This my converted 3M x 2M garden shed made into an Obs back in Nov 2013. This 25 yr old shed was used for storing garden tools and mowers, so I emptied the shed and placed all the garden stuff in the garage.
The hardest part was digging the hard ground to place the masonry pavers at the rear of the shed, as I had to go about 90mm deep. I then laid bedding sand and sat the pavers on top followed by gap sand spread out on top to fill in the gaps. Used lengths of 40mm x 12mm timber as a border to hold in the bedding sand.
Then I got two 3 Metre lengths of 75 x 35mm timber to reinforce the bottom of the shed so it doesn't twist and lose shape when its moved and bolted 4 x 50mm castors (40Kg rating each) onto the bottom of each length of timber.
Hired two jacks (axial props in the trade) to jack the shed up and bolted this timber with fitted castors onto the inside bottom of the shed.
Also used four 3 Metre lengths of 40 x 12mm timber bolted to the slab and the pavers to act as guides for the castors so they didn't wander off course.
Then with a disc cutting blade on my angle grinder cut out the entrance at the front for the telescope to pass through, and then installed top latches and side barrel bolts to secure the entrance when the shed is not used.
To stop the shed blowing away in the bad storms we have here, I purchased 6 turnbuckles and hammered spigots into the ground to secure the shed when not in use.
To stop rain from getting in from underneath I used 90mm wide plastic dampcourse strips and screwed them on the outside bottom of the shed to act as mudflaps.
There is no permanent power in the shed I just run an extension lead from the laundry when I'm using it.
Total cost for the conversion is
55 x Masonry pavers 390x190x40mm @ $1.50 ea = $ 82.50
60Kg of bedding sand at $ 7.50 each = $ 22.50
20Kg of gap sand $ 7.50
Hire of two axial props for a weekend $ 18.00
8 x 50 mm castors ( 40Kg rating each) $3.50 each = $28.00
Timber as described above about $50.00
2 litres of decking stain to protect the timber $ 36.00
Turnbuckles 6 x $6.50 = $39.00
2 latches and 4 barrel bolts = $25.00
30 Metre roll of 90mm plastic dampcourse $ 7.50
Boxes of Dynabolts, wood screws and rivets about $10.00 worth that I used.
Total price $ 326.00
The shed is real easy to push back and forth and offers no resistance and I can be ready to image in 10 minutes.
It has survived heaps of really bad storms with 100Kmh winds and the mudflaps keep the inside dry.
Nice one.
Does the tripod vibrate if you move around?
I think I might have put a pier in and moved the shed the other way to cover a new pier rather than put the tripod on the slab and move the shed off it.
But if it works that's great.
Thanks Rick, it does its job and a lot more convenient compared to setting up every night like I used to before.
Jennifer I have not seen any evidence of vibrations, at least looking at the PHD guiding graph, there are no sudden corrections when I move around, but I do step lightly. Just have to make sure I don't trip over the cables in the dark.
The shed faces West where there is no light pollution, I couldn't face the shed the other way because I get all the light pollution of Redcliffe and Brisbane.
Having said that I do have tractor and a 6 inch diam auger so I could drive a hole through the slab and install a pier where the tripod is. But its not a priority at the moment.
