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  #41  
Old 15-08-2014, 10:05 AM
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Excellent, at least you won't have to worry about lights coming over from that side of the fence... bl00dy great light block !!
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  #42  
Old 03-06-2016, 09:54 AM
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Question Ballarat area - how good it is for observatory?

Well, as our "dream" property in Seymour turned into a nightmare... last month we sold it and closed this particular chapter of our lives.

Now we started to look into Ballarat and surrounding areas to buy a residence.. The town itself is of right size, and has well enough support for a pair of +65yo pensioners (gas, water... doctors, hospitals, graveyards....)

Does anybody have direct experience with the area ( some time ago I had some replies from Leon about Ballarat in general, but maybe the situation changed in the last 6 years)?
Are there any suitable (elevated) suburbs for building backyard observatory?
Are there any areas to avoid (floods, LP etc.)?
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  #43  
Old 03-06-2016, 10:37 AM
clive milne
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Does anybody have direct experience with the area ?
The main problem with Ballarat is that summer often doesn't fall on a weekend.
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  #44  
Old 12-12-2016, 09:36 AM
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We spend two weeks in our new property (future home when I retire) in Ballarat.

I did some measurements of the terrain and existing buildings on property... Also talked to neighbours about my future observatory, and so far there is no visible resistance to the idea of placing a dome (slightly elevated on a deck) in one of the corners of the block.
The niche with windows will go, the deck will be built as extension to the existing floor, the existing door will be access to observatory deck.
Fingers crossed...
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  #45  
Old 19-05-2017, 11:52 AM
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I hope by the end of this year I will start work on my observatory in Mt Pleasant, Ballarat...
And for that job I will need a steel ring ~ø2.34m, made by bending ~50-70mm steel pipe, (base of the geodesic dome, which will roll on rollers).
Does anybody know of a good bending service in Melbourne or Ballarat (preferred)?
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  #46  
Old 19-05-2017, 05:13 PM
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Can't help you there but glad to see you're back on track to complete your dome. Got me thinking again for a modification to my setup.
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  #47  
Old 19-05-2017, 05:49 PM
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Bojan, you could try exhaust pipe outlets in Ballarat, they usually have pipe bending machines in their workshops.
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  #48  
Old 20-05-2017, 09:18 AM
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Hi Bojan,
I used to work in a bearing centre and we had a customer who made massive solar panel tracking units for Telstra. He simply affixed light British Standard chain to the lower ring of the unit and drove the unit as per Garlitz's drive. The chain comes cheapest in a 10ft box with a joiner link. No bending, curves naturally, inexpensive, off the shelf. Tack welded every 3rd/4th link. "BS 06B-1" is heaps strong enough for the job, and a simple plate sprocket also readily available. (We went through the rack option first then came up with this method)

[QUOTE=bojan;968234]Looks good..

I was also thinking about rack (will have to be curved first.. if possible at all), normally used for sliding doors ( I have it on my gate)..

And.. I have one old, spare motor driver unit.

Last edited by Boozlefoot; 20-05-2017 at 09:36 AM. Reason: Addition
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  #49  
Old 26-05-2017, 08:44 PM
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Excellent idea, thank you!
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  #50  
Old 28-05-2017, 08:25 PM
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A google for Ballarat pipe benders gives -> http://www.plinius.com.au/
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  #51  
Old 29-05-2017, 06:09 AM
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Quote:
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A google for Ballarat pipe benders gives -> http://www.plinius.com.au/
Hi Robin, thank you.... I know about them, they are near our place... found them last year in local papers. Actually I went there sat before last and talked to a young lad (he dropped in the office to get something) and I left my phone number, but noone contacted me since ... it seems they are not interested or just careless because they never responded to 2 or 3 of my messages left on website last year.
True, I never tried phone but still....
Last year I have an offer from bend.com.au (they are in Melbourne, Clayton area). Most likely I will go with them if they confirm the quote, transport to Ballarat will be a bit of a problem, but not a show-stopper.

