one question - should i have put in all the bolts (only finger tight) before i place the dome on the top, and how do i position the pier and the opening?
The Doghouse is looking great Dave! And seeing your progress report images brings back fond memories of sweaty days under the summer sun building Bells Obs. I'm warning you though, you'll reeeeeally miss setting up and tearing down!!! Psssst ... something that no-one's told you yet - observatories attract clouds!
one question - should i have put in all the bolts (only finger tight) before i place the dome on the top, and how do i position the pier and the opening?
If you're talking about the wall panel bolts, yes. I made sure my walls formed as near a perfect circle as possible using a tape measure (with all bolts a bit loose) and nudging (with a bit of effort) the walls until it was right. Then I secured all wall bolts tightly and attached each panel to the deck before lifting the dome on. Bolt at least one pannel to the deck first so your "nudging" doesnt shift the whole structure. Oh and make sure all the walls are level at the top - some shimming underneath may be necessary.
Not sure what you mean about the pier and the opening(?)
If you're talking about the wall panel bolts, yes. I made sure my walls formed as near a perfect circle as possible using a tape measure (with all bolts a bit loose) and nudging (with a bit of effort) the walls until it was right. Then I secured all wall bolts tightly and attached each panel to the deck before lifting the dome on. Bolt at least one pannel to the deck first so your "nudging" doesnt shift the whole structure. Oh and make sure all the walls are level at the top - some shimming underneath may be necessary.
Not sure what you mean about the pier and the opening(?)
Was your pier centrally located or slightly offset? BTW thanks for the descriptions - have duly noted
The Doghouse is looking great Dave! And seeing your progress report images brings back fond memories of sweaty days under the summer sun building Bells Obs. I'm warning you though, you'll reeeeeally miss setting up and tearing down!!! Psssst ... something that no-one's told you yet - observatories attract clouds!
Was your pier centrally located or slightly offset? BTW thanks for the descriptions - have duly noted
Dead center ... weeeell ... within 3 millimeters of center anyway . You would only need to offset if you were using a wedge. Will you be automating the dome rotation?
Dead center ... weeeell ... within 3 millimeters of center anyway . You would only need to offset if you were using a wedge. Will you be automating the dome rotation?
ultimately i will do that but for now it will be manual.
It is universally acknowledged among all shed - worshipping cultures that a man needs a place to call his own, to spread out, to take control of in his own style and manner. And seeing this in no way can be achieved in the family home, the shed/dome offers itself as the ideal answer to the primitive urge to be a proud homo sapiens - and hide. As a fellow traveller down the dome slope, I'd like to pass on some learnings from my own personal journey so far:
1. I found that obtaining equipment for a dome observatory is relatively easy. As is installing, callibrating, collimating and interfacing all the neccessary parts. So don't be discouraged by all those loose wires that don't have a home, nor the four Naglers that don't fit into your customised focusser - just put them in a box under the bed and buy four more! The real challenge, David, with respect to gear, is paying for the stuff and this requires some real serious "out of the square" thinking. For example, do I really need that operation? And while we're on the subject, who says the kids need an education - or shoes for that matter! We went barefoot everywhere in my day AND we walked to school, soccer practice, friends places and hitch hiked to the beach and it didn't hurt us! Our entertainment was a stick and an empty jam tin in the back yard! See, Dave, easy in the end!
2. Take full advantage of the amazing acoustic potential of your dome - install a sound system that can play atmospheric mood music while you explore the heavens - I find my son's Metallica collection helps to keep me on the ball at 3am, and judging by the lights that go on at my neighbours house 1km away across the fields, they, too seem to enjoy the music. Sound travels so well on a still night when fired out of a dome with a well - aimed opening.
3. ESSENTIAL!!!! Make sure your bar fridge has an uninterruptable power supply attached. I have personally seen the results of bar fridges failing at critical moments. And it's not justthe so-called "boozy" visual observers either. Astrophotograhpers can be hit just as hard by cooling failure so go for quality AND volume here. (NB. You may also like to plug the espresso machine into the UPS, just in case).
4. Good insulation is essential. Spousal noise can penetrate domestic acoustic screening fitted to a dome, so I recommend "Hear No Wife", available in 30m rolls from Bunnings - but get there early Friday as the truck only delivers on Fridays andthey are usually sold out by Monday morning.(Almost forgot! There is an extra outer layer you can add later called "Sorry dear, I didn't hear your mother banging her fists on the dome" - which I highly recommend).
good news - I have enlisted the help of the worlds strongest man, Alan Meehan and his son and myself to lift the dome on tonight at 5.30pm......so if you feel a jolt and the earth moved for you then blame Mike Sidonio as he moved it to place the dome on the base........
It is universally acknowledged among all shed - worshipping cultures that a man needs a place to call his own, to spread out, to take control of in his own style and manner. And seeing this in no way can be achieved in the family home, the shed/dome offers itself as the ideal answer to the primitive urge to be a proud homo sapiens - and hide. As a fellow traveller down the dome slope, I'd like to pass on some learnings from my own personal journey so far:
1. I found that obtaining equipment for a dome observatory is relatively easy. As is installing, callibrating, collimating and interfacing all the neccessary parts. So don't be discouraged by all those loose wires that don't have a home, nor the four Naglers that don't fit into your customised focusser - just put them in a box under the bed and buy four more! The real challenge, David, with respect to gear, is paying for the stuff and this requires some real serious "out of the square" thinking. For example, do I really need that operation? And while we're on the subject, who says the kids need an education - or shoes for that matter! We went barefoot everywhere in my day AND we walked to school, soccer practice, friends places and hitch hiked to the beach and it didn't hurt us! Our entertainment was a stick and an empty jam tin in the back yard! See, Dave, easy in the end!
2. Take full advantage of the amazing acoustic potential of your dome - install a sound system that can play atmospheric mood music while you explore the heavens - I find my son's Metallica collection helps to keep me on the ball at 3am, and judging by the lights that go on at my neighbours house 1km away across the fields, they, too seem to enjoy the music. Sound travels so well on a still night when fired out of a dome with a well - aimed opening.
3. ESSENTIAL!!!! Make sure your bar fridge has an uninterruptable power supply attached. I have personally seen the results of bar fridges failing at critical moments. And it's not justthe so-called "boozy" visual observers either. Astrophotograhpers can be hit just as hard by cooling failure so go for quality AND volume here. (NB. You may also like to plug the espresso machine into the UPS, just in case).
4. Good insulation is essential. Spousal noise can penetrate domestic acoustic screening fitted to a dome, so I recommend "Hear No Wife", available in 30m rolls from Bunnings - but get there early Friday as the truck only delivers on Fridays andthey are usually sold out by Monday morning.(Almost forgot! There is an extra outer layer you can add later called "Sorry dear, I didn't hear your mother banging her fists on the dome" - which I highly recommend).
Dead center ... weeeell ... within 3 millimeters of center anyway . You would only need to offset if you were using a wedge. Will you be automating the dome rotation?
how did you achieve that - strings and plumbob? or just tape and good luck?
Marcus - what was the length and thickness of the rope used for the sliding shutter. i must have forgotten to pick it up after i pulled down the observatory in rockhampton? I cannot install the shutter without it.
Marcus - what was the length and thickness of the rope used for the sliding shutter. i must have forgotten to pick it up after i pulled down the observatory in rockhampton? I cannot install the shutter without it.
And seeing your progress report images brings back fond memories of sweaty days under the summer sun building 
Psssst ... something that no-one's told you yet - observatories attract clouds! 
. You would only need to offset if you were using a wedge. Will you be automating the dome rotation?
