Garden shed observatory progress

[xelasnave]

Well the new observatory (garden shed) has been delivered..its only 1.8 mtrs square but suitable to house the eq6 mount on a permanent pier. Nearly went crazy putting the shed together because I left five pieces in the house so they were not available to help reason prevail. Fortunately I did not make a fool of myself by ringing the rural agent to complain it was a crook shed.
With the pad mostly complete I smashed a hole threw it and the rubble under to open some holes to the bedrock, drove in three star pickets and filled the holes with cement, positioned a huge pvc pipe dis guarded by telecom in place and back filled the hole with a 3 to one mix, I have yet to cement in any bolts so that’s to come in the next day or so, but have opted for a ply and fibre glass mounting piece between the top of the pier and the mount..less expansion in ply than steel and it will be faster to make as I can do it and not have to wait for the post or a welder to build one. Inch thick ply with glass matt layers will be strong enough and won’t flex at all.
Getting the floor today but getting it lined is the problem because of transporting the large sheets home.
Alex

[glenc]

Sounds very good Alex.

[acropolite]

And where may I ask are the pictures??:camera:

[xelasnave]

Thank you Glen:thumbsup: and thank you Phil:thumbsup: .
I have been to Casino today got the floor, wheels, bolts, resin and glass matt...and no hardner even though I specially asked and was assured it was in the box:mad2: :) :) :) ...still on the bright side I have some at home and I have an excuse to go back and bargain as an upset customer for even more goodies:thumbsup: :) .
Phil here is a photo from a little ways off but you will see the shed is in its bits ready for cursing and demands that it follow the plans.
We were working so hard I forgot the shots of the hole. I will try and record it so if anyone is thinking of similar they may be able to use some idea that I have included...or just copy it out right. I have thought it thru well and being energy efficient (I dont like spending money as that heats the planet up from my flushed cheeks:) .
Will do my best with more photos but its pretty simple hardly worthy of a roll of film..opps dont have to worry about film anymore:) .
Thanks
alex:) :) :)

[xelasnave]

Explanation..the floor of the house is level with the pad(cement mixer is on pad behind little motor trike and trailer). the shed will be in front of the double door on the same floor level as the house floor. The eq6 is inside the shed the 12 inch inside the house but rolls over the same level floor to outside. The shed is on wheels so the lot rolls away. Housed in the shed will be a small desk for lap top and wall for star maps..A 2oo amp hour battery (2 6 volts) and a small solar panel will lay flat on the roof..inefficient but the shed will use little of the battery available power. I will instal two or more computer fans to circulate the air to come on during daylight to keep it cool and dry.
alex
alex

[xelasnave]

also a car cooler in the shed for the camera to cool in (besides the one on the scope) that is the only reason I want so much power available really.
alex

[xelasnave]

Here are some more shots showing the floor and pier. The shed blew over in the storm but:eyepop: is OK I have the floor anchored to the pier now:thumbsup: . I have yet to line it and make a mount fitting for the pier. The best and cheapest is to cement the tripod in folded up position with some of the legs sawed off..well it is permanent;) I dont know if I will go for that but if it clears for sure it will be cemented in:) with fast set cement:thumbsup: :) .
alex:) :) :)

[xelasnave]

and another

[DobDobDob]

Looking good Alex, keep photographing every step and showing us, I for one am very interested in your progress :thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

Thanks Ron:thumbsup: , it is an easy project and hopefully the result will be a permanent mount that can be dialed in to the perfect polar alignment, and when the shed rolls away a "control room" that will house the lap top for tracking and a table for coffee..maybe even a DVD player to look at during those 45 minute exposures that this set up will let me do;) ...hopefully:) I want to go for one of those Hubble Deep Sky 200 hour exposures (still a lot of stacking) maybe 250 / 45 minutes if it works.:lol: :lol: :lol:
alex

[DobDobDob]

I think you are going to have a lot of fun in that shed....oop's....I mean Observatory ;)

[xelasnave]

Here is the idea of how it will fit.
alex

[xelasnave]

Please note that only solar power was used to run the 240 volt power tools, drill, saw and angle grinder:thumbsup: :) . The 2 solar panels are in the background of the last shot:) .
alex:) :) :)

[Ric]

Great stuff Alex, it looks like you are going to have a great setup when ti's all together.
The pic's look great.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

A little more progress with internal walls and ceiling going in, weather is beating me now ;) ..No Sun no power:lol: :lol: :lol: ..No actually no time to finish it today and the weekend is out:) .
But it’s getting there slowly.
Alex:) :) :)

[xelasnave]

Did a little more over the weekend:) , got the ceiling paneled and figured how to do the remaining front wall with the door all to be paneled:D . Getting the fans tomorrow and hope to get the solar panel installed before I have to go to Sydney and possibly the 200 amp hours of batteries:) . Very happy overall :) but the pad is rather slack, being made up of many seemingly unrelated cement pours.. it was always to have another skin of decent cement over it and will need another surface so the shed will sit perfect and roll with even less effort.

