ROR Observatory

[Asterix2020]

Well, decided I'm already sick of set up and pull down for imaging, so building a ROR observatory. I brainstormed with Astroron and read heaps here, and decided to base it on the same Titan 3mx3m shed as 1ponders. I have the best neighbour in the world, since he welds :) He's making a pier for me. Another friend has machined an NEQ6 adapter plate from some aluminium. I've decided to have an access hole in the side of the pier for the bold that screws into the NEQ6 head. 12mm top and bottom plates. Pier diameter about 170mm.

I've got the floor frame assembled and the holes marked. Dingo booked for in 2 days to auger the holes. I'm going for a 600mm auger for the pier concrete block. I'm thinking of 600mm deep, but would it be worth going deeper? I guess it's easy enough to do with the dingo doing the hard work.

Happy for any suggestions as we go along. I'm still not sure about the rollers, I'm thinking angle along the length with V-rollers sitting on the angle. How many rollers would I need? And still not sure how to secure the roof? Do I just have latches in the open and closed positions or should there also be some way to make sure it can't lift off in between open and closed?

[cybereye]

Paul,

Congratulations on the project, and in the words of Yoda - "Very jealous I am...":thumbsup:

Cheers,
Mario

[h0ughy]

should be a winner - got the right stuff there ;)

[astroron]

Looking good Paul.:)
Cheers:thumbsup:

[omegacrux]

An idea I seen in a mag
Was the tracks had a half inch dip at the end of there run , so that the roof sat on the rafters ? .
And when moving the roof it lifted straight away and rolled
The benefits were weather and vermin protection

David

[Dealy]

I'll be watching with much interest Paul. I'm considering doing the same so I might steal a few of your ideas. :D

David, I like it :thumbsup:

Kev

[Merlin66]

On my ROR I use a 50 x 50 x 1.6 Al angle to constrain the 3 x 50mm diameter fixed castors on each side......
I wouldn't worry too much about "locking" the roof between the in/out position - if it is that windy to be a concern - you won't be using it!!
A couple of turnbuckles lock my roof in the closed position.
Been in use in the UK, Belgium and here in Oz for over seven years...no issues, no drama.

[The_bluester]

Some advice I was given with regards to my planned build (Still planned, just deferred a bit) was that the block for the pier wants to be around 1 cubic meter of concrete minimum if you have any expectation of doing AP with it, and if you also have a concrete floor in your shed, never the twain shall meet (Don't have them in contact) or you will transfer vibration to the pier as you walk around inside. Also that the pier wants to be into virgin ground and not fill.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
Yes, that's the usual "theory" given about solid piers and mounts....
but....
I'm sure there are many of us successfully using a "solid" pier mounted on the concrete floor.
In my case the floor is a 100mm reinforced concrete, 8' x 6' slab - I'm only there to set the scope up then retire to the warmth of the house office (Teamviewer connection) I can't say in the past seven years that I've experienced any detrimental vibrations. (I have to hold a target guide star on a 20 micron slit gap indefinitely)
Just my 1.3c (after tax)

[The_bluester]

I suppose there is the difference, in my build which is to be shared with a friend, he would be doing AP and I visual at the same time so there is a good chance of at least one of us moving around the scopes a lot of the time.

I plan to build a warm room in the shed so we would be nearby as well rather than going back into the house (Waking the 5 year old is not popular at 2AM!) Good planning would probably be for mine to have the AP setup furthest from the warm room, at least then it would be constantly being moved past to get to the other scope. It may depend on being able to get active extension USB cables long enough to get to the AP rig from the warm room.

[Asterix2020]

Broke ground today! Dingo's are fun :)
Main hole for the pier is 600mm diameter and about 850mm deep. I've boxed up the top to get it level. The auger certainly made light work of the digging.

[astroron]

Good Work ,Paul.
Cheers:thumbsup:

[The_bluester]

Looks good. I am keen to get started on my piers but I have to fence the area off from a pony paddock first.

[Asterix2020]

We have go for concrete pour tomorrow. My wonderful neighbour has made the pier for me, complete with a small access plate so we can put the bolt into the NEQ6 head. He also made the threaded rod cage that I will set in the concrete.

[Spookyer]

Good luck with the build Paul, please continue to show us how you are going.

