pulsar dome damaged by thieves.

[DaveL59]

5 minutes ago, Astro-Geek said:

 

If it was me, I'd also reinforce any similar areas near the wheels even though they haven't been damaged.  Make it  as difficult as possible for the B******ds in case it happens again..  🤓

could lay some old craft knife blades into the epoxy under the lip edge for the fingers that shouldn't be probing there so must be trespassing...  Just remember they are there should you ever need to lift the dome for maintenance!

[Astro-Geek]

16 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

could lay some old craft knife blades into the epoxy under the lip edge for the fingers that shouldn't be probing there so must be trespassing...  Just remember they are there should you ever need to lift the dome for maintenance!

Although it's difficult to wish anything but mysery on the perpetrators, it's worth remembering that the Law on the subject is actually weighted against honest people.

I believe that we can even be prosecuted for having a barbed wire fence in an "accessible" location, if burglars or vandals injure themselves on it.

It reminds me of a colleague in my office  a few decades ago who (half) jokingly toyed with the idea of fitting a spring loaded bayonet to his steering wheel after his car had been stolen a couple of times....  😱

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Astro-Geek

[DaveL59]

yep I know, having had conversations with the law after being broken into. Seems they can sue if they trip on a loose stair carpet even tho they had no right to be in your house, amongst other things. More rights than those they're stealing from/vandalising, not that it'll ever tilt back in favour of the law-abiding sadly.

There are minimum height limits for barbed wire and a higher one for razor wire, but needs lots of signage etc. Hence a lot of walled places just put broken glass in the mortar atop the walls.

Edited May 20, 2020 by DaveL59

[DaveL59]

or just to a "rough" finishing job on the lower edge of the new fibreglass inside the lip... 😉 

[Nigella Bryant]

2 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

or just to a "rough" finishing job on the lower edge of the new fibreglass inside the lip... 😉 

Yeah, I'll start repairs and sanding down next week ready for the new paint job, any suggestions as colour. It's white at the moment but thought camouflage would be good, lol. 

[JamesF]

If I ever have a dome observatory, I might well paint it like this:

James

[Astro-Geek]

7 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Yeah, I'll start repairs and sanding down next week ready for the new paint job, any suggestions as colour. It's white at the moment but thought camouflage would be good, lol. 

You need some of this stuff, that John Cleese painted 007's Aston Martin with.....  🙂

 

[banjaxed]

Only just seen this thread and am very sorry you have to repair the damage to your dome caused by low life. What I would like to do to them is not printable. 😖

[Nigella Bryant]

55 minutes ago, banjaxed said:

Only just seen this thread and am very sorry you have to repair the damage to your dome caused by low life. What I would like to do to them is not printable. 😖

Yeah, lol. 

[Bukko]

So sorry to hear of the damage and how lucky you were to have emptied it beforehand.

Hoping you can make a strong repair to the fibreglass and you have no more trouble.

It is difficult to believe the UK and France shared the same administration and the common human rights laws. For me here in rural France, I am surrounded by farmers and they all have guns. I guess thieves also know this so hoping I will not have a problem. We are plagued with wildlife from rabbits and hares, to deer and wild boar. To protect the boundary, it is very common to have electric fencing with just a few small warning notices. I spoke to the guy in the shop and to deter animals (including the two legged variety) he suggested I fit an electric fence around the observatory and the best one has 13,500 volts... I am assured it will not harm anyone.

Apparantly, the boar recognise the cables and will just leave rather than take it on. Hoping the same for other lower lifeforms...

Gordon.

[DaveL59]

made me recall the stonehenge site where they put an electric fence around it to deter the brigade that sneak in at night to play. According to the security guy I was talking to it was hilarious, as dark fell they'd start to sneak across the open green and in the dark you'd just hear crack... owww and other noises

[Nigella Bryant]

Brilliant, can I electrify the dome wall on the outside 😃😃😃😃😃

[DaveL59]

2 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Brilliant, can I electrify the dome wall on the outside 😃😃😃😃😃

sadly not, seems the law doesn't take too kindly even if you have to be doing something illegal to actually hit the live wire/plate  No reason tho that you couldn't fit some sort of detection and a damn loud siren and big flashing lights to disorientate them while they try to flee. Hooked to an auto-sprinkler or better yet a water-jet with some of that special water and plod should have no problem proving it was them trespassing with intent  

[Nigella Bryant]

1 hour ago, DaveL59 said:

sadly not, seems the law doesn't take too kindly even if you have to be doing something illegal to actually hit the live wire/plate  No reason tho that you couldn't fit some sort of detection and a damn loud siren and big flashing lights to disorientate them while they try to flee. Hooked to an auto-sprinkler or better yet a water-jet with some of that special water and plod should have no problem proving it was them trespassing with intent  

Oh, the law are party poopers. Love the alternatives though, lol. I am going to fit a pir system with loud siren though. 

[DaveL59]

yeah they didn't like the trapdoor onto spikes below idea either  

[Alan White]

Glad it looks like less damage than thought and quite repairable Nigella.
 

[Viktiste]

Just saw this. So sorry to hear about it, I know the feeling. Very difficult not to get angry and wanting all sorts of  havoc to the lowlife who does something like that. But luckily we are civilized people and leave it with the thought. I am seriously thinking about an electronically tripwire triggered water hose (+siren) though. I think that would be effective against burglars.