I have systems figured for a motor and remote to move it but have not decided if that will be done as it even now it rolls away with little effort. So far so good:thumbsup: bit more expensive than I figured:whistle: because of the paneling but that was finally the only option because by doing paneling in pine I could get the stuff home in the little car;) . $400 for the floor and panelling using composite flooring and masonite lining would see half this costing but transport was my enemy.

Anyways I am glad it looks nice (linseed oiled only so far) and will be warm a small carpet will make it snug. Probably need a window or closed circuit TV to look at the scope when I am all snuggled up in the control room:lol: :lol: :lol: .

But it was dam hot working inside it round Noon today, near fainted from the heat once but after the ceiling went up it was better but will need fans and possibly a “second” roof (which I have always though necessary) to shield the Sun from the roof:) .
Alex :) :) :)

[xelasnave]

And with the second skin of cement I will try to lay the wiring under it in 2inch pvc pipe and lead them into the pier below the new cement skin ..then up the inside of the pier out of the way if possible.
alex

[ballaratdragons]

Alex, the inside is starting to look too good for an observatory! You'll have to turn it into a spare bedroom and make another observatory. :lol:

Great job :thumbsup:

[DobDobDob]

Pictures, pictures, show me the pictures :lol:

[Ric]

It sounds like your getting heaps done Alex and it's all coming together nicely as well.

Cheers

[Phil]

Alex what would be good is to paint the outside white as this helps heaps to reflect the heat. I find with my dome being white it is always cooler then outside. Also a little exhaust fan suck the heat out. You can get solar exhaust fan that work great.
Phil

[rmcpb]

Alex,

Is it possible to insulate the ceiling to help with the heat buildup? That roll out sarking that roofers use under corrugated iron is brilliant and seals at the edges so you have no fibres falling on gear.

Vents down low on the walls and under the eves allow lots of air circulation to help control moisture and heat as well.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

Yes Ken I recon you could make a nice bedroom if it were a little longer:) ...mmm maybe for astro campers;) … there is another observatory being built out of cement and stone:eyepop: , the walls are completed but I cant figure a dome:shrug: ...have thought just to do a ferro cemment roof and place a door it that:) ..Would have much of a view other than things directly above but its perfect for just astro photos as who wants to photo something if it’s not in clear sky above:shrug: . I will get some photos of that if I can remember:) .
Alex:) :) :)

[xelasnave]

Ron I will get as many photos as I can but must say it’s pretty simple, just a shed and it has a floor and lined walls:) . If you want to build one I will help you spend your money and even help you put it together:D . Full on its only a day’s work most time is lost driving 80 klms for bits.
Thanks for the encouragement Ric:)
Thanks for that advice Phil indeed white paint has higher reflective qualities than the silvery iron sheet. I had a mate set aside two little fans today but did not get back to pick them up:D . They only draw .26 amps so they can run non stop on the battery system I have for it. Still I like the idea of another roof as I have the iron under a tree I have to burn off to get at but its there if you see what I mean;) .
Rob I thought of the sarking and indeed glass wool bats but in truth I have gone well over budget so gave up on doing it;) ...and I was going to do the full internal of the shed. I recon sufficient fans will cure most problems... moisture is a great concern up my way as well as the heat. I have figured a neat set up for putting the fans in under some little vents but all will have to wait for the next return. My mate is finishing most of the cement work while I am away:thumbsup: .
Thanks everyone for the input I really do appreciate it:thumbsup: :) .
alex:) :) :)

[Phil]

how is the shed going have you finished it. Loved to see some more photos.
Phil

[xelasnave]

I have been in Sydney since the last photos, when I go back later this week more will be done.. and will post the completed result. The next thing is to cement the tripod (or the top part of the legs) into the pier. I was not going to do that but looking at the sky down here tells me there is little point in dragging the eq6 down and to leave taking photos totally up home. So such an apparent silly approach will have it up and running shortly.
alex
alex

[avandonk]

Alex a better alternative woud be one of these EQ6 pillar extensions.

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-170

The top part is held by the three cap screws and replicates the EQ6 tripod top. Well worth the $77 as it is very well made and solid.

Bert

[xelasnave]

Thanks Bert :thumbsup: but while I was away I had a unit made up:) .
I called in to see this guy who helped me build the huge fork mount with the 6 foot polar disk ..years ago ..;)

I asked if they could do the job and would you believe it built it then and there only $75-00:) .

Could be improved but it works a treat:thumbsup: :) :) :) .

