DaveS's Obsy Build Thread

[RAR_MI_USA]

On 27/08/2020 at 12:04, DaveS said:

Not at all, happy for any suggestions.

Two of the hold-down blocks have been replaced, just a matter of finding time in between doing the other obsy work to do the other two. They have been cut ready, now to fit them.

We don't get much snow here, last year it was just a dusting, and no snowfall this winter.

The roof is, as you say, much too light. I should have had a look back at my original plans which *did* call for heavier timbers when I was putting the orders in to Wickes. I was also trying to keep the height below 2.5 metres for the "Permitted Development" rules.

I think I can use 45 x 70mm beams on end. Will investigate the geometry.

Cool. Development and city/township rules, they vary so much everywhere and some I have heard about are downright inhibiting.  The city where I live has its rules like all do, but as far as sheds/buildings/observatory, etc. go, the limiting factor is size, not height, and is fairly generous. There are actual dimensional restrictions (floor square feet) but rule of thumb is you can build anything without a permit as long as it not large enough to accommodate an automobile, which would then classify it as a garage. That gives a fairly wide latitude considering the size of the average auto here in the USA.
As always, nice work Dave. I will be returning every so often to see it progress.

[DaveS]

Where I live is in a "Conservation Area" which puts another layer of rules on top of the ordinary Permitted Development regs, including what area of building you can put up more than 20 metres from the main building.

At least this isn't a "Listed Building" else I'd have had to get planning permission for any structure within the "Curtilage", ie the grounds next to the house.

[DaveS]

Another photo.

The beam runs the length of the roof rail, doing two jobs, providing a secure anchorage for the toggle as well as providing a barrier to rain being blown under the roof. It will need a coat of Creocote as it hasn't been tanalised.

The other three are pretty much the same.

[DaveS]

Slapped a coat e of Creocote on the beams this morning, had roof open most of the day for ventilation.

Been doing some fiddly jobs around the 'scope and now feel confident enough to leave the TG cover off.

May try to get the door hung if my back is up to it tomorrow.

Waiting on the Chroma filters before putting the camera on.

[DaveS]

Time for some more photos. Been installing the roof automation.

The motor

And the control box.

There are two mains leads, one connected directly, the other through a UPS. When there is a power cut the software will park the 'scope and shut the roof.

And a shot through the door of the whole interior.

[geoflewis]

Looking good Dave

[RAR_MI_USA]

Great progress Dave.
This subject and the nice work you have done has gotten me to thinking about building another small garden house/shed myself, not to be used as an observatory (I do not have a good vantage point for a fixed scope/obsy due to sky obstructions of neighboring trees), but rather one to store my telescopes inside of year round so I don't have to carry them out of the basement, up stairs, thru doors, then down deck stairs and into the backyard every time I want to observe or image. Naturally, I would have to insulate it fully to protect my equipment as I am a stickler for that. The winters here are hell regarding the cold and snow.

[DaveS]

A quick update.

After much heaving and grunting, plus loads of words that would get me banned if repeated here, I finally got the obsy door hung and the closing edge chamfered. Also managed to sink the hole for the strike plate, so the door can now be closed and locked, making the obsy at least nominally secure, in that someone would have to force the door in order to nick anything.

No photos, as this is an open forum.

I had to order a couple of air wedges from Wickes in order to support the door as the floor is several cm below the bottom of the sole-plate.

[Rusted]

18 hours ago, DaveS said:

A quick update.

I had to order a couple of air wedges from Wickes in order to support the door as the floor is several cm below the bottom of the sole-plate.

I was expecting to find "air wedges" beside sky hooks in the same aisle but apparently they do exist.

Whatever happened to "universal robots" when you need them most?

[DaveS]

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

I was expecting to find "air wedges" beside sky hooks in the same aisle but apparently they do exist.

Whatever happened to "universal robots" when you need them most?

Haha, yep, I didn't know they existed either until I looked on the Wickes site. I couldn't have done the job without them, struggled mightily with packing blocks (Timber offcuts) and door wedges but couldn't get it aligned well enough. The air wedges solved the problem in about 10 mins.

It also showed up all the out-of-true bits, so the door swings open, but at least it closes and can be locked, which was the main thing.

Took time out to clear up with dustpan-and-brush and vac, as the floor was a mess, with sawdust on various beams as well.

Doing a lot of the little fiddly jobs that seem to take longer than the big jobs of construction.

Now waiting on Chroma to deliver some filters to @FLO, so they can be delivered here. Don't want to put the camera on until I've loaded the filter wheel. Then I can get the 'scope balanced and start on the technical stuff of PA and modeling. Just hope the collimation isn't too far out.

Now off to install the UPS and an Ethernet hub.

[manoss27]

I'm at the stage where I'm looking for plans to finally make my own observatory and this thread inspire me @DaveS

[DaveS]

After another long delay, time for an update.

I have now installed an IP camera so I can monitor the obsy from any location, including my phone

In mono with the roof closed, also showing the LED string I have around the obsy to give a bit of light for working.

And in colour with the roof open.

And after heroic efforts with the Talon software (Including contacting the developer) Rupert Smith of Astrograph managed to sort out some intractable problems that had me tearing my hair out.

He really is a top bloke, I cannot thank him enough.

[DaveS]

You can just see the wooden blocks that hold the magnetic sensors that tell Talon that the mount is parked and it's safe to close the roof.

[DaveS]

I also got a brief clear slot  a few nights ago which gave me time to get the camera focused, and check the collimation which looks pretty much spot on.

[iapa]

On 02/02/2020 at 21:49, DaveS said:

I thought Topic had peanuts in it.

Can you tell it's cloudy?

Hazelnuts is it not? Peanuts in a marathon

in the land of the leader of the “western world” peanuts are in a Mars 

Cloudy AND wet