Sky at Night Magazine

[psychobilly]

Thanks Brian..

I'm hoping it wil be pretty storm proof the walls are fixed to the solid concrete foundations with 12 x 150mm fixings...the twelve sided shape is pretty slippery... main construction is glued and screwed 4"x2" with 3"x2" noggins and the dome ring is 36mmm WPB plywood (2x18mm offset jointed and fully glued and screwed...The dome wood work is 18mm wpb with 2"x1" noggins glued and ring nailed...

Suppose it will all be down to the sealing of the viewing port and doors....

Only time an mother nature will tell....

Billy...

[tooth_dr]

Billy - that is some job. I really like that a lot. Get a few plants around it and you'll not even notice it's there lol

[psychobilly]

Messed about with the viewing slot all day as well as more sealing... still got the zenith hole plug to "solve" and more triming...toying with the idea of a circular plastic manhole cover and mounting ring....

Fell of the ladder twice...but crawled away from both incidents ...ho hum....

Suffering from UPVC and Silicone fatigue....and unbelieavably SUNBURN!!!


Billy...

[psychobilly]

Just managed to get the structure finished when rain stopped play again...

[image]http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/vieportandzenith.jpg[/image]


So thats the basic structure all finished except for the trimmings....

Billy...

[psychobilly]

Fitted Catches to the viewing port and Zenith hole cover, fitted handle to the viewing port, bolts to the doors and used 2 x M12 stainless steel bolts with oversize washers and wingnuts to hold the dome locked down when not in use...got to get some hasps and ataples and padlocks for the doors although the scope wont be "living" inside the observatory.

Hoovered inside so hoping to get a chance to use it this coming weekend...

Back to work today for a rest....driving a desk [8D]

Billy...

[psychobilly]

locks and alarm fitted ... so waiting for a clear spell - apologies to the forum as this is "project" is bound to have ruined the observing conditions for the next 6 months at least...


Billy....

[skyhawke63]

Not here in sunny spain, oh I just have to gloat sorry....shame I haven´t got time to
use the scope at the moment...actually its too hot for us bloody foriegners...

Hadn´t checked in on your observatory for a while it looks fantastic! Any design details or hints
and tips on any link? I still only have a huge slab of concrete and a pier....need to put either a
shed up or build something so it would be nice to know how yours works and your final thoughts
on the design oh and costs...and the shirt off of your back. Generally anything that I can get
really, I never want much!

Update;- oooh just found the first page of this thread with all the details...sorry for the above stupid
questions

Regards

Neil C

[psychobilly]

Hi Neil,

About...

£350 of various UPVc Sections
£85 of plywood ( for the wall ring , doiem ring and dome trusses)
£50 of other timber (4x2's, 3x2's and 2x1's)
£30 of Polyurethane glue
£10 of Silicone Sealant
£10 of expanding PU foam
£15 UPVC Ringnails
£50 of Ball transfer units (the dome turns on them - very nice)
£10 padlocks, hasps and staple
£10 Alarm



then...

5 days of my life
a few fl oz of blood
a few pints of sweat and tears
A Pair of Jeans and a t-shirt - saves wiping your hands on rags...

So around £620 in real cash..the main freebie was having the laser cutting of the plywood done FOC as well as some free timber, nails screws, hinges etc...not too bad for a 2.5m diameter observatory. On top of this is the £100+ that was spent on concrete for the pier foundations and the observatory base.

Few things I would have done different...

Made the dome ring 10mm in diameter larger than the wall ring so that there is 5mm clearance all round between the "weather board" and the wall ring...

Altered the truss spacing in the viewing slot area... for simplicity I had 12 identical trusses cut and ended up leaving one out and modifying 2 others...I now have a viewing slot thats 25 degrees wide at the narrowest point.

Worn gloves when using the glue! as it takes about 4 days scrubbign to get it off your hands!!

Big thanks to the guys at Alternative Precision Sheet Metals Ltd... For putting up with me - cutting the plywood and making my pier...

Billy...

[psychobilly]

A morning of tidying up...Expanding foam sealing and and afternoon of laying the "Red Carpet"...

[image]http://www.btinternet.com/~psmithuk/stuff/redcarpet.jpg[/image]


Ready for tonights "opening" ....

Better start thinking about repairing the lawn next [8|]

Billy....

[tooth_dr]

That's really impressive Billy. Hats off to you. I hope you have many clear dark nights, all the best with it.


Adam