Further progress some walls have been screwed onto the exterior panels.
Cement patio smothed out to allow easier running of shed:) .

A 12volt winch ($150 super cheap auto) has been added as the weight will be considerable when the shed is fuly equiped..and the winch is strong enough to pull me along while inside putting things away or taking them out:) :whistle: .

Had each of 150 sn and 150 ar spend the night on the eq6 alone in the shed and they seemed ok:thumbsup: :) .

Bush rats are stealing dog food and stocking it under the shed however :sadeyes: ...

so I will have to rat proof it around the pier for a snug fit when closed... so long as they done come it I will sweep the food away until they give up:) .

Although they are rats they are very nice, not like city rats.. but probably carry the plague so I dont like them too close;) .

Polar alignment is close:eyepop: :) .

Getting unguided runs of 250 seconds at 750mmf/l and some long runs even with the 150ar at 1200 fl.

Have trained the mount and seems very sweet. Have not tried goto or auto guide want to have a few things sortted before I bother.

Maybe then clean everything:lol: :lol: :lol:

Took heaps of photos of various objects while dialing in polar and its pretty close but have to do some real long runs to check it more;) .
It will take a while;) ;) :) .

Set up a table and the three cases of gear sit in the shed:thumbsup: .

Still a long way to go.

Fans prchased but have not been fitted.

Battery bank set up and seems to be taking a charge with only a small solar panel so 12 vlts comes from main supply at the moment. Couple more days of Sun and the bank should be at full charge or I need new batteries.

My cartaker mate bought a 4 stroke genny so power is not a problem at all now .... 1200 watts $350-00 what value:thumbsup: . So I will set up the old 2 stroke 800 watt genny as a support for the shed. I want to move the whole lot up the top hill when it is working I have some bed rock exposed for another pier and it is about 110 feet higher..ever little bit helps I hope.;)

I was thinking it is so much cheaper than a dome and you have a office, the shed, when rolled off..even with fancy 12 vlt winches;) it is cheap and easy for anyone to build and would fit into many back yards even up against a fence.
alex :) :) :)

[xelasnave]

This photo shows getting close on polar. This was cropped from a big stack of shots up to 220 seconds and the stars are not too bad:shrug: .
This was done after training:)
alex:) :) :)

[DobDobDob]

That shot looks pretty good to me Alex :thumbsup:

Also, don't forget to enter your Observatory into Barry's free listing at: http://www.aussiepeople.com.au/ASIGNobservatory/Otherobservatories.aspx

The 'Rats' - no comment :whistle:

[xelasnave]

Thanks Ron I am putting something together for Baz but dont hold your breath.. I am so busy I am having time management concerns.

But I hope the shed will be completed very soon.. but it goes on and on..details take the time.
Thanks again
alex:) :) :)

[Ric]

Very nice image Alex, I'll look forward to seeing another version when you are fully aligned.

Cheers

[xelasnave]

More done but I lost the photos.

All panelling is installed, fans are installed. Cement fixed so shed rolls nicely.
Pulled craford focuser apart, cut some metal tp shorten it, built a camera holding unit that saved heaps of weight.

Set up desk with lap top, got 5m usb cables but need one other cable to control from shed... but all is going very well.
Batteries are holding a charge ..winch needs some cable guides and a guide rail in time.

Scope is getting "the treatment" and all should be ready by next dark. It is very dirty. I must be loosing a lot of light given the grime on the mirror surfaces..

Looking forward to a couple of good dark nights with it all working..
Next Auto Guiding run down.. but it should guide manually very well given the unguided shot above.

But I must say the concept of the roll away shed must be handy for a lot of people.. its cheap, it does not have to roll far, and provides a good storage for your gear, a good control room close to the action that can be sealed against the cold.. I never liked the roof off roof because up my way it could be the "blow away roof".. wind can be a consideration for me.. the shed was blown down within a day or two of it first being erected.. but now the shed is held by a bolt on the pier when closed..

And it is the only "clean" place available to work on optics..no dog hair or cement dust as is found in the shack. No stove smoke either.

So the cleanliness will help my photos as will the refinement and adjustment one can make with a permanent set up..I expect.

alex

[DobDobDob]

You would have had it finished by now if you hadn't spent most of your time arguing with that dang tailwag :P

[xelasnave]

It is more the perfectionist in me that slows me up:eyepop: ..

I dont like doing something until I am happy with it..:D
there have been many small gates in this small project and because it is so small things have to be just so:) .

I have been also working on the rock observatory but its is becoming more and more difficult to complete..I am still not happy with the candidates for a dome or roof... so I am not rushing..still;) .

I have started the "big mount" also ...the english equatorial, my style.. for a 16 inch or two;) .. someone stop me please:whistle: .. its madness but I can not help myself:lol: :lol: :lol: ...
alex:) :) :)