely distress next door, but water drainage and flooding would prevent  this in the UK  and then I would need not only to bend down but  use a Kayak!- Tony.

[Gina]

I get flooding under my ROR observatory for a similar reason.  Dug down into the clay that is about a foot below normal ground level.  I have a bilge pump installed at the lowest point to pump out the water and discharge up into my neighbour's field.

[tony210]

Maybe this is the way forward for me but would need a good bilge pump- go down 1 metre and have a new 2.7m Pulsar Dome -not sure whose field I could dump the water on though? - perhaps the guy downhill at the bottom of my garden - Tony

[JamesF]

Dig down a metre and build a waterproofed concrete shell.  As long as the weight of the concrete exceeds the weight of the water that it displaces surely you'd be fine?  If/when you leave it could be used as a pond :)

James

[SnakeyJ]

4 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Dig down a metre and build a waterproofed concrete shell.  As long as the weight of the concrete exceeds the weight of the water that it displaces surely you'd be fine?  If/when you leave it could be used as a pond

James

Or, with a little camouflage, a pill box come the next threat of invasion

[JamesF]

With a Bren gun mounted on the pier?

I actually grew up in a house with a pill box in the garden.  This was in Wales, next to the River Usk.  I have no idea why it should have been there unless they thought Jerry might mount an invasion of south Wales by sneaking up the river in miniature submarines.

James

[tony210]

Thanks for your expert advice guys but I have to think of the neighbours and and the inclusion in the observatory of a light sub machine gun would upset them a little- no I favour going the the 2.7m Pulsar pond route - I can be out there imaging M51  not alone but with the gold fish swimming round and round  and the waves lapping at my sandals-Tony.

[Gina]

Sounds idyllic ?

[JamesF]

"Goldfish shoals nibbling at your toes.  Fun, fun, fun, in the sun, sun, sun..."