Finally started on my obs

[Alan White]

14 hours ago, Moonshane said:

More a star hope

Very good...... 🥁 (best drum roll I can muster)

[Moonshane]

Made the other two roof panels today so looking more like a building now 😀

[Moonshane]

Some good progress today. Give or take a bit of adjusting, I have a working roof!

It works as I'd hope with capacity for observing the main areas of decent sky whilst masking local and more general light pollution. The front flips down. The middle runs to front or back. The rear section is hinged.

Here's some pics.

[Stu]

Ingenious! 👍👍

[Alan White]

Looking forward to seeing how you waterproof that roof Shane as for the life of me,
I cannot work out how you will do it? 😖

[Moonshane]

Hi Alan

I have designed it to fit 1m long bitumen corrugated sheets which will overlap. 

I have used decking for the floor as this can take water but hopefully it will stay pretty dry. My power will be disconnected in the morning after a session and I am visual only so no PC's etc.

I can always redesign if needed. The roof has been the cheap bit so far.

[Alan White]

Sounds as interesting a plan as the overall roof design, I really hope it works for you as it is a ingenious design.

[nightfisher]

Good to see progress on this build, i have a sneaky feeling the overlap idea of the roof sheets will work just nice

[Moonshane]

The obs frame in stealth mode. Added some of the membrane today. It makes a massive difference to the feel of the building. Will upload pics tomorrow.

 

[Moonshane]

More pics. I used a garden weed membrane to black out the inside then a breathable roofing membrane mainly to reduce condensation inside. I may eventually add ply to the inside walls.

Also added mesh all round to keep out critters. Will add gravel etc for aesthetics and to weigh down the mesh along with bricks etc.

[Moonshane]

Ps the black thing in the second pic is not a new black hole but a mixing board !

[John]

I thought for a moment that the guys in the distance with the yellow hi-vis vests and hats on were working on your observatory !

[Moonshane]

Lol @John

Unfortunately a few months after we moved in the 12 year long planning app was finally approved.

We went from  this below to what you see above in a weekend

 

[Moonshane]

On the plus side I just went down in the dark and it's very easy to get the roof off and it will make a massive difference. Might have to make some corner screening for front left and right but that's easily sorted. 👍

[Moonshane]

Managed to get the roof on. The bitumen sheets worked pretty well but there's more of a gap than I'd like but hopefully there's enough overlap to prevent leaks. It would take pretty unusual weather to be at that angle and direction so fingers crossed.......

Open 

And closed

 

[Ronclarke]

The open photo doesn't make much sense to me, why is the middle section still in place??

 

Ron

[Moonshane]

Hi Ron

The rear of the obs faces north to Manchester so bad light pollution. 

With the roof open I can just get Polaris and about 60% if the front is open towards the best skies I have while still masking houses. The end of the garden is 25 feet lower than the house so I gave to mask this too. Still worth the effort.

[Rob Sellent]

Amazing engineering and building skills going on there, @Moonshane I imagine this will be purely a visual set up but do you conceive going into the dark side in the future?

[Moonshane]

Nah just vIsual but never say never I suppose

[Ronclarke]

All understood Shane, you've been very busy! Is the North facing roof fixed?

Well done.

 

Ron

Edited October 24, 2019 by Ronclarke
added text

[Moonshane]

The north one is fixed but hinged ☺

[Moonshane]

Got the front and back clad. All cuts on the sides. Hopefully get that done (and a door made) before I go back to school on Monday.

 

[Moonshane]

Well I made the door but not fitted yet. In between the amazing rugby and a Halloween party it's been a busy weekend..........

I'm supposed to be Georgie out of the film It. However I seem to resemble more Brian Cox after a weekend bender.

[Moonshane]

Ps yes both wigs 😂

[nightfisher]

Love it, "Brian Cox weekend bender"

 

You have made great progress on the obsy, as i knew you would