DaveS's Obsy Build Thread

[bob-c]

This obs and setup is going to be and do the biz Dave.

Bob.

[DaveS]

Thanks, but it doesn't matter how good your 'scope is if it's constantly clouded out  . Hope we get some clear nights to be able to use the damn thing.

[RAR_MI_USA]

23 minutes ago, DaveS said:

Thanks, but it doesn't matter how good your 'scope is if it's constantly clouded out  . Hope we get some clear nights to be able to use the damn thing.

At least the sun was shining when you took those last pictures. Hopefully a sign of better days ahead. Looking forward to your progress!

[DaveS]

Ha, yes we managed quite a reasonable day, the gardeners have been able to crack on. Renovating this garden is looking like a cross between "Lost Gardens of Heligan" and "Time Team" lol (Not sure if the references will make sense on the other side of the pond). Not long after I covered the mount the rain arrived, so I was just in time.

Weather forecasts for next week are looking more hopeful with high pressure coming in. It'll make a change.

[bob-c]

17 hours ago, DaveS said:

Thanks, but it doesn't matter how good your 'scope is if it's constantly clouded out  . Hope we get some clear nights to be able to use the damn thing.

We could get a chance in the next few days ,might  get a bit of cloud free on Sunday night for me fingers crossed.

[BigMisterP]

On 27/12/2019 at 15:26, DaveS said:

Preliminary sketch. Sorry it's not CAD, as I'm finding Sketchup cantankerous and unintuitive, the other CAD packages are worse.

 

 

I actually found sketch to be fairly useful for simple 2d stuff that can easily extrude.

On the iPad I have started using Shapr3d - if is a learning curve, but, I think, it will be better in the long run.

Just about to entered the age of self determined activity, so, will find out soon enough. 

[BigMisterP]

On 13/01/2020 at 17:28, Alan White said:

Budgets are but an indication of a projects starting point which are written by the optimistic,
this allows projects to start without scaring too many folks.

Just look at H2S!

Always allow 50% for people costs, and 35% for capex.

and expect the overall spend to be 30% over that.

Its worked for me for nearly 20yrs

[BigMisterP]

On 02/02/2020 at 21:46, JamesF said:

They appear quite partial to small cubes of Mars bar too, so it's even on-topic

James

ooooooooooooooooo man

that's just SO baaaaaaaaaaaad

The moderators should have removed the one

[BigMisterP]

On 04/02/2020 at 22:26, DaveS said:

My garden also slopes down from the observing position, but the logical place for the trees is closer to the top of the slope, but I think anything under 12' or so should be OK, perhaps more if I can put the trees lower. I have a reasonable (But not expert) knowledge of rootstocks, and which ones might work in my situation.

you could try a thing called an airpot

it has holes in the sides that root gran try to for you, but get export to air, which limits root growth to the pot

we found them very effective - not necessarily the prettiest of things, but, of you can see from windows.....

[BigMisterP]

On 29/02/2020 at 18:57, Astrokev said:

yep, normal weather systems and seasonality are totally screwed up. I seriously worry that amateur astronomy in this country is becoming a waste of time and money

NEVER

anything you can get is a bonus

maybe just share what we get? build libraries of unprocessed images???

 

[BigMisterP]

On 29/02/2020 at 21:20, DaveS said:

This is my worry too. If climate change is leading to milder, wetter winters, that also means more cloud. They also talk about dryer summers, but that's no damn use, since astronomy is nearly impossible in summer.

maybe, in the near future, it may get cheaper to go to the antipodes when this virus starts reducing????

IF any airlines are left in business other than for cargo

 

[DaveS]

16 minutes ago, BigMisterP said:

you could try a thing called an airpot

it has holes in the sides that root gran try to for you, but get export to air, which limits root growth to the pot

we found them very effective - not necessarily the prettiest of things, but, of you can see from windows.....

Having got the measure of the ground freed up by removing the tree, and after the gardeners have been at it, I reckon I can accomodate 6-8 "Supercolumn" apple / pear trees and two or three semi-dwarf plum / gages in that area, plus a couple of hazels for nuts further down. There's a large area cleared for soft fruit. Plus another bed that I can use for veg, in amongst some ornamentals.