[DAVE AMENDALL]

IN RESPONSE TO COMMENT ON DOME COLOR

My fiberglass dome was originally white with a black shutter. After some hours of being exposed to the summer sun, the black gel coat shutter felt really hot, whereas  the white gel coat remained cool.

I resprayed the black shutter white which cured the problem. I must conclude that white must be better than any darker shade in this respect as heat over a long period of time does no good to fiberglass...Dave

[Nigella Bryant]

2 hours ago, DAVE AMENDALL said:

IN RESPONSE TO COMMENT ON DOME COLOR

My fiberglass dome was originally white with a black shutter. After some hours of being exposed to the summer sun, the black gel coat shutter felt really hot, whereas  the white gel coat remained cool.

I resprayed the black shutter white which cured the problem. I must conclude that white must be better than any darker shade in this respect as heat over a long period of time does no good to fiberglass...Dave

I was thinking dark green but after your experience not sure now, trouble is white stands out like a sore thumb and wanted something not so obvious. 

[Rusted]

White is traditional for observatories for a very good reason.
Temperatures of most materials soar when exposed to the sun.
Paint them white and they remain very much cooler.
A cool dome doesn't throw thermals across your field of view.

I own a green painted dome. I like my sage green dome.
So does my wife. BUT! So does the sun!
55C on sun facing, plywood panels! Same inside!
Add a bit of white material over the top and it drops to only 22C.
Proof enough for me!  

A row of tall, thin conifers in big pots can shield an observatory.
From both prying eyes and from the sun.
Roll them out the way if you need to look that way. 

EDIT: There are thermally reflective paints in any colour. No experience with them though.

Paint half the dome green and let it face the garden. Let the white half face the sun.

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Rusted

[Nigella Bryant]

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

White is traditional for observatories for a very good reason.
Temperatures of most materials soar when exposed to the sun.
Paint them white and they remain very much cooler.
A cool dome doesn't throw thermals across your field of view.

I own a green painted dome. I like my sage green dome.
So does my wife. BUT! So does the sun!
55C on sun facing, plywood panels! Same inside!
Add a bit of white material over the top and it drops to only 22C.
Proof enough for me!  

A row of tall, thin conifers in big pots can shield an observatory.
From both prying eyes and from the sun.
Roll them out the way if you need to look that way. 

EDIT: There are thermally reflective paints in any colour. No experience with them though.

Paint half the dome green and let it face the garden. Let the white half face the sun.

 

Great obsy, hum, I'm thinking now, keep it white. Love the Conifer idea.

[JeremyS]

There are 2 reasons why my Pulsar obsy is green, @Nigella Bryant

1. Our garden is quite small so we thought it would stick out less than a white dome. Having said that, a blinking great 2 m green dome is still obvious! 🙂

2. The local planning authority set it as a stipulation.

[Physopto]

Looking at your picture of the damage, I would grind off the surface by the wheel and use stranded fibre glass repair. You can also bond a stainless steel plate across the back for added strength under the stranded fibre glass at the same time. Once that is done, I would then repair the outer surface as it will then have some strength and be able to be ground out for the final refinishing. Once accomplished you can sand down to the required level and apply a final correctly coloured gel coat. When dry/hard buff off to give an invisible repair. I have done this several times on Life Boats at sea.

Derek

Edited May 25, 2020 by Physopto

[Nigella Bryant]

14 minutes ago, Physopto said:

Looking at your picture of the damage, I would grind off the surface by the wheel and use stranded fibre glass repair. You can also bond a stainless steel plate across the back for added strength under the stranded fibre glass at the same time. Once that is done, I would then repair the outer surface as it will then have some strength and be able to be ground out for the final refinishing. Once accomplished you can sand down to the required level and apply a final correctly coloured gel coat. When dry/hard buff off to give an invisible repair. I have done this several times on and Life Boats at sea.

Derek

Hi, thanks, I am planning on using a steel plate because of where the damage is near the wheels..just waiting for everything to be delivered.

[Physopto]

13 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Hi, thanks, I am planning on using a steel plate because of where the damage is near the wheels..just waiting for everything to be delivered.

Steel can rust far too easily unless properly prepared. I really would suggest either stainless steel or even brass or aluminium. I suggested the stranded fibre glass compound as it is far easier for most people who are not accustomed to fibre glass repairs to accomplish. U-Pol stranded glass repair compound is easily purchased and only requires the hardener in the correct quantity to set it off.  But be sure to prepare all surfaces before starting and have all tools at hand. It will start to harden off very quickly depending how much hardener you use. The ambient temperature can be a big factor. I suggest testing with a small quantity before actually doing the job, just to get your timings correct. The compound is far easier to use than glass matt or stranded matt with liquid resin.

If you do go the route I suggest be sure to put a thinish layer of the stranded matt compound on the underneath surface and hold the metal firmly squashed into the compound until set. Then finish with a second layer over the top of the metal and compound forming  a sandwich. You can smooth it off with some soapy mixture just as it sets with a  leather glove and spatula. Watch your fingers as the glass can go through most things. Once set ( around 10/15 mins ) you can sand it smooth.

Anyway hope it all goes well for you.

Derek