The Upcycle Observatory Build

[Chris]

In the spirit of recycling and cost cutting I've decided to upcycle the old 8x6 shed at the bottom of the garden. The OSB floor is rotten and has holes in. There are a few feather boards which need replacing but as luck would have it the previous owners of the house left a bunch of feather boards behind the shed and plenty of concrete slabs which I can use for the foundations. Other freebies which came with the house include a roll of felt, some weed membrane, and some bags of decorative stones, all of which I can make use of for the build.

I've spend around £100 so far on pier materials and treated timber to build a sub frame for the floor. I just need to buy new flooring materials, plus rails, wheels and timber for the roll of roof. I'm sure I'll be able to scout out some off cuts of wood to help re in-force the shed. I have a bunch of metal brackets in the garage that will help too. 

I'll post all my progress and ideas here. I built an observatory about 7-8 years back and I needed loads of help from SGL'rs. I've learnt a lot since then so I can just crack on with it. Hopefully the info here will be useful for anyone wanting to convert their old shabby shed into an obsy. 

 

[Chris]

Some progress pics:

[Chris]

Video logs for the obsy built so far. I'll be making a detailed "how to make an adjustable permanent pier video" shortly. 

 

[Chris]

 

[JeremyS]

Great project Chris - and looking good.

Looks like you got rid of some of those trees round the edge of the garden, which is a good move.

Look forward to see how you progress. Good luck!

[Chris]

4 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Great project Chris - and looking good.

Looks like you got rid of some of those trees round the edge of the garden, which is a good move.

Look forward to see how you progress. Good luck!

Thanks Jeremy, Yeah I think I would have been asking for trouble if I'd left them there. Getting the roots out was hard work though lol 

[Craney]

Love this.   An observatory is really a thinking-persons  concept shed.   

Re-cycling, up-cycling,  re-acquisitioning  is such a great way to focus efforts,  not get carried away,  spend less ... as well as saving the planet ....😃

If you had the money and could get whatever you wanted,  there would be something that you would not be totally happy with and it would irk you everytime you saw it.

With this, you are making the best from what you have. So everything is a bonus.    Save the dosh for the things you cannot make...... like a Takahashi !!!!

Good luck.

Sean.

[Chris]

1 hour ago, Craney said:

Love this.   An observatory is really a thinking-persons  concept shed.   

Re-cycling, up-cycling,  re-acquisitioning  is such a great way to focus efforts,  not get carried away,  spend less ... as well as saving the planet ....😃

If you had the money and could get whatever you wanted,  there would be something that you would not be totally happy with and it would irk you everytime you saw it.

With this, you are making the best from what you have. So everything is a bonus.    Save the dosh for the things you cannot make...... like a Takahashi !!!!

Good luck.

Sean.

Nice comment Sean, you're right! So many benefits to re using what you have, or what others don't want. Us humans don't tend to do the planet many favours on the whole so anything we can do to help we should do. My work is only 3-4 miles away so luckily I can cycle to do my bit for the planet and my health too

[RobertI]

Looking good so far Chris. You deserve a new observatory! 👍 I had the pleasure of briefly sitting in your old one and I was very impressed, an astronomers dream in fact. I shall watch this thread with interest. 🙂

[Chris]

Thanks Rob, well never a dull moment, the first drama has reared it's head already lol

 I've just finished the pier plus pier adaptor and the whole pier vibrates like an EQ3 when you tap it   I thought 110mm diameter of concrete and rebar would be ok but this was a hard lesson learnt. I'll be nipping to B&Q this evening to try and find a solution. Maybe a larger pipe over the existing pipe or maybe metal/wood truss supports. I'll think of something  

[RobertI]

2 hours ago, Lockie said:

Thanks Rob, well never a dull moment, the first drama has reared it's head already lol

 I've just finished the pier plus pier adaptor and the whole pier vibrates like an EQ3 when you tap it   I thought 110mm diameter of concrete and rebar would be ok but this was a hard lesson learnt. I'll be nipping to B&Q this evening to try and find a solution. Maybe a larger pipe over the existing pipe or maybe metal/wood truss supports. I'll think of something  

Bummer Chris, really surprising. Larger diameter tube over the top sounds sensible - perhaps you will inadvertently invent a brilliant new way to create rigidity!