Last edited by bojan; 29-05-2017 at 08:27 AM.
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  #52  
Old 05-06-2017, 07:36 AM
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Pipe bending

Hi Bojan,

I had a 12 m length of 75 x 75 x 6 mm angle iron bent by Uneek Bending in Dandenong South. The resulting ring (3.6 m dia) was too large to trailer home in one piece, so was cut in half for transport then welded on site. From memory, supply and bending cost me <$300 albeit nearly 10 years ago. Uneek Bending are specialist benders used by heavy industry in the Latrobe Valley.

Also check out Rod Stubbings website: https://rodstubbingsobservatory.wordpress.com/dome/

I can't recall how he bent the pipe (your turntable design sounds identical to Rod's) but I'm sure that he'd be happy to advise you. There is a good picture on the home page. I think his dome is about 3.5 m dia and it turns like a dream.

Good luck, Chris
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  #53  
Old 05-06-2017, 10:09 AM
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Chris,
Thank you for the link, I will look at it.

At this point, I intend to go with Smithweld (they are in Tottenham), they quoted $140 for bending of two halves, I need to supply the pipe (65NB).
So far so good...
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  #54  
Old 10-07-2017, 12:29 PM
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I am looking into decking...

And I think I found an interesting alternative to conventional approach with treated pine, the deck material is made of recycled plastic.

http://www.enduradeck.com.au/?gclid=...FUpWvQodSUMEng
http://www.replas.com.au/

Using the galvanised piers, 10m2 could cost a bit above 1k$.

Anyone has some experience with this?
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  #55  
Old 11-07-2017, 09:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bojan View Post
I am looking into decking...

And I think I found an interesting alternative to conventional approach with treated pine, the deck material is made of recycled plastic.

http://www.enduradeck.com.au/?gclid=...FUpWvQodSUMEng
http://www.replas.com.au/

Using the galvanised piers, 10m2 could cost a bit above 1k$.

Anyone has some experience with this?
Bojan,

We have used recycled plastic/wood decking. It's a wonderful material, entirely without grain, or faults of any kind. Cutting and forming the material is a decided pleasure, the only limitation is your own imagination as there is no chipping, splitting or warping. The more obvious characteristic of "timelessness" ie: the fact no surface treatment is required to preserve the product is a huge benefit.
Our deck is built on pillars as our backyard falls away sharply, the deck is absolutely rock solid! The plastic/wood is heavy and dense and transmits vibration poorly, I believe it would be a brilliant candidate for an Ob.
At Bunnings and other retailers of the product you can source reasonably sized samples of the product, however, I would recommend you to buy a couple of meters of assorted product and simply have a play around with the product. You will quickly discover the materials virtues and establish the products bonafide's as an anti-vibration material.
The clearest evidence of the utility of the product is that I have kept every offcut and use the offcuts for every conceivable problem.
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  #56  
Old 26-07-2017, 02:30 PM
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Getting there...
Base ring for dome (2.533m in outer diameter, 2 sections) was picked up from Smithweld today.

The next step is to transport it to my future observatory in Mount Pleasant, Ballarat
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  #57  
Old 26-07-2017, 06:20 PM
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Excellent.
I am happy you are doing the important things.
Time is now more valuable than money.
Alex
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  #58  
Old 28-07-2017, 07:00 PM
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....Time is now more valuable than money.
Alex
Yep.. probably not much of it is left so... I'd better hurry a bit with this (and some other important projects).
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  #59  
Old 28-07-2017, 07:28 PM
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When you stop you wonder why you did not stop earlier.
Good luck.
The key is having projects..the observatory is perfect...
Don't worry about money there is never enough and one day you find there is more than you can spend.
Alex
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  #60  
Old 13-08-2017, 04:04 PM
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So much for "guarantied" tolerances of +/- 3mm...
This gap is ~22mm wide.
There will be some persuasion needed to join those two ends.
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Last edited by bojan; 13-08-2017 at 04:16 PM.
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