[anthony2302749]

This part has been quite annoying part of the project. I have scoured the internet looking for a lower profile castor/roller with bearings. Most low profile castor here in Australia are roughly 80mm high and anything suitable outside of Australia was out of the question due to cost and other reasons.

I may have come up with a DIY solution, call it an epiphany while enjoy a morning coffee. My solution to a low-profile roller is to use a 1" aluminium tube (which I have plenty of due to ATM project) inserted with two 22mm bearing at each end, 8mm axle (again plenty of). Whole assembly fitted into the top of a PVC pipe cut to length. I am thing of rapping the rollers in heat shrink tube as a form of rubberization.

This roller idea will allow me to set the gap between the dome base ring and the observatory top ring to any height just by adjusting the length of the PVC Pipe which is a cool idea. The rollers will be recessed into the observatory top ring to keep with the low profile. The top of the rollers should not need to sit any higher than 25 to 30mm above the observatory top ring. Just enough space to allow the adjustable steel carriage to fit with out binding.

Also help with keeping the whole structure under 3m. Other reason is I want the entrance door to be tall as I can get it for easier access, back is not getting any younger.

Also pickup from Bunnings today was four of the Rolltrak Adjustable Steel Carriage and Acetal Roller, thought it would be a good means to keep the dome aligned. Hope four is enough.

Anyway, the two pic upload is proof of concepted of the roller idea and the Rolltrak Adjustable Steel Carriage And Acetal Roller.

Cheers