Field bin observatory progress.

[Pinwheel]

Hi All,
It's been about two months since I got a field bin home & to start the conversion. It's been wet, cold & with lambing happening nothing has been done. Here are some photo's I've taken from all sides & inside to give you an idea of it's potential. I have drawn up some plans & have had the grain bin fabricators a look. They said it's a good design & see no issues with what I plan to do. It's big inside at 4mt diameter & the photos don't really express the scale very well. There is a bit of surface rust inside but this will be treated with anti rust & painted with Metal rust paint.

[mikerr]

I think your on a winner there Doug. Looking forward to seeing the conversion as it happens. Lots of pictures to come :)

Michael.

[ZeroID]

Get some boosters on that tin can and launch it :rofl:

[Pinwheel]

Funny you should say that..Jupiter 3..:rofl:

[ZeroID]

You could be the first IIS Orbiting Telescope owner.... IISOT ...hmmm NASA would approve.

I'll go chat to Rocketlabs NZ and find you an early launch window, You get some sealant and fill up all the leaks and holes.. :P


Look out Hubble, here we come ....:rofl:

[Pinwheel]

:lol:

[ZeroID]

OK, so back to reality ( Yeah,.. Right !! ). :P

What are your plans internally for this to work ?
How you going to provide a stable base for the scope ? It has to reah the found at some point and 'floating' platform to walk around.

(btw, I have 25 kgs of Nitrate suitable for making a big Sugar Rocket motor if you need a booster to get it launched .... :P )

[Pinwheel]

Well firstly, I was thinking of a metal web frame & a vertical support with wood ply for the floor. As to your 25kg of Nitrate well, I have the diesel fuel but that's only good for about the first 200 ft. :screwy: http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/8/5/6/8560b297ef1b1e5e79842f4079a44591.pn g.

[ZeroID]

I said it was just a booster ..:D

I suspect your 'vertical support' might need to meet the ground at some point. Any movement inside the bin will show as vibrations to the mount. Beleive me, it is very critical to have a solid base and isolation from the floor.
My plan would have been to find a 'permanent' spot so I could put down a pier of some sort into a dug hole through the base of the bin. Even a large wooden building pole or length of steel beam would give some form of stabilty. Any floating platform will be inherently prone to movements

[Pinwheel]

Just as I'm about to start, guess what!! Bloody POWERCOR serves me with a POEL DEFECT NOTICE meaning I have to pay to put my power supply cable under ground & a new circuit breaker switch board. God I can't get a break, there goes another 5-6K. :eyepop: