Graeme's ROR - a build with added features

[GraemeC]

Hi James, yes at the moment the roof frame is just sitting on top of the walls with a few (temporary) screws in place to stop it blowing away in the wind...   That would have to be some wind...

[GraemeC]

Next step, to demolish the old shed and build structure number 2.

[tooth_dr]

Great build, I really have enjoyed reading and looking at the pics so far. 

[JamesF]

I didn't realise the full extent of the state of the second shed in the earlier photos.  That one makes it look really quite bad.

James

[GraemeC]

An artist friend of mine really liked it, he said it was a good study in decrepitude, rot and reversion to nature    hehehe    I think it would have fallen down a long time ago if it wasn't for a steel cupboard inside, currently holding the roof up!  The replacement will be smaller, I don't need to be as large.  The shed #1 (observatory) is about 2.1m x 3m and shed number 2 will be 2.5m x 3m.  3m gap between the two (that's the space for the sliding roof).

[Astrokev]

3 hours ago, GraemeC said:

Next step, to demolish the old shed and build structure number 2.

Looks like it will demolish itself if you wait a while longer - a reasonably strong breeze should do it ?.

Observatory building is looking very smart.

[Astrokev]

2 hours ago, GraemeC said:

An artist friend of mine really liked it, he said it was a good study in decrepitude, rot and reversion to nature   

As an amateur artist of old myself, I get that!

[Gina]

So do I!!  That shed has style - or something.  I wouldn't mind painting that.

[GraemeC]

After relocating loads of junk - some of which went straight to the tip - the area is cleared.  It gives me working space to start assembling more wall frames and panels.

The growth in the foreground is a rosemary bush, great for saute potatoes but doesn't it just grow quickly...

[Gina]

WOW!  That was quick - well done ?

[GraemeC]

It didn't take long, the slowest part was emptying it of the old boxes, a kitchen unit and rusty paint tins that hadn't seen light of day in decades.  Its good that this sort of exercise makes you do a spring clean from time to time!  You might notice that the demolition isn't so much a clearance, more of a push to one side, out of the way...

The next step was to finish making the remaining walls and roof trusses for building number 2.  I'm using sheets of 8x4 plywood to give me a base for the jig and timbers are located square and aligned before nailing.  I used sheradised annular ring nails for the framing as these are very grippy (almost impossible to pull out) and will not rust.

[GraemeC]

Next step: assemble the tongue and groove, tighten up and nail in place.  There is a liner in place just under the T&G.  The large opening in this section is for a large wired window (which just happened to be an old internal door in my house before the recent building work was completed).  I try to repurpose things if I can 

 

[Astrokev]

Hi Graeme. Just trying to get my head around the timeline for your build (not that this really matters, I'm just curious). 

Was the demolition done recently? The luxuriant foliage on some of the plants, and the odd dandelion in flower, suggests this was taken during the growing season?

[GraemeC]

Hi Kev, well spotted, the work took place  in stages over the summer up to now.  The lush undergrowth isn't because of any micro climate here!  I'm just getting around to sorting out the pictures and finalising the build at the moment.  I have time to sit down in front of the PC and catch up with all the astro-chat.  I seemed to have spent all the time over the summer in the garden hammering bloomin' nails...  

[GraemeC]

Finally, roof trusses.  The 8x4 panels used for building wall panels will be used as the roof panelling (under a layer of roofing felt and shingles).

A single layer of bricks was set in place so that the wooden walls are not sitting directly on the concrete slab.

Then its just a matter of lifting the panels into place and securing.

[GraemeC]

Finally, the window and the roof 8x4 plywood sheets are put in place, followed by roofing liner, then shingles.  Altogether quite heavy but long lasting.  This is the same construction as the building number 1 (on the left) which is the observatory proper.  The dimensions of building number 2 are a little different as its a bit wider and higher.  The observatory has slightly lower walls, for visibility reasons.

Next step: to put on the door (leaning up against some junk on the left) and to tidy up the middle area.  This is where the observatory running rails will go, to be cunningly disguised as an open tree house.

I had to compromise the design a bit here, I wanted the observatory roof to run over this middle area but I also had to think about the shed #2 access door position.  I wanted to keep the door in the end to keep the roof tidy, a reasonable door height, and visibility from the house.  I wondered about making the shed so wide that the door would be completely outside the running rail footprint but decided against that as it would reduce the width of the walkway & would also obscure most of the garage from the house.  So the compromise: to have the door as shown below, with a section of running rail that can be removed for normal daytime use (ie to get into the shed without banging your head).  In practice I think it will stay removed unless I want to open the observatory roof.