[BigMisterP]

On 14/03/2020 at 12:29, bob-c said:

We could get a chance in the next few days ,might  get a bit of cloud free on Sunday night for me fingers crossed.

local forecast now says I may have some clear skies. but all the kit has been in storage for past few months, so, no time to sort anything.

probably in the period to start checking a week ahead now

 

[JamesF]

Fitting a crab apple in somewhere might be a plan if you don't already have one.  They work very well as pollinators for other varieties, and there's crab apple jelly, too

James

[BigMisterP]

10 minutes ago, DaveS said:

Having got the measure of the ground freed up by removing the tree, and after the gardeners have been at it, I reckon I can accomodate 6-8 "Supercolumn" apple / pear trees and two or three semi-dwarf plum / gages in that area, plus a couple of hazels for nuts further down. There's a large area cleared for soft fruit. Plus another bed that I can use for veg, in amongst some ornamentals.

blueberries are a great soft crop, we have 8-9 bushes, and in summer get enough to cover day to day plus some to freeze over late autumn/winter

Do need occasional top ups from foreign climes, but its now reduced.

Edited March 15, 2020 by BigMisterP

[BigMisterP]

as an aside, we just found we have morel mushrooms in the garden courtesy of imported bark

[Stargazer33]

4 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Fitting a crab apple in somewhere might be a plan...  and there's crab apple jelly, too

James

I wondered where all those little crabs on the beach came from! So they grow on trees! Making jelly from them sounds a bit icky though! 🤪 

[JamesF]

1 minute ago, Stargazer33 said:

Making jelly from them sounds a bit icky though!

You have to squish them up very small.

James

[DaveS]

43 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Fitting a crab apple in somewhere might be a plan if you don't already have one.  They work very well as pollinators for other varieties, and there's crab apple jelly, too

James

 

41 minutes ago, BigMisterP said:

blueberries are a great soft crop, we have 8-9 bushes, and in summer get enough to cover day to day plus some to freeze over late autumn/winter

Do need occasional top ups from foreign climes, but its now reduced.

An ornamental Crab is certainly a possibility, just got to work out where to put it, but there are several locations.

Unfortunately my soil is far too alkaline for blueberries, down here in Dorset there's a lot of chalk / limestone around. The soft fruit area currently has some raspberry canes and three blackcurrant bushes plus a few alpine / wild strawberries. I also hope to make room for a tayberry on wires. Scattered around the garden are four gooseberry bushes though I'm not all that keen, especially given the spines.

[RAR_MI_USA]

On 13/03/2020 at 16:18, DaveS said:

Ha, yes we managed quite a reasonable day, the gardeners have been able to crack on. Renovating this garden is looking like a cross between "Lost Gardens of Heligan" and "Time Team" lol (Not sure if the references will make sense on the other side of the pond). Not long after I covered the mount the rain arrived, so I was just in time.

Weather forecasts for next week are looking more hopeful with high pressure coming in. It'll make a change.

The references indeed, did not make sense to me. With over 240 TV channels to choose from at home, not much British TV is available to us. We do have BBC America, but that is mostly American geared programming (with an accent) and other documentaries. YouTube is the choice place to watch British programming for me. I have seen every back episode of The Sky At Night and always  look forward to the new monthly episode. (One program a month is not enough, I think, but I suppose is a BBC recipe that has worked for decades, so who am I to say?)
However, in the time of the Internet, I was quickly able to get your point. I understand it to mean your yard looks half like a botanical garden and half an archeological dig site. Haha. Mine once resembled the same after I took large pool out, that was destroyed by the winter of 2013-14, and the hole sat unfilled for a few years until I got around to filling it in.
Here's hoping the forecast is correct and better weather is coming so that you are able to get some more work done on your project. I look forward to it!
Ray

Edited March 16, 2020 by RAR_MI_USA

[DaveS]

Yep, half botanical garden restoration and half archeological dig. Been cutting out masses of tangled overgrowth, and finding lost paths buried beneath plants / soil.

[DaveS]

OK, another update. The computer box installed and cabled up

And everything covered in case the weather turns.

[Gina]

Rain is on the way...  Looking good though

[Yawning Angel]

Very tidy work Dave!

Given the recent winds, what diagonal bracing method are you going for or will your cladding be holding it square?

[DaveS]

ATM I'm hoping the cladding will hold it square, but I am also thinking about placing some diagonal pieces in the framing.