Cheers
Brett

[Asterix2020]

Poured the pier slab today. Concrete Taxi was able to get into the yard so continuing the "do as little hard work as possible" theme we poured the concrete straight into the hole. Got to the level of the bolt cradle and then pour around it. I covered the threaded rod with electrical tape so no concrete would get on them

Putting the floor frame in tomorrow, then some waiting time for the concrete to cure.

[madwayne]

Sensational job Paul. I like your do as little hard work as possible philosophy, wise man.

Wayne

[Spookyer]

Looking good. Mate I am not much of a tradesman but if you need a hand one weekend with the build yell out and I will come up if I can.

cheers
Brett

[Asterix2020]

Thanks for the offer Brett. I think I've got the labour covered between friends and family.

We got the shed floor frame in today. Need to cut the posts down a bit as I didn't dig to holes deep enough for the posts. Went 600mm deep but the posts were longer. Leveled up the frame on blocks and poured concrete into the post holes.

Test the pier and it fits on the bolts :D The concrete was not quite level so the pier tilts back towards the north bit. A few washers under the northern bolts should fix it. Then fill underneath with grout.

Tomorrow I will be painting the marine ply floor ready to install soon.

Thanks to my brother for helping out today :thanx:

[codemonkey]

Looks like you're going to have a seriously cool set up pretty soon!

I'm in the process of deciding how I'm going to build my own (far more... quaint than yours, I think) little obs. On the other hand, the property next door has an observatory and since it's just been sold the new neighbours may not have a use for it, so I might see if I can buy / move that rather than building.

Anyway, I'm just up the road from you, about halfway between Woodford and Kilcoy and I've been wanting to get a pier. Do you think your neighbour would be willing to knock one up for me? I'd pay, of course.

[Asterix2020]

Hi Lee,
Just spoke to my neighbour and he said he could make you a pier. For something similar to mine he said about $400 + powedercoating. Not sure how much the powdercoating was as he got a mate to do it for a favour for me as a one off.
If you have the specs for your pier pm me and I can get you a more exact quote.

[Asterix2020]

So, I pulled apart the marine ply floor package to discover it's not precut as I thought. Off to another neighbour to borrow a circular saw and some nice bits of straight aluminium. Cut the ply as required and then measured and cut the hole out for the pier. Painting the ply today, one side done and will finish the other side tomorrow.

I plan to install the pier before the ply floor to give more access for the leveling washers and grout. Just got to find some washers that fit.

[Asterix2020]

Well, a productive day. Scooter came up to visit and we were thwarted by rain. So some quick rearranging in the shed allowed us the room the make up the roof frame. By then the rain had cleared so we set the pier in place using washers to level it. Made up some grout and plonked it on. Tightened the nuts squeezing out the grout, all nice and level. That construction non shrink grout only comes in 20 kg bags, so if anyone is after some, going cheap :)

We then screwed the floor on. More casualties as I broke two screw driver bits :(

I also realised I have made a mistake by making my pier top plate too big, and by not thinking about the bolt alignment. So my peir top plate points to about 200 deg azimuth, meaning the counter weights will foul on the corner of the plate. It would just have cleared if the pier was aligned due south. Will need to confirm once it's all bolted together (still need to tap the holes for the adapter plate, but need to get true south at noon tomorrow if no clouds before I can do that), but looks like the angle grinder will be coming out again to lop off a bit of the top plate :(

[Asterix2020]

Well, after a few days off back into it. Wall frames are up. I've also marked true south on the pier and I might be lucky and not have to chop the corner of the top plate off. Will wait and see when I get the mount on there.

[strongmanmike]

Looking eeeexcellent!!

Mike

[ChrisM]

Impressed with your efficient construction Paul, and looking forward to more progress.

Chris

[Asterix2020]

Got the adapter plate onto the pier. Tapped holes in the top plate to screw it down. Put the mount on for a test, and the counter weight clears to corner of the top plate so no need to cut it! Would have left it on for a test run but there's cloud here tonight :(

[astroron]

Looking Cool Paul:cool::cool::cool:
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Asterix2020]

Well, some more progress but I just returned from a week's holiday in Darwin and Kakadu. Just before I left the wife and I got the silversark on and the walls sheeted. Like literally putting the final screws in minutes before having to leave for the airport. No photos of the sheeting yet as it was too dark. I threw a tarp over and though I'd tied it down well enough but when we got home found out there was some strong winds and the tarp came loose. My great neighbour pulled the rest of the tarp off. No rain since so it's been exposed, just like it will when being used :).

