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DaveS's Obsy Build Thread


DaveS

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Another long time update.

I now have most of the breathable membrane on, just a bit to do on the rear wall, and cladding going on.

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The roof base has been constructed and is on its wheels

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The blue rope is to stop it rolling off the track.

Close up of the roof automation rack. The motor will be fitted when the roof is waterproof.

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More to follow when I make some more progress.

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And now I have the south wall clad

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I still have to put the two middle sets of screws in, as I found that trying to do that while putting the cladding up bent the strakes just enough to make putting the next one in a real fight. I also need to order more T&G as I miscalculated how much I would need, but will wait until I know how much I will need for the roof skirt.

Edited by DaveS
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They are, yes. I put a layer of Creocoat on while waiting for more screws to arrive for the rest of the cladding. Now run myself out of T&G, dur.. so waiting again.

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More Delays :BangHead:, this time down to my own stupidity (Plus trying to order from Wickes :cussing:)

I think "two steps forward, one back" would count as success at the mo, it's more like "two steps forward, three steps back, shuffle sideways, dosey-doe and start again" :BangHead: :cussing:, yep, it's leading me a right old barn-dance.

OK I knew I'd have to arrange some kind of cantilever to be able to put the outer skirt of the roof on the bearers, but my first idea of using offcuts from the 96mm studding sideways on the roof rails to support the roof came up short. OK try putting the bearers on the outside of the rails. That would give me enough width so I could drop the skirting over the walls. Fine measure up carefully, cut the angles to allow for the roof slope, all OK so far.

What I hadn't allowed for was droop in the overhang of the roof bearers. It would be difficult to get a good photo, and it's not a lot but it's there and stuffing up the clearances. TBH it had been nagging at the back of my mind, but I'd hoped I'd "get away with it", well I haven't.

OH, and don't even count knocking the roof bearer wheels off the rails and have to heave-ho them back on, plus my rubbish coordination making everything take ten times longer than for a normal person.

Well, although I could have cheated the lengths of the already cut members, but I've decided to tackle the source of the problem and ordered some angle ali to provide reinforcement to the wooden beams, coming from RS on Tue.

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Took the opportunity to add a second PSU to the computer box following the advice from Rupert Smith at Astrograph. Just got it done before the cloud came over and it started to rain.

I will be rebuilding this box as it's a bit wobbly and too small really. I will give more room for air to circulate around the various PSUs and also make it strong enough to carry a monitor and keyboard should I need to do anything locally. There is 76mm between the two uprights so that will give a longer spacing, and I found some OSB in the garage which I can use for the back that will carry the gubbins.

Edited by DaveS
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Parcelforce delivered the ali angle this morning, and Citysprint delivered the extra cladding from Wickes, so hopefully I can crack on. Got the first two lengths of angle on, not sure it's doing much but can't be asked to order more stuff, it'll have to do. The Citysprint driver doesn't need a sat nav to find his way here. he's been so many times!

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I now have the skeleton of the roof made

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And covered with breathable membrane.

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Managed to get the north wall cladding on. Had to use shiplap as Wickes was out of stock of T&G

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A lot of fiddley cut and fit around various cutouts

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And

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The heffalump in the room

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A very awkward triangular hole to fill. May put perforated mesh in and call it ventilation.

Also have the hold down toggles fitted

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There are four of them, and all the screws are 100 mm going right into the roof bearers.

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Initially I had some slack in the membrane which let water in, fortunately not on anything that could be damaged. I fiddled with the tapes and managed to get the slack stuck down.

TBH, shiplap was what I wanted to use originally, and would have been a lot faster to clad, as I would have needed fewer strakes and they would have gone on without the fight I had with the T&G.

Edited by DaveS
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Still got the roof motor to fit, slightly complicated by there being some droop in the long roof bearer despite the angle ali. Will have to mount it a bit higher that I first thought.

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Thanks Carole.

This has been very slow work, partly because I've been making it up as I go along, plus long delays for deliveries, and my own cack-handedness making everything take much longer than it should.

Been a big learning curve. Hopefully when I come to make an automated obsy for the current rig on its platform I will have some idea of what I'm doing!

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The tropical storm arrived and promptly flooded the obsy from insufficiently taped seams of the membrane. I'd made such a pig's ear of my previous efforts that i imagined that I could "get away" with not taping them. After being proved wrong a couple of days ago | thought I'd got them taped but was wrong.

Think I've got the seams tight now, but the next storm will tell.

Good job I didn't take the TG cover off.

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Well, the floor of the obsy is mostly dry, so I've been doing a bit more work.

Just taken delivery of some OSB from Wickes. Instead of the 606 x 1220mm that I'd ordered, they sent me 1220 x 2400mm. OK, I can use it but humping 4' x 8' lengths onto the roof will test my (non) abilities. Also I only paid for the short lengths. Sent a request for clarification to customer services, bu more delay while they reply.

 

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11 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Great to see all the progression, it'll be worth it. There's such a lot of work, planning and build management in building an observatory, only when you've done it do you appreciate all the effort.

Thanks Nigella.

Although I drew up plans before I started, it's the fiddly bits that are taking time, plus the learning curve of finding out what I don't know about building an obsy.

Hopefully when I come to build an automated imaging box for the little 'scope I will know what I'm doing. Haha.

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22 minutes ago, Gina said:

So the drizzle we have here doesn't extend as far east as you then Dave!

No, at the mo it's just damp in the air

20 minutes ago, Gina said:

It's always the fiddly little bits that take the time!!

As I'm finding out, the hard way lol.

Just had another two deliveries from Wickes, OSB (Too big, contacted customer services, but could use it) and a small circular saw for cutting up board.

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Had my roofer here to fix the front downpipe that had come loose from the guttering.

He cast his eye over the obsy, his verdict "That's a proper job". So at least one vote of confidence.

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