Incredible that it is in your front yard. Neighbours here too would have a hissy fit!
Then again, about the only way to try to escape light pollution for me here would be to put the obs up in a fire-tower in the front yard. That'd tickle the neighbours fancies.
Incredible that it is in your front yard. Neighbours here too would have a hissy fit!
Then again, about the only way to try to escape light pollution for me here would be to put the obs up in a fire-tower in the front yard. That'd tickle the neighbours fancies.
Neighbors are all pretty cool with it. Some have even come over and helped!
Progress on the stairs. Four stringers cut to the correct angle and calculated for the rise, tread and number of steps. Posts rebated to firmly seat and bolt in each stringer.
Making a massive mess of the space, but it will look a million bucks when I'm done!
Barry, please make sure you have adequate security - unfortunately, this is a perfect target for miscreants and generally they know things inside will be valuable. I'd even go video cameras.
Barry, please make sure you have adequate security - unfortunately, this is a perfect target for miscreants and generally they know things inside will be valuable. I'd even go video cameras.
Today was probably the most productive day I've had on the observatory in a long time. Not only did I get hours of precious time, but I also trialled a couple of new tools.
One was a flap disk to fit the angle grinder. It's a round disk covered in overlaying sections of very coarse abrasive. I used it to strip the bark off the wood I am using for the balusters.
The other is a rotary chisel. This is also a round blade for the angle grinder, but it has only three teeth in it. It takes of massive amounts of wood in a single pass and is also very dangerous.
Finally, instead of trying to manoeuvre the belt-sander all over the wood, I turned it upside down on the saw-horse and clamped it down. Now I can move the smaller and lighter pieces of wood over the belt sander with ease. The trick now is to watch the knuckles as I de-skinned two until I got a good technique.
I got the top of the stairs (top floor) cut to match the vertical line of the stringers, plus dressed the hole with some big pine. The stringers are all bolted in and I made a start on the hand-rails and balusters.
Finished the handrails and balusters and started making templates with cardboard for the treads. Each piece of wood will be traced onto cardboard, then placed in position and marked where to cut to shape. I'll then put the cardboard template back on the wood and trace it on for cutting. This is the very best way to do it because the wood is worth a fortune and I can't afford to make a cutting mistake.
1. Balusters finished.
2. Tracing the wood shape onto the cardboard ready to make a template.
This is the very best way to do it because the wood is worth a fortune and I can't afford to make a cutting mistake.
Measure twice cut once It's going to pop when it's stained. Are you going to use tung oil or just polyurethane. I guess the latter? It will be high traffic.
Measure twice cut once It's going to pop when it's stained. Are you going to use tung oil or just polyurethane. I guess the latter? It will be high traffic.
"Measure twice cut once".... I'm adding yours to the bucket-full of times I've heard that during this build!
I'm using a mix of turps with boiled linseed oil. The turps not only helps the oil penetrate the wood, but also sets the oil to a harder finish. Plain oil stays greasy for a long time, rubs off on fingers and clothes.
Finally I've made a start on the treads. The first one was the hardest, just working out how best to mark the template and deciding if I was going to go flush with the outer wall or take the tread right into the wall.
It worked out a lot more secure to go into the wall, fastening supporting timber inside the steel studs. Now I've got two treads in, custom cut to fit exactly. As I showed my wife and bragged about my superior craftsmanship, I jumped hard on both treads - SOLID AS A ROCK!
I'm well pleased. The second tread was a lot faster than the first, so now that I have a technique worked out, I should be able to get around three in every hour I get in there.
I have one tread at the top of the stairs left to cut and install. It's a bit tricky because it is surrounded on two sides by thick steel and some bolts, lips, edges etc - lots to custom-cut around to make it fit.
The insulation is back in the walls with every nook and cranny stuffed to keep the temperatures out/in and also a bit of soundproofing.
The bulk of the work is done but there are a couple of gaps that I want to fill and tidy up. Now the wall-panelling can be cut for the stairs and fitted on the walls.
2. Big hole!
As soon as the stairs are dressed, there's the issue of the long drop from the top floor. A bannister needs to be constructed with a gate at the top of the stairs.
I have one tread at the top of the stairs left to cut and install. It's a bit tricky because it is surrounded on two sides by thick steel and some bolts, lips, edges etc - lots to custom-cut around to make it fit.
The insulation is back in the walls with every nook and cranny stuffed to keep the temperatures out/in and also a bit of soundproofing.
The bulk of the work is done but there are a couple of gaps that I want to fill and tidy up. Now the wall-panelling can be cut for the stairs and fitted on the walls.
2. Big hole!
As soon as the stairs are dressed, there's the issue of the long drop from the top floor. A bannister needs to be constructed with a gate at the top of the stairs.
Stay tuned for the updates as I get to the task.
Baz - the staircase is looking really good and you must be pretty happy with it. The only comment I would offer on the treads is that the leading edge of the first step down looks a bit wavy in your last photo. Could just be the lighting, but you wouldn't want someone to misplace their step especially when descending.
I haven't found a gate necessary on mine, and it's tighter than yours for space. I made sure that there is sufficient dim light to see the top of the stairs, plus I put a distinctive top knob on the end post of upper level balustrade, (see post #12 http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...t=36222&page=4 ) so it is always something that your hand goes to when about to descend. When visitors are present, I increase the lighting level.
Let me know if you'd like any details of how I made the balustrade for the upper level. It was quite straightforward and gave a very pleasing and safe outcome.
Baz - the staircase is looking really good and you must be pretty happy with it. The only comment I would offer on the treads is that the leading edge of the first step down looks a bit wavy in your last photo. Could just be the lighting, but you wouldn't want someone to misplace their step especially when descending.
I haven't found a gate necessary on mine, and it's tighter than yours for space. I made sure that there is sufficient dim light to see the top of the stairs, plus I put a distinctive top knob on the end post of upper level balustrade, (see post #12 http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...t=36222&page=4 ) so it is always something that your hand goes to when about to descend. When visitors are present, I increase the lighting level.
Let me know if you'd like any details of how I made the balustrade for the upper level. It was quite straightforward and gave a very pleasing and safe outcome.
Chris
Thanks Chris. Yes I've been looking at that one in particular. I'm going to rasp the worst of it off and that will take care of it. Most of them are slightly wavy which is part of the design charm, but that one is a little too pronounced so it must be evened out with the rest.
I'm ok for designs and details mate. I have my own ideas that I want to put into place, but thank you for the very kind offer.
Wanna hear a funny? My neighbour who is a builder's carpenter, complained that the stairs don't creak! LOL!! He said wooden staircases are supposed to creak as part of the charm. I've been jumping on them and they are as solid as rock!
Looking really good. 
It's going to pop when it's stained. Are you going to use tung oil or just polyurethane. I guess the latter? It will be high traffic.