Today I tidied up some flashing on the doors and wall corners. I also had to take the sheets of the doors and front walls as I forgot the spacers that give the air gap between the metal and the silversark. I still didn't manage to get a photo, I'll try and get one tomorrow.

Just need to set the posts and C-purlins for the tracks and then organise some 6m angle and rollers and I'lll be semi-operation (as in I can leave the scope in there!). I can't seem to find a source for V-rollers, if anyone can suggest a place yet me know.

[Dealy]

Looking good.

Try Dandenong Wheels & Castors http://www.dandenongcastors.com.au/Portals/0/docs/PDFs/Machined%20Steel%20Grooved%20Wheels .pdf


Kev

[Asterix2020]

Thanks. I'll look into that. Looks like they are gate wheels. That might help finding out other options.

[Asterix2020]

Here's the photo of the sheeted shed. Also go the latches and locks on the doors today. Brackets to hold the rails have had stays attached. Next job is to attached the brackets and set the posts for the rails.

[Asterix2020]

Another update. Brackets to hold the rails on the shed have been attached. Posts set in the ground. Wheels and track arrived today so wheels have been attached to roof. I ended up using http://www.gatesplus.com.au/wheels.html, the 170 kg Japanese bearing wheels and their U-track.

[Asterix2020]

So Astrofest took away some of my time, and I kept forgetting to take photos. Rails are done and roof has been up there for a test roll without it's sheeting. Roof is now Silversarked and sheeted, ready to go on tomorrow when some helpers arrive to lift it :) I will then add the gable wall sheeting and then it's just tidying up little things and working out how best to weatherproof it.

[Asterix2020]

Roof's on and secured.

[Spookyer]

Nearly there mate!

[Asterix2020]

Well, illness has stopped progress for a while but with help from my brothers we were able to finished the roof metal cladding and get the scope in there. Waiting to do final polar alignment due to clouds but scopes are set up in there. I will be remoting in from the house so I don't have to go down there due to my illness. Hopefully it will all be working soon. Photos attached.

[astroron]

Very Swish Paul,looks really cool both Aesthetically and temperature.:cool::cool::cool:
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Dealy]

Well done Paul. Got to be happy with that. :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Came together very nicely, congratulations :thumbsup:

Mike

[lazjen]

This looks pretty good. Do you have to move the scope before opening/shutting the roof or does it fully clear it?

Do you have any idea how much this cost you, if you don't mind me asking?

[Asterix2020]

Chris,

The shed was about $3000 with the extra poles for the sliding roof as well. The wheels and track should be on the link I posted before. The pier was about $150 I think from my mate next door. I designed it so the scope can sit in the parked home position pointing at the SCP and still clears the roof. I can see to about 20-25 degrees above the horizon with the wall position.

[Asterix2020]

First light!
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=1160372#post116037 2

Still need to run permanent power but an extension cord does for now.

[jjjnettie]

Hi everyone.
Geez this is hard :(
As some of you know, Paul passed away in June last year. :(
His wife Monique has asked if I could let it be known that his observatory is up for sale.
She is asking $500 for it, but you must dissemble and transport it off the property yourself.
She understands that it is worth much more than this, but she would love to see it being put to use by another astronomer.
Ron Knight and I will be posting his telescopes, cameras and other misc gear over in the buy, sell and trade at a later time.

[jjjnettie]

You can email me at nettielamb63@yahoo.com.au if you are interested. thanks

[Spookyer]

Very sorry to hear, I didn't know. I followed Pauls build with interest and spoke with him a bit at one Astrofest when he was setup beside the van I was staying in with Laurie.

Very sad:(

[jjjnettie]

He knew it would probably be his only chance to attend Astrofest as he was very sick. He felt so welcomed and found everyone to be so helpful and generous with their time, to him, a stranger. :)

[OneCosmos]

Sorry for the confusion everyone. The will have to pull out of purchasing the observatory. In truth I don't have an immediate need for it and cannot really think where to locate it.

It looks to be a real bargain though.

Chris

[deanm]

Sorry for your confused message...

Dean

[Nikolas]

Sad news to hear as I was following this thread, gutted for his family even though a little time has passed.