bad weather+lots of spare time=observatory

[RogerTheDodger]

Looks really nice that, I'm envious

[Psychobilly]

Sorry its taken a while to pop back into this thread...

The Red line is the house (indoor) humidity not the obs... the green lien shows how the outdoor humidity had been way above 60%RH which is what the humidistat it set to in the observatory...

The obs really looks the buisness - cracking job

Billy...

[Shandy]

Congratulations on your DIY observatory - it looks great! I'd like to do something similar myself - did you have any plans and shopping lists? or did you just do it 'by eye' as you went along?

[Pete Presland]

Congratulations on your DIY observatory - it looks great! I'd like to do something similar myself - did you have any plans and shopping lists? or did you just do it 'by eye' as you went along?

to be honest the only plan to begin with was the size,and this was restricted to 1.8mx1.8m and height i figure needed to be no more than 1.5m.i did do a few drawings to help me remember what i was doing.

as for shopping lists, obviously the frame and feather edge board plus hinges and locks were a must.

but the alloy "c" section became available at work for free as did the inner lining which wasn't planned either,it did involve a lot of cutting and mix 'n' matching but well worth it especially when painted!

the nylon wheels a friend machined for me.

the roof was left over from a previous repair on my shed.

any questions please ask

[Shandy]

to be honest ...as for shopping lists, obviously the frame...any questions please ask

Thanks - Did you join the frames together using bolts, or just long screws?

also is the floor you walk on just concrete, or did you do a frame for the floor too?

I thought I would cement a post in for my mount, as per the guide in S@N magazine site, then build a wooden 'deck'-type floor around that, to avoid vibration?

[Pete Presland]

yes frame is screwed together iternally,with 4" screws.

the floor is just concrete with some rubber backed matting.

i did think about a pier instead of my tripod,and i might fit one in the future.i think most people do cement a post in and then a frame around it.it certainly gives you more room and would be warmer on your feet!

[Shandy]

i think most people do cement a post in and then a frame around it.it certainly gives you more room and would be warmer on your feet!

Yes - I saw a really good set of instructions on how to build your own pier out of everyday materials on the S@N magazine website. I'll probably follow them, seeing as a commercially-bought pier costs the same as an EQ5 mount!

So - the frames are joined with 4" nails and then fitted together in the upright position with the same tyoe of nail? Did I see that you used a corner brace of some sort also? I suppose without a roof to tie the top togeter, you'd need that.

regards,

Alex

[Pete Presland]

no nails,everything was screwed much stronger in my opinion.no corner braces either it was very rigid when the sides were screwed together

[astroimpulse]

Wicked stuff

I'm envious

[Gina]

I hope I'm wrong but it looks from your photos as if the shed beside your obs has a roof that will drain off onto your obs roof, or onto you and your valuable equipment if you get an unexpected shower with the roof open.

Can you put my mind at rest on that score?

Apart from that, it looks a grand job

[astroimpulse]

Good point

I thought I saw a gutter on the last pics but maybe not...

[Gina]

Just had a closer look at the later photos and I think you might be right

[Pete Presland]

yep the guttering is on both,mind you i have still taken the precaution of covering everything with large polythene bags just to be safe! another freebie from work,i knew there was a reason for working there

[Pete Presland]

finally decided to fit a pier, having got fed up with tripping over the tripod legs.

[nightfisher]

bunny, the pier is a big improvement over the tripod, i am considering an obs of similar size with pier, using 100mm f10 frac, i guess i should get away with an obsy similar size?

[Pete Presland]

bunny, the pier is a big improvement over the tripod, i am considering an obs of similar size with pier, using 100mm f10 frac, i guess i should get away with an obsy similar size?

i think you would be comfortable in it,but and its a big but you should definitely think of the future.

i have a oo10" newt that was very awkward to use in the obsy,it depends what you see yourself doing in the future.

[Derick]

its finished

open for business

very pleased with end result

thanks to anybody who has offered advice!

equipment aside, the biggest step i have taken since getting seriously back into astronomy now the children have grown up.

a 5 hour session last night flew by last night in the relative comfort of the obsy

Seriously i envy you so much right now!

[Pete Presland]

i have sinced added "fins" to make the pier more rigid

[Derick]

Nice! The concrete pole dosent go in the ground right?