Planning a Roll off Roof observatory in Aberdeenshire

[ian2]

Back in the 1990s I build a 8ft diameter dome out of fiberglass panels. I spent ages cutting ribs from plywood with my old Black and Decker jigsaw. Much to my dismay it was destroyed by strong winds a few months after completing it. After than I abandoned the idea of having an observatory and went off and did other things.

Fast forward to the present day and I use a 30cm Skywatcher flextube dob which sits in the hallway. I've been using it for two years and it is just about transportable but involves at least three trips back and forth and then it needs to cool down, then observing, and again another 3-4 trips carrying it back inside. Not to mention leveling and alignment.

My first thoughts to facilitate an easier process of deploying the scope were to put it on a buggy and park the buggy inside a insulated cupboard in my shed (a large box profile garage) however I'd still have to wheel it out, level it, align and cool down a bit. Though I'm still out in the elements and if its not cloudy here, its usually windy, often enough to shake the scope.

After browsing SGL over the last few weeks I've decided that the best option for me is to build an observatory. The dob mount places some constraints on my design as does the weather here in Aberdeenshire. I am very exposed in all directions and any observatory I build needs to be built to withstand 100mph winds. I would like a bigger scope at some point hence I will aim for a design that would fit something larger, or let me add a pier should I want to go for an equatorial mount at some point.

Another requirement is a warm room. This will be insulated and lined in plasterboard for use as a home office and again perhaps some imaging if I get the urge to try that.

From other builds on here with a combined warm room Ill be going down the same route as Gina and others, with a roof that slides over the top of the warm room. I will need walls a low as possible for the observing area while having  decent height for the warm room. I will build a flap on the southern wall, and the roof will roll towards the north.

Aberdeen is south east (bad skyglow),  an industrial estate is about 600m east of me with some stupidly bright lighting towers pointing in my direction. If I lose some of the horizon in those directions this won't hurt and should reduce glare from the lighting towers. The photos below shows my horizons.

I was picking up some wood from my timber supplier and he recommends going for larch cladding with a membrane behind it rather than T&G shiplap. This is a traditional Scottish technique with wide square boards with a narrow board on top covering the join to allow for expansion. The price of timber is shocking compared to the last time I was buying the stuff. 

My intention is to post my ideas as I work out the details and hopefully get some feedback as I go along.

 

Clear skies

 

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by ian2
add photos

[Alan White]

Good luck with this build, something I ponder on my observing area is adding walls and a roof.

Timber prices have gone insane so that has tempered my enthusiasm for now.

 

[ian2]

On 24/07/2022 at 14:14, Alan White said:

Good luck with this build, something I ponder on my observing area is adding walls and a roof.

Timber prices have gone insane so that has tempered my enthusiasm for now.

 

Thanks Alan. 

I was out yesterday evening making a start. The Mrs suggested that I start work on it and even offered to help. My plan is to try to finish the foundation before the frosts come. Foundation will be 450 deep trenches along the walls with a course or two of 100mm blocks. Then dig out the top soil from within the footprint of the building and put DPC over the whole area.

I'll purchase some timber to prefab the frame in 3m sections in my workshop to be assembled outside. I don't have much free time and in winter would be limited to a few hours each weekend if I was building it on site. Building inside will let me do a bit in the evenings and once the sections are done I can prepare some timber for the roof,  put up the walls, and cover it.

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by ian2
added photo

[M40]

All the best for the build, look forward to following it 👍

With the costs of wood materials going through the roof (sorry 🤦‍♂️) how does the price of plastic cladding compare? Some great colours out there now.

[ian2]

On 27/08/2022 at 10:41, M40 said:

All the best for the build, look forward to following it 👍

With the costs of wood materials going through the roof (sorry 🤦‍♂️) how does the price of plastic cladding compare? Some great colours out there now.

As far as the composite cladding goes, wood is cheaper. I’ve looked at uPVC cladding too which is cheaper and might work. I will request some samples when I get to that stage.

[ian2]

After some gardening and holidaying I’m back working on this project. I’ve ordered sub base, crete mix and cement for the foundation. 

Also some electrical parts. Armoured mains cable, consumer unit and some nice red LED bulkhead lights 5w. 

I have some spare sockets, light switches and back boxes lift over from previous work.

 

[M40]

So it begins  Looks a fair sized piece of SWA you have there, 6.0mm? Out of interest, what have you got supplying it? 

Edited November 10, 2022 by M40
spellign

[ian2]

On 10/11/2022 at 10:47, M40 said:

So it begins  Looks a fair sized piece of SWA you have there, 6.0mm? Out of interest, what have you got supplying it? 

well spotted its 6.0mm . Going to a mcb in the house. My warm room will be more of an office and also house my ham radio gear.  

[ian2]

Unfortunately where I’m building used to be occupied by some large trees. I had hoped that the roots would have rotted away by now but no such luck. The worst one is exactly where the scope is going. At this point i’m not building a pier but I plan to install a foundation for one. After some effort I’ve managed to break off a chunk of root which will give me enough room for the pier base. 

The m base will be strip foundations  around the edge and slab across the bottom. Hopefully most of the roots will come out.

[Carbon Brush]

All looking well planned and it should be big asset for you.

The foundation may be bigger than intended. But at least an extra barrow, or two , or three of cement isn't a big cost in the scheme.
When building my observatory (a long time ago) I had little information available about pier foundations so just went big and deep.
More hours of digging but minutes of cement mixer time.
 

[Xsubmariner]

Nice location you have there. Shame about the tree, their roots are a a real pain to remove. Hopefully you won’t disturb too much of the subsoil around the pier base.

[ian2]

Foundation poured. This isn’t going very fast.  The Mrs keeps finding other jobs for me to do. 

Edited August 11, 2023 by ian2

[ian2]

Some more progress