[Chris]

44 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Bummer Chris, really surprising. Larger diameter tube over the top sounds sensible - perhaps you will inadvertently invent a brilliant new way to create rigidity!

haha you never know hey. I tried B&Q and they officially don't sell any tubes larger than the one I already have. They didn't have any box section that would have worked either. Currently checking the net for something that would work without breaking the bank.  

[fifeskies]

Auction sites have a big selection of plastic and metal ducting available for home delivery at reasonable prices , I was about to do this but opted for a large concrete base and an Altair Astro pier.

The overmounted tube wont need to go all the way to the top so the existing plate arrangement could stay as is , the final shape being stepped narrower at the top.

Might be worth drilling some rebar into the foundation at the join.

Check out any local agricultural drainage suppliers as well , they may have some offcuts, same for any local industrial ventilation contractors.

Edited August 13, 2020 by fifeskies

[Chris]

On 13/08/2020 at 10:41, fifeskies said:

Auction sites have a big selection of plastic and metal ducting available for home delivery at reasonable prices , I was about to do this but opted for a large concrete base and an Altair Astro pier.

The overmounted tube wont need to go all the way to the top so the existing plate arrangement could stay as is , the final shape being stepped narrower at the top.

Might be worth drilling some rebar into the foundation at the join.

Check out any local agricultural drainage suppliers as well , they may have some offcuts, same for any local industrial ventilation contractors.

Thanks, I did pretty much that I bought an 8" diameter 500mm long tube to go over the top. It goes almost 2/3rds up the 110mm tube and I plan on having a little eyepiece shelf where the step is. 

 

[Chris]

Here's how I built my pier and how I'm going to fix some vibration issues. 

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Lockie

[fifeskies]

"and I plan on having a little eyepiece shelf where the step is. "

I expect it has just enough space for a wine glass too if I'm not mistaken (or a cool bottle of beer)

 

[Alan White]

Chris, sent PM on pier tube.....

Great build and the up-cycle is good with me.
My Khazi is mainly up-cycle materials.

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Alan White

[Chris]

1 hour ago, fifeskies said:

"and I plan on having a little eyepiece shelf where the step is. "

I expect it has just enough space for a wine glass too if I'm not mistaken (or a cool bottle of beer)

 

Excellent suggestion! 😆 Cheers!

[Chris]

1 hour ago, Alan White said:

Chris, sent PM on pier tube.....

Great build and the up-cycle is good with me.
My Khazi is mainly up-cycle materials.

 

Cool. I'll head over to PM's

[Chris]

I bit of remedial work done today.

Made some shuttering so I can sink the 8" tube in concrete and drilled rebar into the footings and lower half of the pier ready to help everything bond together.

BIG discovery! when I drilled into the side of the pier the concrete was still really wet in places. This might be more of a culprit for the vibrations than the 110mm diameter tube and slightly shallow footings. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Lockie

[Alan White]

Score the 4” plastic tube as well for a decent key.

[Chris]

Will do Alan, thanks for the suggestion  

[Chris]

All sorted, it's now rock solid. On with the build👍

[Stuart1971]

I made my first pier in the same way as yours, with 8” plastic pipe sunk into concrete, and also got vibrations if knocked...I cured by filling the tube with sand, instead of filling full of concrete...worked a treat... 👍😀

[Stuart1971]

On 12/08/2020 at 17:27, Lockie said:

Thanks Rob, well never a dull moment, the first drama has reared it's head already lol

 I've just finished the pier plus pier adaptor and the whole pier vibrates like an EQ3 when you tap it   I thought 110mm diameter of concrete and rebar would be ok but this was a hard lesson learnt. I'll be nipping to B&Q this evening to try and find a solution. Maybe a larger pipe over the existing pipe or maybe metal/wood truss supports. I'll think of something  

You will also find, as I did, that in the winter  months It won’t vibrate anywhere near as much, it’s the heat that makes it far worse, when the plastic, concrete has cooled it will be much les prone to vibration..., and may be fine...👍😀