Floor space?

[kbrown]

I'm thinking of building a small ROR obsy with a warm room in our back garden. I have a Skywatcher 250px at the moment. Just wondering how much space I need for it. Been thinking about 1.6x1.6 metres floor for the scope room. Does that sound OK? The OTA is about 115cm long. Trying to keep it as small as possible but yet comfortable enough for doing maintenance work. 

Edited June 14, 2020 by kbrown

[Nigella Bryant]

Hi, I built a RoR from a 10ft x 6ft shed. I've a celestron 11xlt, my warm room is 4ft by 6ft and the roll of roof section is 6ft by 6ft. The telescope only just fits with the dew shield half retracted down the tube. I've also a 300mm Orion optics Newtonian which didn't fit at f4. I'd say you'd need 2.5m x 2.5m area at least for the run off roof part plus minimum 1.6m x 2m for the warm room.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Nigella Bryant
pic attached

[DaveS]

The ROR I'm building for my ODK12 is 2.2 m square. It's *just about* big enough but getting around the counterweight bar in some positions is a real squeeze. That's with no warm room as control will be remote from indoors via RDP.

DDM mounts don't have brakes or clutch so it's possible to move the 'scope around by hand.

[kbrown]

You're right guys! I did some 3D mock-ups and 1.6m square would be way too tight. 2.2m looks more comfortable. I haven't got much space to play with nor the greatest skies above me either so I don't want to go too crazy. I consider this as a practise run before I retire somewhere away from cities

Thanks,

Kari

[tooth_dr]

I have a 250px that is mounted in a ROR shed. I took some measurements and photos last night that I hope are helpful.

I have a bit of gear at the front of my 250px but it’s still rear heavy. The front could be weighted further to bring the OTA more central to the mount. This would improve clearance further.  Because of the way an EQ mount works, you could off set the mount SE ie don’t put it in the centre of the floor space.

My shed is 12’ x 8’ and that includes a 4’ x 8’ warm room.  These would be external measurements.  As suggested above 2.2m internal would be a safe bet.  My mount has a very long CW shaft so I have to crawl underneath the scope or CW shaft to past it when it’s in certain positions.

 

HTH @kbrown

 

Adam

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by tooth_dr

[iapa]

Man, that’s a tight fit.

I’m sizing up for a 250mm F4, which I think will need best part of 4’ all around, so, 10’ wide ROR

as I intend to have a second pier - because I have too many mounts, will size to include a 200P-DS as well, 10’ x 20’ no warm room

how do I convince the facilities manger and finance director to sign off on this is another matter.

[malc-c]

Its not so  much as "will it fit" its more of a case of comfortably working around the setup.  I have a modest 200P on HEQ5 in the observatory, this is 2.2m x 4.8m split in the middle which gives a scope room of approx 1.8m x 2.2m internally.  This gives me ample space to move around, however if the scope is placed in the normal home position I still have to "limbo" around the OTA