 

[GraemeC]

After a day's tidying up, I will now assemble the treehouse frame (also to be the roof running rails).  The shed stuff has been returned to building #2 and the observatory is ready to be completed as an observatory.  In this pic I've fitted the internal rails (left and right).  I'm making design changes to the corner timbers on the right as this running rail is now flush to the side wall.  I was going to have it offset a little but this was influenced by the shed#2 door position.  I think its better flush (as it is now on this pic).  Also in this pic is the first 2 rollers (left, top) and the electrical consumer unit.  on the right hand side the roof is still just sitting on top of the wall. 

The rollers are 20mm U-shaped rollers that run along 20mm electrical conduit.  The conduit is fixed down by countersunk screws (countersunk so there is no 'bump'.)

 

 

and outside...

[Astrokev]

Good progress Graeme. Your rail solution sounds interesting. Is the conduit plastic or metal?

[GraemeC]

Hi Astrokev, the conduit is the 20mm galvanised steel variety available from most good DIY stockists.  Its available in 3m lengths and so I would need 4 altogether.  Where I have to make joints I obviously cant use the normal coupling, which would leave a significant bump on the outer profile.  Instead I cut off a three inch length of the conduit, cut it lengthways with a hacksaw and compressed it so it fits like a plug inside the conduit.  I fixed it half in, half out with solder.  Now when I bring the two pieces of conduit together, its a positive engagement between the 2 lengths of conduit with no impact on external profile.

The pic shows progress with the running rails and frame.  The frame is dual purpose, to keep grandchildren occupied, I'm also including monkey bars, a wobbily floor, climbing net and climbing wall - all in a space of about 3m x 2m.  This pic shows the running rail 4x2 impregnated timbers capped with a length of damp proof membrane, with the steel tubing on top.  I want rain (and snow) to run off freely as pockets of water could eventually rot the wood.  There is a detachable section of running rail closest to the camera, this is for normal access to the 2nd shed door.  The separate section, about 4ft in length, engages with the conduit as described and sits on galvanised joist hangars.  At the observatory end, I've cut through the end wall and connected up the running rails, the hole is big enough for all the rollers etc to come through.

When the warmer weather returns I'll give all the frame timbers a coat of stain/ preservative.  I haven't bought any new timber for this bit, its all left over from my house extension works last year.

[Astrokev]

Sounds good. 

How d'you propose to keep rain out of the holes in the end wall of the roof where the rails come through? As myself and a few others have found, this can be a tricky one. 

[GraemeC]

I've been wondering about that, do forum members have any suggestions?  I've wondered about some sort of flap or perhaps the brush-type draft excluders you see advertised.  Or a bit of foam secured so that it plugs the hole when its closed.  Or a square of wood secured in front of the rollers, positioned flush so it plugs most of the hole when closed.

Any suggestions?

[RayD]

2 minutes ago, GraemeC said:

I've been wondering about that, do forum members have any suggestions?  I've wondered about some sort of flap or perhaps the brush-type draft excluders you see advertised.  Or a bit of foam secured so that it plugs the hole when its closed.  Or a square of wood secured in front of the rollers, positioned flush so it plugs most of the hole when closed.

Any suggestions?

I use brushes and they seem to work, but mine slides off sideways, so a little different.  I've not had any water ingress issues, even with the heavy rain.

[Astrokev]

27 minutes ago, GraemeC said:

 

Any suggestions?

You're already coming up with some good ideas ??  .

Some of my recent posts on my build  thread describe what I've done to address this. In summary, I have a large roof overhang which gives some protection. I've also fitted gutters above the rail entry points so that rain running off the rolling roof doesn't drip onto the rail track (your roof slopes a different way so this isn't a problem for you).  Finally I've fitted "dams" on the rail beams to stop rainwater running along the track into the scope room. So far this seems a pretty good set of defences but I'm keeping a watchful eye!

[Gina]

I used brushes.

[paul mc c]

The rollers are 20mm U-shaped rollers........Hi Graeme,could you tell me where you purchased the castors,and how many did you use per side.

Great build by the way.

ps,what diameter are the wheels, thanks.